Hildegard Roosen

The initiative in Nordhorn City, Germany to provide commuting training on city buses

Hildegard Roosen
Former Headmaster of Vechtetalschule

Chapter 1

Ms. Roosen engaged in various teaching positions in the school environment and served forapproximately 20 years as the principal of special needs school Vechtetalschule Nordhorn.
In addition to developing educational programs for special needs schools over the courseof many years she has engaged in research into commuting support for students withintellectual disabilities. She is the originator of the MogLi Project.

The initiative in Nordhorn City, Germany toprovide commuting training on city buses

view to realizing this right without discrimination and on the basis of equal
opportunity, States Parties shall ensure an inclusive education system for all
types of disability. In Germany this kind of inclusive education has alreadybegun and today all children, including those with any kind of intellectual
disability, are able to enter regular schools. It is said that in the near future it
is likely that special needs schools will disappear entirely, and all schools will
become regular schools.
Article 19 of the Convention also touches on the right of persons withdisabilities to live independently and be included in the community. The MogLi
Project, which aims to realize such independence from the perspective ofmobility, therefore has a pioneering signiﬁcance for the society of the future.

What is the MogLi Project?
The MogLi Project was launched in the Germany city of Nordhorn in 2007.
“MogLi” is an abbreviation of the German phrase “Mobilität auf ganzer Linie,”
which means “Enabling people with disabilities to live independently throughmobility.” It was based on this concept that the program was developed tosupport students with intellectual disabilities by enabling them to use public
transport to commute to school independently.
The key principle that forms the basis for the project is “inclusion,” which
is one of the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities. Prior to this principle becoming deep-rooted, theterm “integration” was one that was often used in the sense that persons withdisabilities, who have been discriminated against in the past, should be able
to expect to be “integrated” with able-bodied persons. In contrast, the term“inclusion” refers to the fact that all people are equal and that from its very
inception a society should be created that includes persons with disabilities. Thisis the concept that has come to be given priority in recent years and it is one
that we consider to be extremely important.
Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities refers to “education.” The article stipulates that States Parties
recognize the right of persons with disabilities to education and that with a4

As to why this should be the case, the answer lies in the fact that although we
all engage in various activities in diﬀerent spaces, including school and work,and leisure and shopping, etc., the role of mobility in linking all these activities
and spaces is an incredibly important factor, and one that can immediately
improve and enrich the lives of persons with disabilities.
So, in order to improve mobility for persons with intellectual disabilities, whatsort of actual targets do we need to set? In considering this question, we focusedon the two points detailed below.
1) Improving mobility skills themselves
2) Aiming to achieve barrier-free mobility
The MogLi Project aims to realize these two targets simultaneously. In otherwords, we are engaged in simultaneous efforts to improve infrastructure(hard) aspects such as making the transport environment barrier-free, andalso educational (soft) aspects that seek to improve the skills of persons withdisabilities. Our project is characterized by our eﬀorts in close cooperation withexpert research institutions to achieve both of these aspects at a high level andcreate synergy between the two.

5

Hildegard Roosen

The initiative in Nordhorn City, Germany to provide commuting training on city buses

Hildegard Roosen
Former Headmaster of Vechtetalschule

Chapter 1

Ms. Roosen engaged in various teaching positions in the school environment and served forapproximately 20 years as the principal of special needs school Vechtetalschule Nordhorn.
In addition to developing educational programs for special needs schools over the courseof many years she has engaged in research into commuting support for students withintellectual disabilities. She is the originator of the MogLi Project.

The initiative in Nordhorn City, Germany toprovide commuting training on city buses

view to realizing this right without discrimination and on the basis of equal
opportunity, States Parties shall ensure an inclusive education system for all
types of disability. In Germany this kind of inclusive education has alreadybegun and today all children, including those with any kind of intellectual
disability, are able to enter regular schools. It is said that in the near future it
is likely that special needs schools will disappear entirely, and all schools will
become regular schools.
Article 19 of the Convention also touches on the right of persons withdisabilities to live independently and be included in the community. The MogLi
Project, which aims to realize such independence from the perspective ofmobility, therefore has a pioneering signiﬁcance for the society of the future.

