BERT

The project's overall objective is to contribute to the enhanced capacity of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in East Africa to break down barriers hindering the full inclusion of persons with disabilities in education and society in the digital era.According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2011), approximately 15 % of the world's population- more than 1 billion people, have some form of disability, of which 80% live in developing countries with limited access to healthcare, education, and employment opportunities. This includes people with physical, sensory, intellectual, or mental health impairments.

Despite global efforts to promote inclusive education, the education system largely faces challenges in creating an inclusive and accessible environment for students with disabilities at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. These challenges arise from various factors, including the inaccessibility of facilities, inadequate assistive technologies, teachers and society's stereotypes, and negative attitudes toward individuals with disabilities. As a result, in developing nations, access to education remains limited for a mere fraction of individuals with disabilities. Notably, the participation rate of people with disabilities in HEIs is the lowest, and even among those who manage to join, they encounter high dropouts during the initial years of their studies. This contravenes Article 24 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals, aiming to ensure inclusive and equitable education for everyone.

The project utilizes the twin-track and Community-Based Inclusive Development (CBID) approaches and promotes inclusive education for students with disabilities in HEIs and beyond. Effective implementation of these approaches relies on collaboration among stakeholders, such as higher education institutions, disability organizations, government agencies, other educational institutions, technology companies, and business sectors.

Key objectives to be achieved:

1. Strengthened the capacity of partner HEIs to support the inclusion of students with disabilities through promoting multidisciplinary rehabilitation accessibility (inc. digital) and assistive technology in the education system. 

   This objective is achieved through regional and global collaboration, renewed degree programs and courses and setting up open resource access materials. 

2. Improved the partner institutes' educational quality and capacity to develop and create innovative solutions to barrier-free learning environments. 

   This objective is achieved through improved pedagogical methods, creating regional dialogue, and increased participation of people with disabilities in HEIs.