Source: World ORT News
World ORT's Kadima Mada will be administering a unique distance learning program for children treated in Israel’s 27 main public hospitals. The program was established in 1993 by The Kav Or Association in two Israeli hospitals and has since grown to serve children in hospitals across the country.
The new program has two broad primary objectives: to standardize the equipment and technology in the participating hospitals and to enhance the distance learning component by revamping the Kav Or website to make it into a ‘virtual school’ using videoconferencing technology.
Over the years, Israel has developed a special infrastructure whereby Ministry of Education-run schools inside hospitals receive sponsorship and support from a voluntary agency. This enables children who cannot attend regular school to continue with their education, both from an educational perspective and for the children’s emotional well-being, helping them to cope with their hospitalization. Twenty seven schools in the hospitals are operated by the Ministry for this purpose.
ORT's Kadima Mada will initially focus on the introduction of wireless Internet connections and the provision of laptop computers for bedridden children. They also aim to upgrade the system by introducing it to more volunteers, promoting and adapting the website to make it relevant to older students, upgrade the technical level of the pedagogical team and inform medical teams about the project so that they can encourage children to make use of it.
With World ORT taking over implementation of the program, Kav Or will focus on fundraising.