What is the MogLi Project?
The MogLi Project was launched in the Germany city of Nordhorn in 2007.
“MogLi” is an abbreviation of the German phrase “Mobilität auf ganzer Linie,”
which means “Enabling people with disabilities to live independently throughmobility.” It was based on this concept that the program was developed tosupport students with intellectual disabilities by enabling them to use public
transport to commute to school independently.
The key principle that forms the basis for the project is “inclusion,” which
is one of the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities. Prior to this principle becoming deep-rooted, theterm “integration” was one that was often used in the sense that persons withdisabilities, who have been discriminated against in the past, should be able
to expect to be “integrated” with able-bodied persons. In contrast, the term“inclusion” refers to the fact that all people are equal and that from its very
inception a society should be created that includes persons with disabilities. Thisis the concept that has come to be given priority in recent years and it is one
that we consider to be extremely important.
Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities refers to “education.” The article stipulates that States Parties
recognize the right of persons with disabilities to education and that with a4

As to why this should be the case, the answer lies in the fact that although we
all engage in various activities in diﬀerent spaces, including school and work,and leisure and shopping, etc., the role of mobility in linking all these activities
and spaces is an incredibly important factor, and one that can immediately
improve and enrich the lives of persons with disabilities.
So, in order to improve mobility for persons with intellectual disabilities, whatsort of actual targets do we need to set? In considering this question, we focusedon the two points detailed below.
1) Improving mobility skills themselves
2) Aiming to achieve barrier-free mobility
The MogLi Project aims to realize these two targets simultaneously. In otherwords, we are engaged in simultaneous efforts to improve infrastructure(hard) aspects such as making the transport environment barrier-free, andalso educational (soft) aspects that seek to improve the skills of persons withdisabilities. Our project is characterized by our eﬀorts in close cooperation withexpert research institutions to achieve both of these aspects at a high level andcreate synergy between the two.

5

Hildegard Roosen

Figure 1

The initiative in Nordhorn City, Germany to provide commuting training on city buses

Vechtetalschulebehavioral disabilities. There are a total of 220 students in 30 classes in theschool and more than 150 teachers and instructors are working there.
The main school where I am based is situated within the city of Nordhorn andthere are ten further branch schools. The role of the main school is a signiﬁcant
one in that we provide advice to teachers and parents at the branch schools.
The classes at the branch schools are also run with the cooperation of the main
school.

There are four diﬀerent areas in school, related to theage of the pupils and activities.
They are marked by diﬀerent colors (red, blue, orange,
green).

Schools and region participating in the project
The MogLi Project was conducted in the county of Grafschaft Bentheim inGermany. We launched the project at our special needs school, Vechtetalschule,which is located in Nordhorn, the main city of Grafschaft Bentheim 1. There
are 60 schools in the county and most students either commute to school bybus or are taken to school by their parents. There is also a public transportation
network, but it is complex for children with disabilities to understand andthey had been unable to use public transportation for their school commute.
The primary form of public transportation is the regional bus, which runs twice
every hour. There are other buses that run on demand and if you telephone to
make a reservation one hour prior to boarding time, a taxi will come to yourhouse to take you to the bus stop.
The city of Nordhorn where our school is located is in an area where a vehicle isessential for daily life, including shopping. There are four bus lines in the city, in
addition to which there are school buses that serve each of the schools.
Our school is called the Vechtetalschule, which gets its name from the River
Vechte that runs close by. Our school was built in 1990 and it serves children
with various disabilities, including learning, mobility, communication and

6With regard to the students who are participating in the MogLi Project, it is
the case that not all students at our school participate in the project. One-thirdof the students have severe disabilities and regrettably these severely disabledstudents were not included in the project. Children with visual disabilities arealso not included in the project. It was by establishing a set of criteria in thisway that we defined which students would participate in the project as we
advanced it forward.

Background to the birth of the MogLi project
I would like to explain a little about the background to the birth of the MogLi
Project.
Back in 2004 I would often stand by the school gates, observing the situation
as children came to school and left at the end of the day. Each day in frontof the school gates there would be a mass of vehicles bringing children toschool and the car park would also be full. I watched this scene every day and I
started to think, “Why does each and every child have to be brought to school
individually?”
Prior to the launch of the project all the students were taken to school fromtheir home with door-to-door service. They were picked up every morning andtaken to school and each day when classes ﬁnished they were each taken homeindividually. Even so, this service that took all the children directly to theirhomes was extremely ineﬃcient, and also placed a burden on the children inview of the long commuting times. Transport expenses were also ballooning.

7

Hildegard Roosen

Figure 1

The initiative in Nordhorn City, Germany to provide commuting training on city buses

Vechtetalschulebehavioral disabilities. There are a total of 220 students in 30 classes in theschool and more than 150 teachers and instructors are working there.
The main school where I am based is situated within the city of Nordhorn andthere are ten further branch schools. The role of the main school is a signiﬁcant
one in that we provide advice to teachers and parents at the branch schools.
The classes at the branch schools are also run with the cooperation of the main
school.

