apiDV, a national association dedicated to supporting visually impaired learners in France, is demonstrating how a structured, learner‑driven model can strengthen inclusion across vocational education and training (VET). Operating within a highly decentralised education system, the organisation ensures continuity of support as students move between training centres, universities, apprenticeships, and workplaces – a critical function in a landscape where accessibility often varies by region.
Addressing Fragmented Support in a Decentralised System
Although France has a strong legal framework for disability inclusion, visually impaired learners frequently encounter inconsistent accessibility when transitioning between institutions. This fragmentation can interrupt learning or delay access to essential adaptations. apiDV acts as a national bridge, compensating for local resource gaps and ensuring that rights established under the 2005 Disability Act translate into practical, uninterrupted support throughout VET pathways.
A Self‑Determination Model Led by Students
In 2024, apiDV restructured its Campus DV model to place learners at the centre of decision‑making. A committee of 12 visually impaired students now co‑leads the service alongside two staff members, identifying gaps in institutional support and co‑organising activities. This shift moves students from passive recipients of assistance to active contributors shaping their own educational and professional trajectories.
Technical Accessibility Backed by Human Support
apiDV’s approach combines high‑level technical expertise with personalised mentoring:
- Eight professional transcribers adapt complex educational materials — including STEM diagrams – into Braille, audio, and tactile formats.
- Seventy‑five volunteer mentors from the ActifsDV network provide job‑readiness coaching, interview simulations, and workplace mediation.
- The association promotes RGAA‑compliant digital accessibility, ensuring that VET platforms and examination systems are compatible with screen readers and tactile devices.
Together, these elements support 60 students in higher education and 75 job seekers or graduates each year.
Supporting Apprenticeships and the Transition to Employment
For learners engaged in apprenticeships or alternance schemes, apiDV anticipates workplace accessibility needs, prepares students to communicate with Disability Referents, and supports the adaptation of training and evaluation materials used jointly by employers and CFAs. Mentors act as informal intermediaries, helping clarify accommodation requirements and addressing concerns related to productivity or logistics.
This approach promotes mainstream inclusion: accessibility becomes part of ordinary employment relations rather than an exception. In 2024, 50% of the 75 participants in the job‑readiness programme secured employment or advanced training.
A Long‑Standing, Sustainable Model
apiDV’s services have been operational since the early 1990s, and the ActifsDV mentorship programme has been active for 17 years. The 2024 renewal of the Campus DV structure aligns the practice with recent national measures such as the “Digital Backpack”, which ensures continuity of technical adaptations from VET to employment.
A Transferable Model for VET Providers
The practice is highly replicable. It relies on:
- student‑led governance,
- transcription expertise,
- RGAA‑aligned digital accessibility,
- and a hybrid human‑resource model combining professional staff with a large volunteer mentor network.
These elements make the model adaptable to other VET systems seeking to strengthen inclusion without requiring extensive institutional infrastructure.
