In today's reality, the following main reasons hinder the economic participation of the social group with disabilities:
In the context of applied research, it is therefore particularly important to fulfill the mission "Our research brings worlds together" of people with and without disabilities. The aim of this area is to create added value for the whole by integrating one world into the other. The focus is therefore on designing practical inclusion concepts and tools so that everyone involved can benefit from them.
In order to actually contribute to change, our work is based on the modern research approach "Managing Diversity". This involves dealing constructively with the diversity and variety of socio-demographic groups. Managing diversity and its philosophy of working together rather than against each other is legitimized by creating added value for all stakeholder groups that are important to a system.
Qualitative research refers to methods that are non-mathematical and whose procedures and results originate from data collected using a variety of different means. This includes observations, interviews as well as books, videos or data that has already been collected for other purposes. It is always about taking a step back and critically analyzing situations and behaviors. This requires theoretical and social sensitivity as well as the ability to consciously maintain an analytical distance. It is important to reflect on existing observations on a meta-level based on our experience.
This analytical distance and reflection are particularly important for exploratory research. It is used when little is known about causes and correlations and insight is to be gained into unstructured situations.
Echogruppe Wirkungsbericht Behindertenpolitik St.Gallen
Seit 2013 gibt es in St.Gallen das kantonale BehiG (sGs 381.4), das Gesetz über die soziale Sicherung und Integration von Menschen mit Behinderung. Die Wirkung dieses Gesetzes wurde in einem mehrjährigen Prozess unter der Fragestellung, wie sich die Lebenssituation von Menschen mit Behinderung im Kanton St.Gallen tatsächlich darstellt, untersucht. In verschiedenen Lebensbereichen wie Wohnen, Arbeiten und Beschäftigung, Bildung, Gesundheit, politische Partizipation sowie Mobilität wurden förderliche und hemmende Faktoren analysiert, welche einer möglichst selbstbestimmten und gleichberechtigten Teilhabe dienen respektive diese verhindern.
Gemäss dem Motto «Nichts über uns, ohne uns» wurde dem Einbezug von Menschen mit Behinderung bei der Erstellung des Wirkungsberichts hohes Gewicht beigemessen und die Echogruppe, welche die Entstehung des Wirkungsberichtes begleitete, entsprechend aus Gruppenmitgliedern mit und ohne Behinderung zusammengesetzt. Die AWF des CDI-HSG hat in der Echogruppe seit 2016 Einsitz in Expertenfunktion.
Im Januar 2019 wurde der finale «Wirkungsbericht Behindertenpolitik Kanton St. Gallen» des Amtes für Soziales an einer öffentlichen Veranstaltung vorgestellt. Die Überführung in einen unbefristeten Modus ist beschlossen. In Form eines Kreislaufkonzepts wird die Implementierung der Handlungsempfehlungen stetig begleitet.
People with a disability often need specific technical aids so that they can contribute their potential to work processes in an employable way.
Together with an industrial group in Germany, the AWF is developing and testing an input system based on the latest technologies for hand-impaired and blind PC users. This was then made available on the market for further development and use. The project serves as an innovation driver for the participation of disabled people in the workplace.
Prototype 2 has been tested and approved. The 0 series is currently under development. The new keyboards will be delivered to Prof. Dr. Nils Jent in the course of 2021.
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Creation of the guide "Teaching and research at the university - barrier-free!"
The project "Teaching and research at the university - barrier-free!" is an ongoing project of the Swiss Universities that aims to improve accessibility for employees at Swiss universities. The project aims to create a platform for lecturers and researchers with disabilities and chronic illnesses as well as decision-makers at university level. Prof. Dr. Nils Jent is acting as the knowledge expert for the creation of the guidelines for implementing accessibility, which will be made available on this platform.
See the German's version: CDI - Uni SG - Angewandte Forschung
See the German's Version: CDI - Uni SG - Angewandte Forschung