There are four diﬀerent areas in school, related to theage of the pupils and activities.
They are marked by diﬀerent colors (red, blue, orange,
green).

Schools and region participating in the project
The MogLi Project was conducted in the county of Grafschaft Bentheim inGermany. We launched the project at our special needs school, Vechtetalschule,which is located in Nordhorn, the main city of Grafschaft Bentheim 1. There
are 60 schools in the county and most students either commute to school bybus or are taken to school by their parents. There is also a public transportation
network, but it is complex for children with disabilities to understand andthey had been unable to use public transportation for their school commute.
The primary form of public transportation is the regional bus, which runs twice
every hour. There are other buses that run on demand and if you telephone to
make a reservation one hour prior to boarding time, a taxi will come to yourhouse to take you to the bus stop.
The city of Nordhorn where our school is located is in an area where a vehicle isessential for daily life, including shopping. There are four bus lines in the city, in
addition to which there are school buses that serve each of the schools.
Our school is called the Vechtetalschule, which gets its name from the River
Vechte that runs close by. Our school was built in 1990 and it serves children
with various disabilities, including learning, mobility, communication and

6With regard to the students who are participating in the MogLi Project, it is
the case that not all students at our school participate in the project. One-thirdof the students have severe disabilities and regrettably these severely disabledstudents were not included in the project. Children with visual disabilities arealso not included in the project. It was by establishing a set of criteria in thisway that we defined which students would participate in the project as we
advanced it forward.

Background to the birth of the MogLi project
I would like to explain a little about the background to the birth of the MogLi
Project.
Back in 2004 I would often stand by the school gates, observing the situation
as children came to school and left at the end of the day. Each day in frontof the school gates there would be a mass of vehicles bringing children toschool and the car park would also be full. I watched this scene every day and I
started to think, “Why does each and every child have to be brought to school
individually?”
Prior to the launch of the project all the students were taken to school fromtheir home with door-to-door service. They were picked up every morning andtaken to school and each day when classes ﬁnished they were each taken homeindividually. Even so, this service that took all the children directly to theirhomes was extremely ineﬃcient, and also placed a burden on the children inview of the long commuting times. Transport expenses were also ballooning.

7

Hildegard Roosen

The initiative in Nordhorn City, Germany to provide commuting training on city buses

It was this situation that prompted me to ask the questions: Could the children
be taught so that they could commute independently? Also, would it be possible
to design such an education program?

Figure 2

The Participants

Figure 3

Development of a network

Another question I asked myself was whether the commuting routes could be
utilized as a platform for study. After all, study is not simply something thatis exclusively conducted in a classroom environment. I realized that througha process of learning-by-doing, the students should be able to use their daily
commute to equip themselves with communication skills and social manners.
I immediately conveyed my ideas to people in local government administration.
I then busied myself seeking out research institutions as partners and after
contacting several I was successful in finding partners that were compatible
with the needs of the project. For technical aspects we partnered with Technical
University of Munich (Technische Universität München) , and for education
aspects with Giessen University ( Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen) andTechnical University of Dortmund (Technische Universität Dortmund). For
project formulation we received the help and cooperation of the governmentof Bentheim County, where our school is located. Furthermore, it was decided
that operating funds would be provided by the Federal Ministry of Economics
and Technology. Envisaging a three- to four-year project we were able toacquire operating funds of approximately 750,000 euro, and after a three-year
preparation period we were ﬁnally able to launch the MogLi Project in 2007 2.
After the project had begun, our ﬁrst priority was to create a network of all thepeople involved. The main players were naturally the students, but unless all theother persons and organization concerned, including teachers, researchers,
local government and bus operators, etc., worked in unison as good
partners the project would not have worked successfully 3. The parents ofthe children were also initially very concerned about the project and one of
our important tasks was to provide education and psychological support tothe parents too.
We advanced the project step by step in various aspects and we concentrated on
eﬀorts to clarify problems or challenges in each area and to resolve these one

8

by one. It is thanks to this process of systemically seeking solutions to problems
that we were able to generate relations of mutual trust and maintain a highdegree of motivation among all the people concerned.

9Hildegard Roosen

The initiative in Nordhorn City, Germany to provide commuting training on city buses

It was this situation that prompted me to ask the questions: Could the children
be taught so that they could commute independently? Also, would it be possible
to design such an education program?

