Globally, the Child Eye Health organization estimates that at least 450 million children have vision conditions requiring treatment, and 90 million children live with some form of vision loss. In Europe, the European Blind Union (EBU) (https://www.euroblind.org/) estimates that 30 million people are visually impaired. These figures highlight the significant scale of the problem and the urgent need for support worldwide.
Children with visual impairments often experience delays in fundamental motor skills, including locomotion, object control, and balance. Acquiring these skills is crucial, as they profoundly impact the development of social skills, emotional functioning, autonomy (in orientation and mobility), confidence with technology, independent daily living activities, and ultimately, a successful life. Early support is therefore vital for these children to thrive.
Under the scientific supervision of Professor Emerita Dimitra Koutsouki, the project officially began in January 2024 and will run for two years, concluding in December 2025.
“Move as you are” is an Erasmus+ program implemented through a partnership of organizations from Greece, Portugal, and Italy. The program aims to create educational materials for sports coaches, physical education teachers, special educators, and parents. These materials are designed to help them integrate visually impaired children into sports. This program represents an innovation in the field of adapted physical activity and special education. It strives to address a significant gap by focusing on two key pillars:
- Social Inclusion: The project enhances social inclusion and equal opportunities in sports by encouraging the participation of visually impaired children in sports activities. Through sports, children develop motor skills and integrate more smoothly into their local communities.
- Support and Empowerment: The project also aims to boost the self-confidence of visually impaired children and raise awareness among their families about their children’s participation in sports. Concurrently, it provides ready-to-use resources for sports professionals and special education experts, improving the quality of instruction and facilitating the inclusion of these children in sports.
Under the supervision of Professor Emerita D. Koutsouki and Laboratory Teaching Staff Member K. Asonitou from the School of Physical Education and Sport Science of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (SEFAA/NKUA), and with the contribution of other scientific collaborators, the following resources were developed:
- Booklet on Best Practices to Involve Children with Visual Impairments in Sports Activities: This guide provides a collection of the best practices for including children with visual impairments (CWVI) in sports, promoting engagement in sports and physical activity from early school years. This handbook is available for free in English, Greek, Italian, and Portuguese at https://www.moveasyouare.eu/resources/
- OOC (Massive Open Online Course)– MOOC Course to Promote Sport and Approach to Movement Among Children with Visual Impairments: Designed to promote sports and mobility among children with visual impairments, this educational approach combines videos, video lessons, and written content. It aims to provide physical education teachers, coaches, and special education instructors with explanations of strategies and techniques to use with CWVI. It also includes specific athletic explanations for developing motor skills in track and field, and swimming. This online seminar is available for free in English, Greek, Italian, and Portuguese at https://www.moveasyouare.eu/resources/
Over the past months, the project team conducted regular online meetings, as well as four in-person international meetings:
- Rome, Italy: The first meeting was hosted by Euphoria Net.
- Tirrenia, Italy: The second meeting was held at a sports camp, hosted by Real Eyes Sport.
- Athens, Greece: The third meeting took place at the facilities of SEFAA/NKUA, with the Adapted Physical Activity Lab (APAlab) responsible for its organization.
- Porto, Famalicao, Portugal: The fourth and final meeting finalized the structure of the MOOC online course. This course equips physical education teachers, coaches, and special educators with new knowledge and practical skills in adapted sports (tennis, badminton, soccer, and swimming), aiming to promote participation and enhance motor skill development in visually impaired boys and girls.
@MoveAsYouAre
CLICK HERE https://www.moveasyouare.eu/ FOR MORE FROM MOVE AS YOU ARE! Stay tuned for future updates on the “Move as You Are” program! The Project Partnership:
- Real Eyes Sport A.S.D.
- The Municipio De Vila Nova De Famalicão.
- The Adapted Physical Activity/Developmental and Physical Disabilities Lab (APAlab), School of Physical Education and Sport Science of the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA).
- Euphoria Net.
If you’re a professional working in a school, sports organization, or club, and you interact with individuals who have visual impairments, you can freely access and evaluate the “Move as you are” MOOC online course.
The course is available here: https://www.moveasyouare.eu/courses/mooc-gr/
Once you’ve completed the course, please fill out the following evaluation questionnaire: https://forms.gle/D7WMtjzCW1ksP35u8 Your feedback is crucial for us to improve!
