ESOK-hanke 2006-2011

Project review

Accessibility development projects by Finnish higher education institutions and some Non-governmental organizations.

Dyslexia and learning difficulties

Supporting learning readiness and diverse learners

The main objective of the project by Mikkeli University of Applied Sciences is to develop and offer the students and the staff multidisciplinary practice methods and models for comprehensive student support and counselling.

ABC-läs- och skrivutvecklingsprojekt

The project aims to develop practices to recognize and support students with reading disabilities in Finland Swedish polytechnic and university education.

Learn to learn project

The Rehabilitation Foundation project develops and tailors new services for adults and young people with learning difficulties. The aim is to find each customer's unique strengths and create personal coping models by charting learning readiness, developing new working strategies and using peer support.

Teaching, studying, councelling

Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences Equality Project 2008-2009

The project aims to promote equal opportunities for the students and staff of the university to participate in studies and work. The project will create e.g. an equality project for the students and staff, and forms of support will be developed for diverse learners and students with foreign backgrounds.

Through accessible studentship into working life

The project aims to support the well-being of students and produce an accessibility practices program for the involved higher education institutes. The program will include actions and tasks concerning physical, social, cultural and linguistic accessibility.  Another aim of the project is to support work communities' accessibility surveys and actions to implement accessibility.

Educational interpreting development project

The aim of the project by the sign language studies unit of HUMAK University of Applied Sciences is to study and develop the use of interpreting services to remove communicative obstacles faced in studies.

POLULLA project

The aim of the joint project by Diaconia University of Applied Sciences and Laurea University of Applied Sciences was to prevent significant delay in studies or dropping out by developing counselling and support services for those polytechnic students who need special support with their studies.

Obstacles employees with foreign backgrounds meet when applying for education and employment in the service sector

The aim of the project by North Karelia University of Applied Sciences was to find out what kind of obstacles employees with foreign backgrounds meet when they apply for higher vocational education. The project also charted the employment of tourism, catering and domestic services students with foreign backgrounds and what obstacles they encounter.

Learning environments


Good usability in learning environments - Research and product development project on accessibility in learning environments

This joint project starts development work on accessible learning environments in three higher education institutions in Eastern Finland: North Karelia University of Applied Sciences, Savonia University of Applied Sciences and Mikkeli University of Applied Sciences.

Accessible learning environments project

The JAMK University of Applied Sciences project focused on developing physical and above all pedagogic accessibility in learning environments.

ESKEH-project

The Finnish Association of People with Physical Disabilities project focuses on evaluating the accessibility of built environment, and aims to create a generally accepted evaluation system for accessibility.

Mental health and coping


“Purje” project

“Purje” project supported Oulu University of Applied Sciences students under 26 in their studies and with challenges they face in everyday life.

“I Hope” project

The University of Kuopio project, “I Hope – harkiten opinnoissa eteenpäin ” (“I Hope – Through the studies with careful planning”), aims to improve the studying capabilities of those students who suffer from depression or other mental disturbances.

Supported learning project 2006-2008

The Suvimäki Clubhouse project aims to promote educational equality for recovering mental health patients and to make the supported studies models part of the operation of the institutes.

Information technology

Foxability project

Foxability project was developed under Project Management course of University of Jyväskylä Department of Computer Science and Information Systems. The aim was to develop  a Mozilla Firefox browser extension that evaluates the accessibility and reachability of websites.

MobIT – Wireless Campus research project

Cross-faculty MobIT research team examines how mobile technology, especially portable computers and a wireless local area network, can be implemented in and benefit studying, teaching and learning.

Working life and accessibility

TUKEA project

The Finnish Association for Autism and Asperger´s Syndrome project develops forms of support in work and studies for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. The aim is to promote public understanding of autism spectrum disorders, improve access to studies and to support entering working life.

“Ehyt” project

The Finnish Federation of the Hard of Hearing project focuses on promoting equality of the hard of hearing and to improve accessibility in working life.


Seminars in English

Seminar On Human Rights and Persons with Disabilities in Higher Education

2 December 2009 at 11.00 - 16.3, PharmaCity, Lecture Hall 1, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4, Turku

The seminar programme >>

Accessibility is for everyone

The third national accessibility seminar organized by ESOK project will be held in Helsinki on 6.-7. May 2009. The number of participants at the moment 112.

Accessibility is for everyone > >