Figure 2

The Participants

Figure 3

Development of a network

Another question I asked myself was whether the commuting routes could be
utilized as a platform for study. After all, study is not simply something thatis exclusively conducted in a classroom environment. I realized that througha process of learning-by-doing, the students should be able to use their daily
commute to equip themselves with communication skills and social manners.
I immediately conveyed my ideas to people in local government administration.
I then busied myself seeking out research institutions as partners and after
contacting several I was successful in finding partners that were compatible
with the needs of the project. For technical aspects we partnered with Technical
University of Munich (Technische Universität München) , and for education
aspects with Giessen University ( Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen) andTechnical University of Dortmund (Technische Universität Dortmund). For
project formulation we received the help and cooperation of the governmentof Bentheim County, where our school is located. Furthermore, it was decided
that operating funds would be provided by the Federal Ministry of Economics
and Technology. Envisaging a three- to four-year project we were able toacquire operating funds of approximately 750,000 euro, and after a three-year
preparation period we were ﬁnally able to launch the MogLi Project in 2007 2.
After the project had begun, our ﬁrst priority was to create a network of all thepeople involved. The main players were naturally the students, but unless all theother persons and organization concerned, including teachers, researchers,
local government and bus operators, etc., worked in unison as good
partners the project would not have worked successfully 3. The parents ofthe children were also initially very concerned about the project and one of
our important tasks was to provide education and psychological support tothe parents too.
We advanced the project step by step in various aspects and we concentrated on
eﬀorts to clarify problems or challenges in each area and to resolve these one

8

by one. It is thanks to this process of systemically seeking solutions to problems
that we were able to generate relations of mutual trust and maintain a highdegree of motivation among all the people concerned.

9Hildegard Roosen

The initiative in Nordhorn City, Germany to provide commuting training on city buses

Approaches to the transport environment
Next, in terms of a technical approach to the transport environment, we
conducted an analysis of the commuting routes to school. We examined whatroutes the children took and what kinds of transportation services it would
be possible for them to use on such routes. In order to do this eﬀectively wetracked the way to school for each individual pupil and examined each route.
The results of this analysis showed that for a number of students the existingtransportation schedules did not ﬁt well with their commuting times to school.
We decided therefore to implement some measures, such as putting back thestarting time for classes by 30 minutes, which would provide an environment
in which it would be easier for students to travel by bus and increase thenumber of students who would be able to commute by bus. Ultimately a total of
approximately 100 students at our school were able to participate in the MogLi
Project.

We created a list of all such issues and compiled them in a general catalogue.
We also conducted interviews with other special needs schools, with the aim ofidentifying signiﬁcant barriers and working to resolve these issues in prioritizedorder.
One representative example of the barriers faced is that children with disabilities
ﬁnd travel information displays and signage incredibly diﬃcult to understand.
These include the roadside signboards, bus route maps, displays inside buses andalso on-board audio information.
All of these barriers are basically solvable, through such measures as using
pictograms on bus route maps, using large lettering on sign boards and limiting
on-board announcements to simple language. We worked to improve suchenvironmental barriers 4.

Figure 4

Recommendations for adequate passenger information

Once it had been decided which bus lines each student would use, the next big
challenge was to ensure safety for the students on their way from their homes
to the bus stop. We wasted no time in engaging in a detailed survey of theroutes from the students’ homes to the bus stop and identifying traﬃc lights,
crossings and other danger points along the way. If a certain point was deemed
to be dangerous we made sure that an alternative safer diversionary route wasfound. With due care and attention, the commuting routes for each student
were decided. In addition, the information we had collected from our research
about the traﬃc signals, crossings and other danger points was all placed on aninternet portal site, which was made accessible to anyone.
However, there are various other barriers on the commuting routes that students
take to school. For example, for students with disabilities various transport
environment aspects present barriers, such as a lack of lighting at bus stops
and crossing signals that change too quickly. In addition, there are other more
personal barriers, such as children being afraid to walk among large crowds ofpeople or unable to read transport-related signage.

10

11

Hildegard Roosen

The initiative in Nordhorn City, Germany to provide commuting training on city buses

Approaches to the transport environment
Next, in terms of a technical approach to the transport environment, we
conducted an analysis of the commuting routes to school. We examined whatroutes the children took and what kinds of transportation services it would
be possible for them to use on such routes. In order to do this eﬀectively wetracked the way to school for each individual pupil and examined each route.
The results of this analysis showed that for a number of students the existingtransportation schedules did not ﬁt well with their commuting times to school.
We decided therefore to implement some measures, such as putting back thestarting time for classes by 30 minutes, which would provide an environment
in which it would be easier for students to travel by bus and increase thenumber of students who would be able to commute by bus. Ultimately a total of
approximately 100 students at our school were able to participate in the MogLi
Project.

