Who is this site for?  

It is primarily designed for teachers and trainers in post 16 education and anyone concerned with course planning, assessment and quality assurance in Vocational Education and Training (VET).  It also contains useful information for students/potential students at all levels and educational support workers.

Is this site relevant to me if I’m not from one of the partner countries listed?

Yes.  QATRAIN2 sites are available in English, Bulgarian, Greek, Romanian, and there is a smaller version in Turkish.  Each site varies to reflect national policies, funding arrangements, educational systems etc, but the QATRAIN2 project is European-wide and the information provided is transferable.  You should find useful advice on this site wherever you are from.

Do I need to register or pay to use the site?                                                                                                                                                  

No, the site is completely free and there is no requirement to register; however, we would be very pleased to hear from you, so please click the feedback tab after you have used the site and let us have your opinions and suggestions for improvements.

Where should I start?

We recommend you click on the Resource tab at the top of the page.

On the next screen you can choose to search by selecting any two of the following three options:

• by Learning Category;
• by Disability;
• by Challenge.

A drop down list for each criteria will appear when you click on the down arrow.

Do I need to have specialist knowledge about disability to use the site?

No, absolutely not.  The site is designed to provide advice for teachers and trainers in mainstream institutions to help them ensure that the courses they teach are accessible for people with disabilities. 

Can I benefit from the site if the Learning Categories I use are not listed?

Yes, you certainly can.  You can find plenty of useful information by selecting particular disabilities and reading the descriptions, associated teaching strategies and potential challenges.  You may also be able to find a similar Learning Category and search together with particular disabilities.   

What if I have no students with disabilities on my course?

The site is just as useful to you, if not more so, since you may have less experience of including disabled learners.  Disabilities are not necessarily visible, and many learners do not declare their disability for a variety of reasons, so you may not know if you have any learners with disabilities on your course. Also, you may not have any disabled learners on your course now, but what about next semester?  It is part of European-wide law that students with disabilities should not be discriminated against, and that education should be available to all in mainstream institutions wherever possible, so you need to know how to include all potential learners.

How do I know if a student has dyslexia?

Click on the Resource tab. Click on arrow next to the ‘Disability’ select box to see the pull-down menu.  Select ‘Dyslexia’ and click on the 'Search' button.  This leads to a description of dyslexia, associated teaching strategies, and potential challenges.  There are further resources available at the end of the section on Dyslexia.

Can I find any examples of good practice?

Click on the Resource tab.  Click on arrow next to the 'Learning Categories' to see the pull-down menu.  Select a Learning Category and click on the 'Search' button.  You will find case studies are included at the bottom of the Learning Category page. 

How do I support disabled learners in a laboratory?

Click on the Resource tab. Click on arrow next to the ‘Learning Categories’ select box to see the to the pull-down menu.  Select ‘Practical Activities’ and go to the relevant section. 

How do I find out how best to teach a student who uses a wheelchair?

Click on the Resource tab.  Click on arrow next to the ‘Difficulties with...’ select box to see the pull-down menu.  Select ‘Mobility’ and click on the 'Search' button.  

Where can I get advice about teaching students with epilepsy or severe asthma?

Click on the Resource tab.  Click on arrow next to the ‘Disability’ select box to see the pull-down menu.  Select ‘Medical Conditions’ and click on the 'Search' button.