Innovative information-communication services for the youngest children in Zadar
Among persons with complex communication needs who cannot communicate in the most usual and typical way, there are often the youngest children who due to different reasons cannot reach their environment through speech. Along with the Third Croatian Symposium on Early Childhood Intervention (Zadar, 26-28. September 2013) two events were organized in order to promote the project ICT Competence Network for Innovative Services for Persons with Complex Communication Needs (ICT-AAC). The goal of this international symposium was focused on the importance of the team work and collaboration among different professionals, but also on the new types of services like the high-technology solutions that can improve communication between the youngest users and their environment.
Joining the European Union with innovative information and communication services designed to increase a social inclusion
Croatia joined the European Union (EU) as the 28th member state on July 1, 2013. Just three days earlier, on June 28, the visibility event of the “ICT Competence Network for Innovative Services for Persons with Complex Communication Needs (ICT-AAC)” project was held. The project is funded through the "Science and Innovation Investment Fund" as the part of the "IPA component IIIc" funding mechanism by which the EU helps the candidate countries in the harmonization and implementation of the acquis communautaire as well as in the preparation for the use of Structural and Cohesion Funds after accession to the EU. The ICT-AAC project is focused on the research and development of innovative information and communication technology (ICT) services for people with complex communication needs (CCN) in Croatia as well as the transfer of know-how in the field of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) between participating academic institutions and knowledge-based small and medium enterprises (SMEs).