We created a list of all such issues and compiled them in a general catalogue.
We also conducted interviews with other special needs schools, with the aim ofidentifying signiﬁcant barriers and working to resolve these issues in prioritizedorder.
One representative example of the barriers faced is that children with disabilities
ﬁnd travel information displays and signage incredibly diﬃcult to understand.
These include the roadside signboards, bus route maps, displays inside buses andalso on-board audio information.
All of these barriers are basically solvable, through such measures as using
pictograms on bus route maps, using large lettering on sign boards and limiting
on-board announcements to simple language. We worked to improve suchenvironmental barriers 4.

Figure 4

Recommendations for adequate passenger information

Once it had been decided which bus lines each student would use, the next big
challenge was to ensure safety for the students on their way from their homes
to the bus stop. We wasted no time in engaging in a detailed survey of theroutes from the students’ homes to the bus stop and identifying traﬃc lights,
crossings and other danger points along the way. If a certain point was deemed
to be dangerous we made sure that an alternative safer diversionary route wasfound. With due care and attention, the commuting routes for each student
were decided. In addition, the information we had collected from our research
about the traﬃc signals, crossings and other danger points was all placed on aninternet portal site, which was made accessible to anyone.
However, there are various other barriers on the commuting routes that students
take to school. For example, for students with disabilities various transport
environment aspects present barriers, such as a lack of lighting at bus stops
and crossing signals that change too quickly. In addition, there are other more
personal barriers, such as children being afraid to walk among large crowds ofpeople or unable to read transport-related signage.

10

11

Hildegard Roosen

Figure 5

The initiative in Nordhorn City, Germany to provide commuting training on city buses

Coping with unforeseen incidents

In actual fact, such improvements are important not just for disabled persons,but also the elderly. There are many sign boards and other displays that are
diﬃcult for the elderly and the disabled to understand, and eﬀorts to eliminate
such barriers would also be highly beneﬁcial from the perspective of responding
to the needs of the aging society.

Figure 6

Training of bus drivera parent, the phone is set up to automatically dial the next number, thus
guaranteeing that the student will be able to talk with someone. By using
the latest technology we have been able to respond to a certain degree to any
unforeseen situations.

Educational approach
Response to unforeseen situations
Even after measures have been taken to deal with various barriers, there arestill issues that remain outstanding. For example, when unforeseen situations
occur, such as the bus being delayed or not coming at all, students can become
panicked. We responded to such problems by establishing an information
control center, where bus drivers can exchange information with center staﬀ 5.
If the bus has not arrived or is delayed, the control center sends out information
to students, who receive this information on a simple mobile phone. The
mobile phone is set up so that by pressing “1” the students are connected totheir parents, by pressing “2” they are connected to a travel route assistant,and by pressing “3” they are connected to school. By communicating directlywith a person they are familiar with they are able to decide on their next
course of action. Even if after pressing “1” the student cannot connect with

12

Next, I would like to explain about the educational approach we adopted in the
MogLi Project.
Firstly, with regard to bus drivers, as they are required by law to undertake
training four times a year, we implemented the training relating to our project
within the framework of the regular training sessions. To date approximately
150 bus drivers have participated in the training 6.
The training is divided into ﬁve areas of learning. First is training on facilities for
persons with disabilities, followed by information on the MogLi Project itself.
Third is basic training to deepen understanding about intellectual disabilities
and the characteristics of Down’s syndrome and autism, for example. Fourth is
the self-experience module, through which drivers engage in practical learning

13

Hildegard Roosen

Figure 5

The initiative in Nordhorn City, Germany to provide commuting training on city buses

Coping with unforeseen incidents

In actual fact, such improvements are important not just for disabled persons,but also the elderly. There are many sign boards and other displays that are
diﬃcult for the elderly and the disabled to understand, and eﬀorts to eliminate
such barriers would also be highly beneﬁcial from the perspective of responding
to the needs of the aging society.

Figure 6

Training of bus drivera parent, the phone is set up to automatically dial the next number, thus
guaranteeing that the student will be able to talk with someone. By using
the latest technology we have been able to respond to a certain degree to any
unforeseen situations.

