Individual pedagogical support in education (IPSU)

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What is Individualized Pedagogical Support in Education (IPSU)?

The overall aim and objective of the service is to enable the participant, with the help of individually adapted pedagogical support, to become independent and to successfully complete a training course, where appropriate in combination with assistive technology. The educational initiative that may be relevant for the participant may consist of various labor market training, preparatory training, establishment course at Folkhögskola or Folkhögskola-education for study motivation purposes.

The service consists of two parts:

1. Mapping to determine the need for pedagogical support in a specific training course to be attended by the jobseeker.
2. Pedagogical support during ongoing training to the extent assessed by the mapping.

Background to the service
The Swedish Public Employment Service has a strategic responsibility in disability policy, which is part of labor market policy. This means, among other things, that The Swedish Public Employment Service activities must be accessible to people with disabilities. To make training initiatives accessible to jobseekers with functional variations that result in reduced working capacity, the Public Employment Service offers special educational support in the form of IPSU.

IPSU complements the basic accessibility requirements in preparatory and labor market training to make training accessible to jobseekers who, due to their disability, have special needs for support and compensation.

The procurement is for a single service, divided into two parts, IPSU A Mapping and IPSU B Pedagogical Support.

The service will identify the participants’ individual conditions in relation to the requirements of the training situation and provide individually designed pedagogical support during the training. The aim is for the participant to become independent and successfully complete the training.

Purpose and objectives of the service
The overall aim and objective of the service is to enable the participant, with the help of individually adapted pedagogical support, to become independent and to successfully complete a training course, where appropriate in combination with assistive technology.

The educational initiative that may be relevant for the participant may consist of various labor market training, preparatory training, establishment course at Folkhögskola or Folkhögskola-education for study motivation purposes.

Target group of the service
The target group consists of jobseekers with functional variations that result in reduced working capacity and need special educational support in a training situation, possibly in combination with assistive technology. For example, the participant has:

• demonstrated a need for new or enhanced professional skills in order to enter the labor market but have specific needs for adaptation of the training effort in order to reach the target employment.
• demonstrated the need for a concerted effort to increase knowledge about how the disability can be compensated for with various aids and support systems in the educational situation.
• demonstrated the need to learn facilitating strategies in the educational situation.
• demonstrated a need for assistive technology testing and education/training in order to use it effectively in an educational setting.

Detailed description of the two parts of the service
The IPSU is thus divided into two parts, IPSU A Mapping and IPSU B Pedagogical Support.

IPSU A Mapping
Mapping of the participant’s ability to cope with the requirements of the training, fitting of any aids that the participant may need in the training situation, as well as other preparation for a training effort. The results form the basis for the structure and content of IPSU B.

IPSU B Pedagogical support
Ongoing pedagogical support during the course of the training, as well as support and servicing of assistive devices, if applicable.
The support is designed in such a way that the need for support hours during the intervention gradually decreases with the aim of the participant becoming as independent as possible.

Before starting the service, the employment officer, we and the jobseeker conduct a multi-party interview. The prospective participant is informed about the content and approach of IPSU. Agreement on start date for IPSU A Mapping is done and a joint planning is established.

IPSU A Mapping
The target time for IPSU A Mapping is 1-3 weeks long. The purpose of the mapping is to compare the demands placed on a participant in the current training situation with his or her individual conditions and to suggest pedagogical support and/or aids that are deemed to facilitate the person in the training situation.

The intervention includes analysis of the content, objectives and structure of the training and assessment of the individual’s ability to meet the requirements of the training intervention.

The mapping is carried out before the start of the planned training action. If the need for special educational support is identified during the course of the training, the mapping can be carried out at this stage, if it is deemed appropriate based on the needs of the individual and the requirements of the training.

Mapping and analysis of the individual’s conditions based on
– the requirements of the educational situation
– learning style, individual study strategy and technique
– experience with assistive means
– basic computer knowledge
– technical assistance needs
– need for testing and training with assistive technology
– the need for individualized educational support

IPSU B Pedagogical support
The target time for IPSU B Pedagogical Support is variable and depends on the needs of the participant and the duration of the training. The service lasts at most until the date of the end of the training action.

The pedagogical support is based on the results of the mapping exercise. The educational support is provided during ongoing labor market training, preparatory training, establishment course at Folk High School or Folk High School training for study motivation purposes. The support is designed in such a way that the participant becomes as independent as possible in order to be able to carry out the training on his/her own, using the tools and possible aids provided by IPSU support.

The number of hours of support during the action will vary according to the structure of the training and should be reduced if possible as the participant becomes more independent.

The assistive devices tested and recommended during IPSU A Mapping should follow the participant throughout the time he/she needs the assistive devices during the upcoming training intervention, even if the need for pedagogical support ends.

If, during IPSU B, a need for additional aids is identified, we are also responsible for testing and providing them.

IPSU B Pedagogical support consists of the following actions:
– Pedagogical support to the jobseeker in the way the participant needs during the training, for example:
– help with the structure and organization of your studies
– different forms of study techniques
– how the training material can be used according to the needs of the participant and if necessary
– installation and commissioning of assistive devices (including their service and support)
– technical adaptation for the learning environment
– educational support, which may also include support for teachers and the community

Joint Planning: IPSU A Mapping
The agreement reached at the multi-stakeholder meeting forms the basis for the establishment of Joint Planning.

The mapping should include the following activities:
– Analysis of the requirements of the training situation in relation to the jobseeker’s ability to meet these requirements.
– Assessment of educational support needs.
– Assessment of the need for assistive technology.

Joint Planning: IPSU B Pedagogical support
The first joint planning is based on the findings of the IPSU A Mapping final report. If the planning changes, a new GP must be submitted proposing a new scope and/or period. It should also justify why the change is proposed.

The following should be included:
– The structure of the pedagogical support and the activities planned.
– What tools jobseekers will use during the training period.
– Plan for the participant to become as independent as possible.
– Plan for the time period and the extent of the pedagogical support to be provided.

Pedagogical support:
– Content and scope of support.
– How the support has compensated in the learning situation.
– The progress and development of the participant.

Assistive devices:
– What aids the participant has used during the training period.
– How the assistive technology has compensated in the learning situation.
– Where the participant has a continuing need for assistive technology during the training, this should be noted. It should also indicate which assistive devices are then relevant.

Recommendations based on observations and participant needs.

Equipment/aids
Examples of assistive devices that may be present:
– Laptop with Office package and antivirus software
– Digital software player for computer for text material with sound
– Speech synthesis program
– Spelling program
– Headphones
– Daisy player; an international standard for reading and navigating digital talking books (digital personalized information system)
– Pocket memory; dictaphone – a device that stores speech for dictation
– Scanner pen/pencil
– Aids to perception and communication

In addition to the examples of tools listed above, a number of other similar tools and apps may be required.

We have set up IPSU in the following areas:

• Northern Mälardalen
  • Uppsala
  • Västerås
• Gothenburg Halland
  • Gothenburg, Sweden
  • Halmstad
  • Skövde
• Northwest Götaland
  • Borås
  • Trollhättan
• Western Svealand
  • Falun
  • Karlstad
  • Malung
  • Mora
  • Örebro
• North Norrland
  • Gällivare
  • Kalix
  • Kiruna
  • Luleå
  • Lycksele
  • Piteå
  • Skellefteå
  • Umeå
  • Övertorneå