OTZMOT - B.A. degree for Down Syndrome individuals

OTZMOT (Hebrew for Fortitude) is a globally acclaimed project that incorporate young adults with Down Syndrome and special need in academia. To keep on going strong, helping special needs students to achieve academic success and graduate with a Bachelor (BA/BsC Hons) degree, we pledge for your kind help. We started OTZMOT in 2011, based on evidence that special needs individuals are more likely to develop their cognitive and intellectual capabilities further in their early adulthood. Our conviction is that this is process can be escalated by allowing these special people to take part as equals in the conventional academic environment. Our students are the heart and soul of our project and over the years we have built special frameworks that allow them to take part in the established curriculum and thrive in the classroom among their ordinary peers in Bar Ilan University. The boost of being part of a normal environment - one which many of them never had any access to during their childhood or teenage years in the educational system - is as important as the academic content itself. During the years we have witness incredible increase in motivation, determination and overall success in our students, enchantments that will stay with them for the rest of their lives and make them happier adults who feel as integral part of society. Every student arrives with a special story and special abilities, but if we are only to focus in numbers, those would also reflect the project's success: over the years we had more than 120 graduates, some of them were eligible for BA (hons) Bachelor degree, in disciplines such as computer science and psychology. The average grade of our students when it comes to academic papers and exams is C to B+, in line with the academic average of the ordinary students in Bar Ilan University. These achievements are due to our work in special prep seminars and support with unique techniques that have been developed by our team which aid our students to read and analyse academic research, perform under pressure and gain confidence in giving presentation in front of a class. This labour is one of dedication and commitment but it is also depended on resources and funds. Your contribution will aid us to continue this one of it’s kind project and develop new learning tools to furnish our students with knowledge, with social skills, with courge, with optimism, with fortitude. Our team: Ada Oz - Project founder, CEO of ATID, Israeli foundation for Down Syndrome Rachel Lishansky - Head of managment ATID foundation Prof. Heftiziba Lifshitz - Scientific manager Dr Shoshana Nisim - Project coordinator Raem Ratzon - Acountent