Educational approach
Response to unforeseen situations
Even after measures have been taken to deal with various barriers, there arestill issues that remain outstanding. For example, when unforeseen situations
occur, such as the bus being delayed or not coming at all, students can become
panicked. We responded to such problems by establishing an information
control center, where bus drivers can exchange information with center staﬀ 5.
If the bus has not arrived or is delayed, the control center sends out information
to students, who receive this information on a simple mobile phone. The
mobile phone is set up so that by pressing “1” the students are connected totheir parents, by pressing “2” they are connected to a travel route assistant,and by pressing “3” they are connected to school. By communicating directlywith a person they are familiar with they are able to decide on their next
course of action. Even if after pressing “1” the student cannot connect with

12

Next, I would like to explain about the educational approach we adopted in the
MogLi Project.
Firstly, with regard to bus drivers, as they are required by law to undertake
training four times a year, we implemented the training relating to our project
within the framework of the regular training sessions. To date approximately
150 bus drivers have participated in the training 6.
The training is divided into ﬁve areas of learning. First is training on facilities for
persons with disabilities, followed by information on the MogLi Project itself.
Third is basic training to deepen understanding about intellectual disabilities
and the characteristics of Down’s syndrome and autism, for example. Fourth is
the self-experience module, through which drivers engage in practical learning

13

Hildegard Roosen

The initiative in Nordhorn City, Germany to provide commuting training on city buses

about the MogLi Project in the working environment. Finally, the ﬁfth area oflearning concerns methods of responding to and interacting with persons withdisabilities. Only the bus drivers who have received training in all ﬁve areas canactually transport the students.
Prior to launching the project we implemented a questionnaire, targetingthe various people who would be involved in the project, including the bus
drivers, students, parents, and teachers. It was evident from the questionnairethat all of the people involved were very highly motivated with regard to theproject.
However, on the other hand, it was also a fact that all of the people involved
were greatly concerned that the students may become involved in accidents once
they started travelling independently.
In order to remove such concerns and enable students to learn how to deal withvarious problems it was necessary to develop a reliable educational program andimplement it thoroughly. That was the particular focus for us in developing an
educational approach.
With regard to education for the students, prior to the launch of the program
we conducted a transport skills diagnostic test. This was a test to confirm inadvance the response skills of the students in the transportation environment.
The aim was to comprehensively test for recognition about traﬃc safety, as wellas cognition and mobility skills relating to transportation and social interaction
skills.
The test was conducted with students from the ages of eight to eighteen andused specialist equipment to assess the students visual, hearing, response andmemory skills, all of which are essential elements of traﬃc-related behavior.
What we realized by implementing the test was that although all the students
have various disabilities, their traﬃc-related behavioral skills were considerably
higher than we had initially anticipated. Furthermore, the development of thistest itself was a new experience for us and we noticed various areas where there14

was room for improvement.
In this way, through a process of trial and error, we improved the diagnostic test
and worked on developing an educational program based on the results thatwould further enhance the students’ response skills in various areas.
The program that we developed is being implemented as part of the standard
class curriculum. In addition, the educational know-how that we had developed
and accumulated was compiled ultimately into a set of guidelines in a booklet.
This booklet is used by teachers and education is provided that is suited to theneeds of each student.

Educational program divided into stages
The educational program is divided into three stages. The first stage isclassroom-based teaching. In this stage the students use cards, puzzles andblackboards to learn about how to read signs and understand traﬃc rules. Thenthe diagnostic test mentioned above is conducted to assess whether the student
concerned can participate in the project. If a positive result is gained the student
then moves on to the next stage. The second stage consists of practical learningand guidance, creating an environment in school or in the gymnasium that issimilar to the real traﬃc environment. This is the stage at which students learn
about actions as a pedestrian, when riding a bicycle and how to ride the bus. A
diploma is awarded when each of these modules is completed. Students who
have gained all diplomas then move onto the third stage, which consists of fullﬂedged training in the actual transport environment. Using a bus provided by
the private bus company association, the students learn about how to get on
and off the bus, how to behave when on the bus, and also about dangerous
blind spots in the vicinity of the bus. This stage is taught by a member of thebus company association or a former bus driver. In addition, a mobility coachis also involved in the training to provide one-on-one guidance to students,
accompanying them on their commuting route to ensure that they can act andbehave appropriately in a real transport environment 7.

