Games for learning and inclusion (GAMES) This project is focused on the assessing and promoting the effective use of games in technology for working with children with special educational needs. This can involve both a) the use of serious games based on gamification as a design approach which leverages, based on expert knowledge and the literature base, understanding about technology design which effectively engages, motivates and guides participants towards learning outcomes based on gamification principles. In relation to children with special needs, the learning outcome can be wider than that considered for typical groups and may relate to social and life skills development as well as to emotional and social aspects. For some children, engaging with a moving object, designed to be visually attractive, on the screen, may constitute a learning outcome related to attention and concentration. b) the use of existing games or general app technology, not specifically denoted as or designed as serious games, but which nevertheless may be effective for particular groups of children with SEN in developing motivation and engagement as well as, for example fine motor skills. The dividing line between these two types of games for children with special needs is not always that clear and it may not be obvious which category a particular app fits in to. Nevertheless, it is a conceptually useful differentiation. In the GAMES project, we intend to develop innovative pedagogies through the use of games (both digital and non-digital) in order to support and enhance student’s skills and knowledge. GAMES will support teachers who work with two types of target groups of student: students with special educational needs (SEN) as well as students without special needs. The partnership will develop the implementation of games as a pedagogical tool that stimulates learning (both formal and informal) aiming, especially the SEN students, to perform better in formal school settings to be better prepared for the future. The project will develop both teachers and students skills directly through: a) Case studies documenting and sharing experiences of how games are used in formal educational settings with both target group of students, b) A teacher guide to support teachers in using games to support the students reaching their educational goals, as well as choosing appropriate games that will support their objective. The strategic partnership will also indirectly support the development of teachers skills by creating game design guidelines that will help teachers modify existing games and also give important guidelines to industry professionals, non-profit organisations and other practitioners using and developing games as a method for supporting students with special educational needs. The target group: Target group: Teachers (inclusive special needs teachers) Primary end-users: Teachers especially of learners with learning difficulties and disabilities (LDD) and special educational needs (SEN) in general, including teachers of young people (13-18) who are disadvantaged, disaffected and marginalised. For this target group we will now use: students with special educational needs (SEN). The project outputs will be in the form of: • A printed and digital teacher guide • A report on game design guidelines for developing educational games aimed at supporting students • Case studies to provide actual game reports and concrete examples of using games in formal educational setting with students • A list of tested games and methods for SEN students – the same games used in the project so the target group easily can find the games mentioned in the Teacher Guide, the Game Design Guidelines and the Case Studies • Workshops (multiplayer event) will be organized in SE and UK to ensure teachers participation and ownership of the process and assure the relevance and usefulness of the outputs for the target group. The consortium The project is a (Erasmus+ K2) bilateral strategic partnership between two regions, England and Sweden. Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC) in England is the lead partner and The Gothenburg Region Association of Local Authorities (GR) in Sweden is the coordinator of the content (intellectual ouput). In each country there iare two associated partners, Institute of Education, London University (IOE) and Interactive Institute in Gothenburg (II), which supports the project with the research perspective and two carefully selected schools, Stony Dean and Lexby school, to pilot the project with students in the age group 13-15.