ECDL ® PD: 15 YEARS LATER Andrea Petz Klaus Miesenberger

ECDL – EUROPEAN COMPUTER DRIVING LICENSE Mission: “ To raise the level of knowledge about information technology (IT) and increase the level of competence in using personal computers and common computer applications for all the citizens of the world.”

ECDL – EUROPEAN COMPUTER DRIVING LICENSE Certificate in Computer Literacy Started in 1995  CEPIS  OCG

ECDL – EUROPEAN COMPUTER DRIVING LICENSE 1. to raise the general level of competency in IT 2. to improve productivity at work 3. to support employees at the labour market (communicate) 4. to enable organisations to invest more efficiently in IT 5. to support employers in quality assurance, search for staff, preparation for IT investment 6. to ensure that best practice and quality issues are understood and implemented 7. to support educators and policy makers SOCIO-ECONOMIC INDIVIDUAL MANAGEMENT TRAINING / POLICY

ECDL STRUCTURE 1. ECDL Certificate Holder (no competitor)  Syllabus & QTB  Skills card and certificate  Quality Assurance  Material and Centre Accreditation  Promotion  Development 2. ECDL Test Centres  Test preparation (courses)  Test organisation 3. Users  Individuals  Organisations

ECDL – EUROPEAN COMPUTER DRIVING LICENSE Module 1 The Basic Concepts of Information Technology (theoretical) Module 2 Using the Computer and Managing Files Module 3 Word Processing Module 4 Spread sheets Module 5 Databases / Filing Systems Module 6 Presentation Module 7 Information Network Services

ECDL – EUROPEAN COMPUTER DRIVING LICENSE Base Modules  Computer Essentials  Online Essentials  Word Processing  Spreadsheets Standard Modules  Presentation  Using Databases  IT Security  Online Collaboration  Image Editing  Web Editing  Project Planning  2D Computer Aided Design  Health Information Systems Usage  ICT in Education Advanced Modules  Advanced Word Processing  Advanced Spreadsheets  Advanced Database  Advanced Presentation

ECDL STRUCTURE: AUSTRIA AD-ON ECDL Web (with an accessibility module!) ECDL Image Typing CAD

ECDL 14 million people 150 countries 41 languages 24,000 test centers  E.g. used in school in Austria  E.g. used for all staff in National Health Service, UK

ECDL-PD: CHALLENGES Certificates tend to build up barriers for those who are not able to access it Lack of access to certificates Special certificates for people with disabilities are unattractive

ECDL-PD ECDL presented at ICCHP 1998 (World Computer Congress) ECDL as a tool for vocational inclusion  Difficulties for PwD in demonstrating the skills  Difficulties for employers to understand that PwD have the same skills  Improving quality and acceptance of training of PwD  Making mainstream courses accessible BENCHMARK FOR ICT SKILLS IN EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION

ECDL-PD: POTENTIAL Product independent: “Skills” and not products are used as criteria Procedure independent: “Accessible environments”, reasonable accommodation Organisation independent: Anybody can try to become a test centre; ICT/AT training centres, schools  Stays the same certificate for everybody

ECDL-PD: IDEA ECDL PD will use the same certificate to enable individuals with disabilities to show that they have the skills necessary to handle the most common computer applications. The basic philosophy of ECDL PD is to keep the level of the certificate untouched. The focus is on better tools for training, teaching and learning and optimising the work environment.

ECDL-PD: ACTIVITIES Adaptation: Vision / Hearing / Motor / Cognition  Accessibility of Syllabus  Accessible training materials  Accessible QTB and testing routines  Accessible test centers (quality control, audit)  Check lists for test/training/competence centers Promotion European wide exchange

ECDL-PD: ACTIVITIES Miesenberger, K.: ECDL - PD, European Computer Driving Licence for People with Disabilities, in: Vollmar, R., Wagner, R.: Computers Helping People with Special Needs, ICCHP ´00, Oldenbourg, Wien, München Miesenberger, K., Petz, A.: ECDL PD - Using a Well Known Standard to Lift Barriers on the Labour Market, in: Miesenberger, K., Klaus, J., Zagler, W. (eds): Computers Helping People with Special Needs - 8th International Conference, ICCHP, Linz, Austria, July 2002, Proceedings, Springer Heidelberg, Miesenberger, K., Petz, A., Leahy, D.: ECDL PD: Access to a Standard Certificate Based on Universal Access to HCI, in: Stephanidis, C. (ed.): Universal Access in HCI - Inclusive Design in the Information Society, Volume 4, Lea, Mahwah, Miesenberger, K., Petz, A., Leahy, D.: ECDL PD: A Standard Certificate for All, in: Craddock, G., M., McCormack, L., P., Reilly, R., B., Knops, H., T., P.: Assistive Technology - Shaping the Future, Proceeding of the AAATE Conference 2003, IOS Press, September Miesenberger, K., Morandell, M., Petz, A., Leahy, D.: ECDL-PD: International Co-operation to Keep the Syllabus and MQTB Open for Everybody, in: Miesenberger, K., Klaus, J., Zagler, W., Burger, D.: Computers Helping People with Special Needs, 9th International Conference, ICCHP 2004, Paris, July 2004, Springer Heidelberg 2004 Miesenberger, K.: ECDL-PD: Making a Standard Certificate for IT Accessible to All, CSUN 2005, Los Angeles 2005.

ECDL-PD: IMPACT Tool for inclusion  More training and better skills  Better acceptance of skills  Better training and promotion  Positive decision for inclusion  Transparent presentation/communication of skills A tool for  Individuals  Training  Employers PART OF MAINSTREAM

ECDL-PD: ACCEPTANCE Users/Test Centers  Accessible test centers in more than 20 towns  15 specialized test centers  Offered in all schools and most rehab/training centers “It is simply part of ECDL.” Usage  ECDL holders with a disability  More than half ECDL Standard  25% ECDL Advanced Impact studies are starting Andrea

ECDL-PD: ACCEPTANCE ECDL Base: 178 ECDL Standard: ECDL Advanced: ECDL Web: 457 ECDL Image: 532 Typing: CAD: 632 Total:

ECDL-PD: FUTURE Changing frameworks Accessibility of materials in mainstream Changing media: multimedia More quick&dirty New formats, e.g.: Moocs New technologies (HTML5, ARIA) But still the same challenges Communicate skills Access to certificate and training

ECDL-PD: PLANS Evaluation: ONGOING  Syllabus  Training materials  Test centers  Feedback: PwD / Employer / Trainer and training center / OCG  Best practice Support educational and vocational participation by an ongoing ECDL-PD scheme, which is still valid and needed Network Impact Studies