15

Hildegard Roosen

The initiative in Nordhorn City, Germany to provide commuting training on city buses

about the MogLi Project in the working environment. Finally, the ﬁfth area oflearning concerns methods of responding to and interacting with persons withdisabilities. Only the bus drivers who have received training in all ﬁve areas canactually transport the students.
Prior to launching the project we implemented a questionnaire, targetingthe various people who would be involved in the project, including the bus
drivers, students, parents, and teachers. It was evident from the questionnairethat all of the people involved were very highly motivated with regard to theproject.
However, on the other hand, it was also a fact that all of the people involved
were greatly concerned that the students may become involved in accidents once
they started travelling independently.
In order to remove such concerns and enable students to learn how to deal withvarious problems it was necessary to develop a reliable educational program andimplement it thoroughly. That was the particular focus for us in developing an
educational approach.
With regard to education for the students, prior to the launch of the program
we conducted a transport skills diagnostic test. This was a test to confirm inadvance the response skills of the students in the transportation environment.
The aim was to comprehensively test for recognition about traﬃc safety, as wellas cognition and mobility skills relating to transportation and social interaction
skills.
The test was conducted with students from the ages of eight to eighteen andused specialist equipment to assess the students visual, hearing, response andmemory skills, all of which are essential elements of traﬃc-related behavior.
What we realized by implementing the test was that although all the students
have various disabilities, their traﬃc-related behavioral skills were considerably
higher than we had initially anticipated. Furthermore, the development of thistest itself was a new experience for us and we noticed various areas where there14

was room for improvement.
In this way, through a process of trial and error, we improved the diagnostic test
and worked on developing an educational program based on the results thatwould further enhance the students’ response skills in various areas.
The program that we developed is being implemented as part of the standard
class curriculum. In addition, the educational know-how that we had developed
and accumulated was compiled ultimately into a set of guidelines in a booklet.
This booklet is used by teachers and education is provided that is suited to theneeds of each student.

Educational program divided into stages
The educational program is divided into three stages. The first stage isclassroom-based teaching. In this stage the students use cards, puzzles andblackboards to learn about how to read signs and understand traﬃc rules. Thenthe diagnostic test mentioned above is conducted to assess whether the student
concerned can participate in the project. If a positive result is gained the student
then moves on to the next stage. The second stage consists of practical learningand guidance, creating an environment in school or in the gymnasium that issimilar to the real traﬃc environment. This is the stage at which students learn
about actions as a pedestrian, when riding a bicycle and how to ride the bus. A
diploma is awarded when each of these modules is completed. Students who
have gained all diplomas then move onto the third stage, which consists of fullﬂedged training in the actual transport environment. Using a bus provided by
the private bus company association, the students learn about how to get on
and off the bus, how to behave when on the bus, and also about dangerous
blind spots in the vicinity of the bus. This stage is taught by a member of thebus company association or a former bus driver. In addition, a mobility coachis also involved in the training to provide one-on-one guidance to students,
accompanying them on their commuting route to ensure that they can act andbehave appropriately in a real transport environment 7.

15

Hildegard Roosen

Figure 7

The initiative in Nordhorn City, Germany to provide commuting training on city buses

Training on commuting to school using city buses

In the ﬁnal stages of the education program actual city buses are used to
implement full-ﬂedged training in the real transportation environment.

It is important for students to go through this staging and to gradually become
accustomed to the transport environment. Once all stages have been completed
the student ﬁnally starts riding the bus by him/herself and begins commuting toschool independently.

Signiﬁcance of the MogLi Project
The above is an overview of the MogLi Project. In conclusion I would like toshare my ideas about the signiﬁcance of the project.

Learning how to wait in line at an actual bus stop and get on the bus.

The bus operator explaining the signs that are found on the bus.

Demonstration of what to do in case of a sudden stop. This demonstration is designed to show
students the dangers of sudden stops, when an object placed in the aisle tumbles forward.

16

Firstly, in terms of the significance of the program for students, one-third of
those who participated in the program are now able to commute to school
entirely independently. This is a wonderful outcome and it means that the
project has had great signiﬁcance for the students.
The students were previously very nervous about commuting alone to school.
However, I believe that as they have grown and become able to commute
independently they have also gained confidence. This confidence can be seenin their behavior other than the school commute, and I believe it has had abeneﬁcial eﬀect in various aspects, nurturing the buds of an independent mind
in many students and enhancing their problem solving skills. Furthermore, as
their communication skills have improved, the number of their friends has also
increased and they are more able to actively use their free time. In that sense,
one of the major outcomes of the project is that it has enriched the students’
lives overall. I believe that their experiences will be of help to them once theyhead out into society after graduating from school.
The project also had signiﬁcance from the perspective of “transportation.” Whatcan be pointed out ﬁrst is that there is no longer a need for students to be taken
individually to school, which has also resulted in considerable cost savings.
According to our calculations, following the introduction of the MogLi Project,costs associated with commuting were reduced by almost 15%. We could use thefunds that have been saved in this way to pay for the employment of personnel
who are required by the project, or we could also put them to use as a source offunding for promoting a barrier-free transport community.

