Partner organisations
Co-ordinating organisation:
Berufsförderungswerk Düren, Karl-Arnold Str. 132-134, D 52349 Düren, Germany 
Contact details: Mr. Juergen Huellen, huellen@bfw-dueren.de , www.bfw-dueren.de
Phone: (+49 24 21) 598 238, Fax: (+49 24 21) 598 216
The BFW Düren is a vocational rehabilitation centre for blind and partially sighted persons. It exists since 1978 and has an staff of about 122 employees. The R&D section of the BFW Düren is responsible for carrying out all projects and is active since 1998 in 9 national and European projects. In the European ADAPT project "Let's vitalize" the BFW was responsible to develop an IT-training curriculum for the target group. The BFW was also responsible to develop the multimedia final report of this project.
In the transnational HORIZON project "UMBRELLA" The BFW developed training concepts for unemployed blind and partially sighted persons. In the Leonardo project "PROBIQ" this institute was working on a curriculum for a C++ programming course. Again the BFW was responsible for the creation of a multimedia CD with the final report and the manual.
In the national funded project "PROBAT" the R&D section developed a special helpdesk software for blind computer users. In the national project SOBES a diagnostic software for appropriate computer-setup for visually handicapped computer user.
In three national funded project, the R&D section was responsible for the coordination of the project.
In January 2004 the BFW started to establish an e-learning service for visually impaired persons. Two certified Tele-Coaches are responsible for this.
The R&D section of the BFW Düren is ISO 9001:2000 certified.
Berufsförderungswerk Halle, Bugenhagenstrasse 30, D06110 Halle, Germany 
www.bfw-halle.de
The BFW Halle is a vocational rehabilitation centre for blind and partially sighted persons. It exists since 1991 offers a variety of vocational rehabilitation and support services for partially sighted and blind people. The aim is the reintegration of the rehabilitated persons into the job market after the education or training is successfully completed.
Founded more than a hundred years ago in 1898, in 1991 it got the status of a Berufsförderungswerk, one of 3 specialised institutes in Germany for retraining blind and partially sighted adults, being the only one in East Germany .
The BFW Halle has all the special competences needed for the project. Particularly its Low Vision Department is well known throughout Europe . There is experience in running transnational projects since 1998.
In January 2004 the BFW Halle started to establish an e-learning service for visually impaired persons. Two certified Tele-Coaches are responsible for this.
The BFW Halle is ISO 9001:2000 certified.
Visio Loo Erf, Waldeck-Pyrmontstraat 31, 7315JH Apeldoorn, Netherland 
www.visioweb.nl
Visio Loo Erf is a non-profit organisation for blind and partially sighted children, youth, adults and elderly people in their living system to provide: education, assessment, rehabilitation, vocational training, consultancy and R&D.
Visio Loo Erf has specific expertise concerning the healthcare, education and social support of the target group; also for the group with additional impairments as: deaf blindness, psycho-neurocal problems, mental diseases. Visio Loo Erf has a good co-operation with specific and regular institutes on national and transnational level as well. The Institute has been established in 1895.
In the project, Visio Loo Erf will participate to the training course's development in one of the visual impairment' field and to the dissemination of the created supports.
Institut Monteclair, Rue du Vallon 51, 4900 Angers, France 
The Monteclair Institut's assets:
• Regional Resources Centre for the visually impaired
• Professional training
• Promoter of Interregional Support services to visually impaired adults (located in Pays de la Loire, Poitou-Charentes and Centre regions) developing various focuses for the target group, such as networks, abilities, information andtraining.
• National networks with other regional resources centres and especially through the AGEFIPH (financial aids in favour of people with disabilities professional integration).
• Regional network with employees
• Organisation managed by the Mutualite Française Anjou-Mayenne, which belongs to the Mutualite Française
• Adapted data-processing R&D Department
The Monteclair Institut has already participated to European projects, especially in the scope of Leonardo (EATT - Equal Access to Technology - project) which the aim was to set up a training curriculum for new technologies in favour of the over 35 age visually impaired.
The Arla Institute is a vocational training and development centre in Espoo Finland . It offers vocational rehabilitation and training for visually impaired and deafblind people. In addition it offers various expert services The Arla Institute is the only specialist centre in this field in Finland.
The Institute strives to arrange the required vocational training on a very individual basis. It offers vocational training programmes according to the National Vocational Qualifications.
The Arla Institute has a staff of about 100 persons and educates about 210 per year.
Instituttet for Blinde og Svagsynede, Rymarksvej 1, 2900 Hellerup , Denmark 
The Institute for the Blind and Partially Sighted is a national institute. The purpose of the institute is, through advice and education, to facilitate the best possible compensation for the effects of visual impairment. The individual cases are always dealt with in close co-operation with the local authorities (county and municipality). The institute has about 200 staff members, divided into 30 groups of professionals. The institute organizes its daily routines and activities across professional groupings.
The Institute is organized in different departments, each dealing with specific segments of clients. The various departments - although administratively separated - has a high degree of co-operation.
The different departments have a close international contact with parallel organizations and establishments abroad. On a European and Nordic level the Institute has participated in a number of projects, both as participant and as contractor, especially in the scope of HORIZON 1 in 1998 and HORIZON 2 in 2000 and in the scope of EQUAL in 2002.
Berufsförderungsinstitut Steiermark, EDV Schulungszentrum, Keplerstrasse 69, A8020 Graz, Austria
www.bfi-stmk.at/bfi_web/www/de/home/index.php
The bfi Steiermark is one of the largest institutions of vocational adult training in Austria , providing vocational training measures in many different sectors. Furthermore the bfi Steiermark is highly specialized in training and guidance for blind and visually impaired persons.
The bfi Steiermark offers ECDL training courses for blind and visually impaired persons but also computer programming courses for this target group. The Austrian government has allowed bfi Steiermark to run a permanent IT service point for blind and visually impaired persons providing help and support for the target group in IT related topics such as auxiliary support, training in handling computers, support in public funding etc.
On the other hand the bfi Steiermark has long experience with e-learning solutions in adult vocational training and runs an own daughter company e-bfi providing e-learning solution for individuals and companies.
In the field of European co-operation the bfi Steiermark has gained experiences out of more than 30 European projects mainly under the programmes Leonardo da Vinci and Sokrates, where bfi is project co-ordinator or project partner.
