The debate on inclusion in vocational education and training has been pushed at the latest since the ratification of the UNCRPD. Article 24 (education) and Article 27 (work and employment) of the Convention explicitly refer to the context of vocational training (Enggruber & Rützel, 2014). With Article 24, the States Parties recognise the right of persons with disabilities to education. They commit to ensuring an “inclusive education system at all levels and lifelong learning” (UNCRPD, 2017, p. 20). Article 27 focuses on the “equal right of persons with disabilities to work” (UN CRPD, 2017, p. 24). Accompanying this, action plans, resolutions, recommendations, initiatives and statements for the training and employment sector emerged (Enggruber & Rützel, 2014). For dual vocational training, the Vocational Training Act (BBiG) and the Crafts Code (HwO) form the legal framework for the inclusion of persons with disabilities (Bylinski & Vollmer, 2015). The BBiG and the HwO stipulate that people with disabilities should be trained in recognised training occupations (Bylinski & Vollmer, 2015). “Inclusive vocational training could be further described as the right of persons with disabilities to vocational training in a recognised training occupation, which is to be organised in the learning venues together with persons without disabilities.” (Euler & Severing, 2016, p. 29).

The federal project “IKKE – Educational and Accessibility through Digitalisation Tools in Vocational Training” (FKZ 01PE18007) was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the European Social Fund (ESF) for the period 01.08.2018 to 31.12.2021 as part of the programme “Digital Media in Vocational Training”.

In an exchange about their own experiences of participation in vocational training and the rigid structures of the education system, which is characterised by segregated learning and even the clear separation of people with disabilities, the urgent desire for change emerged. So far, the training and learning of the target groups takes place separately at the project partners, in workshops for people with disabilities and in separate training systems. Companies do not have the necessary capacities for the assistance and individual support of people with impairments or disabilities. In addition, workplace requirements for people with disabilities and growing complexity, digitalisation and mobility are barriers. Currently, there is little choice and few suitable training and work opportunities for people with impairments or disabilities. Workshops for people with disabilities often do not offer the chance to obtain a certified vocational qualification. Participating in rehabilitation training or working in workshops for people with disabilities limits the participants socially and professionally.

The core objective of the project “IKKE – educational and barrier-free accessibility through digitalisation tools in vocational training” is to develop and research an innovative, digital teaching and learning environment for vocational training. Through functional, modularised digital teaching and learning tools for the vocational area of kitchen, young people with and without disabilities or impairments (PWD) are to be enabled to learn together in a self-determined and self-controlled manner, flexibly, systematically with and from each other, independent of location and time, at all locations of vocational education and training.

The project took place as a cooperation between the partners BBZ Berufsbildungszentrum Prignitz GmbH, Oberstufenzentrum Prignitz des Landkreises Prignitz (OSZ), Lebenshilfe Prignitz e.V. and Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences. The network enables the active involvement of the relevant target groups of trainees as cooks, trainees as kitchen specialists and people with disabilities or impairments from the working area and the vocational training area of the sheltered workshop. At Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences, the two departments of Applied Human Sciences and Economics were involved in the project and were responsible for the conception, testing, implementation and evaluation of the inclusive, digital learning support.

Ten central conditions for success for further projects and corresponding goals can be derived from the project results. These conditions can result in disruptive factors if they are not observed, and in supportive factors if they are observed and implemented. They represent overarching results derived from the IKKE project (NN refers to the respective occupational profile; in the IKKE project it was that of the cook). For the corresponding project work, these central results should be addressed by all partners and ideally implemented.

1. Intensive involvement of the staff of the network partners in project planning and implementation (participatory approach).

2. intensive inclusion of all target groups (NN trainees, specialist trainees and people with disabilities) in project planning and implementation (participatory approach).

3. education and discussion rounds for the staff of all network partners.

4. involving potential companies in the project through discussions and visits.

5. recognised modularisation of the training and recognised partial qualifications (Quali-Bausteine).

6. Adaptation and optimisation of structural aspects such as technology, premises and WLAN expansion.

7. inclusive teaching adapted to individual skills and abilities through the use of special materials (accessibility) and personnel support.

8. involving all those involved in education (including all teachers) through appropriate training, especially on the topics of inclusion, technology and didactics.

9. reducing prejudices and fears among the staff and also among the trainees and employees through getting to know each other, workshops and mutual visits.

10. project work according to the motto “try and adapt if necessary” in order not to exclude certain methods or possibilities in advance.

The following recommendations for action can be derived from the central conditions for success:

1. Promote motivation through:

self-organised learning

taking into account prior knowledge, providing different levels of difficulty

2. Supporting digitalisation by:

Informing participants about the dangers of the digital world

training all participants in technology and programmes

Establishing digital infrastructure (e.g. project partners, such as workshops, could also be equipped with tablets; tablets that can be taken home by participants → for more location- and time-independent learning)

3. Strengthen inclusive cooperation by:

Creating a feedback culture → learning how to deal with criticism

Strengthening a sense of community through NN workshops (or other workshops using cooperative learning), as positive interdependence that takes place in cooperative learning has a socially integrative effect (Borsch, 2018)

Train and use tutors/mentors as independent contact persons in case of experiences of exclusion.

01.08.2018 – 31.12.2021

• BBZ Berufsbildungszentrum Prignitz
• University of Applied Science Madeburg – Stendal
• Lebenshilfe Prignitz e.V.
• Oberstufenzentrum Prignitz

• Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
• European Social Fund (ESF)
• German Aerospace Center (DLR)

Prof. Dr. Michael A. Herzog
Business Informatics
University of Applied Science Magdeburg-Stendal
michael.herzog@h2.de

Prof. Dr. Matthias Morfeld
Rehab Psychology
Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal
matthias.morfeld@h2.de

Victoria Batz, M.A.
Interaction Design
University of Applied Science Magdeburg-Stendal
victoria.batz@h2.de

Inga Lipowski, M.A.
Rehab Psychology
University of Applied Science Magdeburg-Stendal
inga.lipowski@h2.de

inklusive-kueche.h2.de