17

Hildegard Roosen

Figure 7

The initiative in Nordhorn City, Germany to provide commuting training on city buses

Training on commuting to school using city buses

In the ﬁnal stages of the education program actual city buses are used to
implement full-ﬂedged training in the real transportation environment.

It is important for students to go through this staging and to gradually become
accustomed to the transport environment. Once all stages have been completed
the student ﬁnally starts riding the bus by him/herself and begins commuting toschool independently.

Signiﬁcance of the MogLi Project
The above is an overview of the MogLi Project. In conclusion I would like toshare my ideas about the signiﬁcance of the project.

Learning how to wait in line at an actual bus stop and get on the bus.

The bus operator explaining the signs that are found on the bus.

Demonstration of what to do in case of a sudden stop. This demonstration is designed to show
students the dangers of sudden stops, when an object placed in the aisle tumbles forward.

16

Firstly, in terms of the significance of the program for students, one-third of
those who participated in the program are now able to commute to school
entirely independently. This is a wonderful outcome and it means that the
project has had great signiﬁcance for the students.
The students were previously very nervous about commuting alone to school.
However, I believe that as they have grown and become able to commute
independently they have also gained confidence. This confidence can be seenin their behavior other than the school commute, and I believe it has had abeneﬁcial eﬀect in various aspects, nurturing the buds of an independent mind
in many students and enhancing their problem solving skills. Furthermore, as
their communication skills have improved, the number of their friends has also
increased and they are more able to actively use their free time. In that sense,
one of the major outcomes of the project is that it has enriched the students’
lives overall. I believe that their experiences will be of help to them once theyhead out into society after graduating from school.
The project also had signiﬁcance from the perspective of “transportation.” Whatcan be pointed out ﬁrst is that there is no longer a need for students to be taken
individually to school, which has also resulted in considerable cost savings.
According to our calculations, following the introduction of the MogLi Project,costs associated with commuting were reduced by almost 15%. We could use thefunds that have been saved in this way to pay for the employment of personnel
who are required by the project, or we could also put them to use as a source offunding for promoting a barrier-free transport community.

17

Hildegard Roosen

The initiative in Nordhorn City, Germany to provide commuting training on city buses

Panel Discussion

Furthermore, I believe that our project has had signiﬁcance for society and thecommunity overall. As the know-how we have accumulated through this project
can be used at other schools and facilities, in the future I would like to widen
the scope of the project to other communities.
One more point that I would like to emphasize is that the concept of thisproject is eﬀective not only for people with disabilities, but also for the elderly.
In both Germany and Japan the aging of society is continuing to advance andit is anticipated that public transport will increasingly be used by the elderly
generation. I believe that the concepts and accumulated know-how of the
MogLi Project will be useful when considering the use of public transport by
the elderly.
In truth, I believe that the single largest merit of the MogLi Project is it
potential usefulness to the aging society. If projects like MogLi were to be
implemented in other countries and regions around the world, I expect that it
will be possible to create social infrastructure that will respond to the realities ofan aging society.

Towards Support for Commuting by Students with Disabilities

IATSS Seminar
Saturday, December 7, 2013, Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Panel Discussion

Moderator

Chapter 2

Fumihiko Nakamura
Professor, Dean, Institute of Urban Innovation, Yokohama National University
Panelists

Hildegard Roosen
Former Headmaster of Vechtetalschule

Toru Ando
Vice Principal, Kanagawa Prefectural Seya Special Needs School

Keita Suzuki
President and CEO, Kaien Co., Ltd.

Towards Support for Commuting by Students with Disabilities
Looking at the Person, Not the Disability
is research focused on the public transport necessary for persons
Nakamurawith intellectual disabilities to participate in the community. We considered
this an opportunity to implement training on the use of public transport for thecommute to special needs schools by students with intellectual disabilities andimplemented various research activities and actual experiments. In this panel
discussion, based on the lecture provided by Ms. Roosen, I would like to engage
in further discussions, together with Mr. Suzuki, whose company provides
employment support for persons with developmental disabilities and Mr. Ando,the Vice Principal of Seya Special Needs School. Could I ask Mr. Suzuki and
Mr. Ando to ﬁrst give a brief self-introduction?
Suzuki: I previously worked as an announcer at NHK, but I found this work
uninspiring, so I went to graduate school in the United States, where I received
an MBA. It was at this time that my three-year-old daughter was diagnosed
with developmental disorder accompanying an intellectual disability. I asked
myself whether there was something that I could do to help and during this18

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