People with disabilities continue to face significant barriers in key areas of daily life, including health care, education, employment, leisure and civic participation. These barriers often lead to higher risks of poverty, social exclusion and experiences of discrimination, particularly for persons with disabilities (PWID) and individuals with complex communication needs (CCN).
OPEN4ALL was created to respond to these challenges by promoting accessibility, inclusion and equal participation. The project focuses on strengthening the capacities of professionals working in health, education and support services by equipping them with essential knowledge and tools in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). By integrating innovative learning and teaching approaches, OPEN4ALL supports inclusion and diversity while aligning with the needs of vocational education and training (VET) and the demands of the labour market.
The main objective of OPEN4ALL is to enhance the social inclusion and active participation of PWID and people with CCN. The project aims to improve professionals’ competencies in AAC, enabling them to act as effective communication bridges between individuals with CCN and their everyday communication partners. In doing so, the project seeks to increase autonomy, participation in daily activities and overall quality of life for people with complex communication needs.
To achieve these goals, OPEN4ALL will focus on identifying and sharing good practices, developing training materials and an AAC Toolkit, and organising transnational project meetings to monitor progress and support implementation. Through these actions, the project expects to strengthen professional skills, increase confidence and autonomy among people with CCN, and ensure that high-quality AAC resources remain accessible beyond the project’s lifetime, fostering long-term collaboration at a European level.