Also in the framework of our project with the European Commission, we have a number of ongoing projects :
- Negociations with the ECB and the Mint Directors
- A "Euro brochure" : Euro-Vision
- The writing of pedagogical cards
- An educational tool in relief for euro notes
1. Negociations with the ECB and the Mint Directors
Getting to touch real, or very close to real, euro notes and coins is the only valid and meaningful way for visually impaired people (and others) to get familiarised with the euro and be able handle the euro notes and coins with confidence and security by 1st January 2002. We receive support from the European Central Bank for all of our work. We are working with the European Central Bank and with the Mint Directors Working Group in order to obtain suitable samples of notes and coins for training purposes.
2. A "Euro brochure" : Euro-Vision
The master print of a "Euro Brochure" specifically designed to address the needs of visually impaired people will be available in Spring 2000 in all of the European Union official languages in adapted formats, i.e. in Braille, on audio-cassette, in large print and on computer. Thanks to the successful co-operation with the ECB, it will give a precise description of the design of the euro notes and coins and of their identification features.
3. The writing of pedagogical cards
These pedagogical cards will mainly be based on the key findings from the survey, from which we are able to derive confusion areas as regards the handling of euro notes and coins, with discrimination of blindness or partial sightedness, or age criteria, and the most efficient ways which people presently use to discriminate their notes and coins. They will also rely on findings from a pilot project with elderly visually impaired people, started in France in the second half of September. They will include activities developed for children, and rules of games prototyped. They will be available in the UE languages in print and on audio-cassettes.
4. An educational tool in relief for euro notes
The partial prototype of a pedagogical brochure in relief is being designed for euro notes.