Promoting Autonomous Language Learning in People with Special Needs: Universal Design for Learning in the Project En-Abilities

The international society is involved in an active commercial and labour activity. This activity is based on the elimination of barriers and the dissipation of borders. Everyone wants their part of the European dream, but not everyone has equal opportunities and fair access. People with disabilities or other needs often encounter obstacles, including difficulty or inability to communicate in a non-native language, English. This chapter presents the EN-ABILITIES Project that seeks the inclusion of human diversity through communication in English. Here, we present a survey of English learning needs by people with special needs, as well as a structure for an online accessible learning model. A review of European legislation and the different concepts of universal design applied to learning contexts is presented, as well as the results of a placement test conducted with people people with disabilities and the perspectives of English teachers about the teaching of this language to people with disabilities. It also addresses the particularities to be taken into account when providing online training for people with diverse skills.

Keywords: Autonomous language learning, EN-ABILITIES, People with special needs, Universal design for learning.