Building a Network to Support Dissemination of a New Tool on Handwriting Readiness

Introduction: Writing Readiness Inventory Tool In Context (WRITIC) is a context-based assessment tool to evaluate which kindergarten children are at risk of developing handwriting difficulties. WRITIC-assessment is valid, reliable, feasible, predictive, and norm-referenced tool.
Objectives: Building a network to enable professionals internationally using WRITIC-assessment in kindergarten.
Methods: Build contacts internationally, compose translation teams within different universities, train translation teams, support back- and forth translation and cross-cultural assessment adaptation, carry out feasibility and validation studies, publish WRITIC-manuals in different languages, provide train-the-trainer courses, support organization of courses for professionals in different countries.
Results: Different international projects started resulting in an English, Portuguese, German and Slovenian translation; validation studies in Flanders, UK, Portugal and Slovenia; translation projects in Greece and Bulgaria and contacts build in France, Spain, Japan, Indonesia, South Africa and Australia. A Figshare environment was developed to safely store and exchange data and to support international research. A digital platform was constructed to share information, sell manuals, and provide assessment requirements.
Conclusion: The growing international network and the resulting projects make it possible to support future-proofing school-based occupational therapy worldwide. WRITIC-assessment helps to enable participation in handwriting for all children and contributes to inclusive education.