MULTIPLY DISABLED VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN IN THE

REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

Branka Jablan University of BelgradeFaculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation

Where are we when it comes to education of multiply disabled visually

impaired children?

Special education in Serbia

• University of BelgradeFaculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation

• University of Novi SadMedical faculty

Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation

realizes educational activities by conducting accredited

study programs at three levels

First level studies Bachelor studies

(240 ESPB)

Second level studiesMaster studies (300 ESPB)

Third level studies PhD studies (180 ESPB)

University of Belgrade

Special education and rehabilitation of people with intellectual disabilities: Oligophrenology

Special education and rehabilitation of people with visual impairment: Typhlology

Special education and rehabilitation of people with physical disabilities: Somatopedy

Special education and rehabilitation of deaf and hard of hearing people: Surdology

Prevention and treatment of behavioral disorders

Speech and language pathology

Bachelor studies- study programs-

Master studies- study programs-

Special education and rehabilitation of people with intellectual disabilities:

Special education and rehabilitation of people with visual impairment

Special education and rehabilitation of people with physical disabilities

Special education and rehabilitation of deaf and hard of hearing people

Prevention and treatment of behavioral disorders

Speech and language pathology

Special education and rehabilitation

PhD studies

Bachelor studiesSpecial education and rehabilitation of visually

impaired people

Lasts for four years,240 ESPB,

60 ESPB credits per year

54 subjects

32mandatory

22elective

Practical training on 3rd and 4th study year

OutcomesRealization of:• pedagogical and educational work in schools and

resource centers for visually impaired children;• pedagogical and educational work in preschool

institutions;• program for the adoption of daily living skills of multiply

disabled visually impaired children;• corrective individual curriculum (assessment of visual

perception and visual efficiency; visual training; training blind people for independent moving in space; performing tactile-kinesthetic training; learning Braille; reeducation of psychomotorics of children with visual impairments;).

University of Novi SadMedical faculty

Programs for special education and rehabilitation

In addition to studying medicine, there are two more study programs accredited in 2010:

Special education Special rehabilitation

Şpecial educatorSpecial educator

for substance abuse

Special educator for multiple disabilities

Lasts for four years,240 ESPB credits

Goal of study program: professional preparation

of experts for working with persons with special

needs

Bachelor studiesSpecial rehabilitation

Special educator for multiply disabled

Something from the program: http://www.medical.uns.ac.rs/rehabilitacijaosnovne.php

• Theoretical and empirical approach to the phenomena of disability: deafness and hard of hearing, intellectual disability, visual impairment, speech, voice and communication disorders, behavior disorders.

• Basic acknowledgments about processes in the early detection, identification and diagnosis in children and adults with multiple disabilities.

• Process of psychosocial adaptation of family and individuals to disability in social context and constructive way of looking at life with a disability.

• Contents that are necessary for systematic support for multiply disabled persons in the process of their social integration and affirmation during their whole life.

• October 16–19th 2006. Varna - Bulgaria: participation at Balcan seminar on Education of blind students with additional impairments organized by Perkins International and School for blind.

• 2007. Varna: Aleksandra Grbović and Branka Jablan’s visit to School for blind.

How did we start?

2007-2008: lectures about MDVI

Lectures were organized in order to share experience gained in Varna• School for children with visual impairment “Veljko Ramadanović” in Belgrade• School “Milan Petrović” in Novi Sad• Association of the blind - Belgrade• Association of the blind - Novi Pazar

Goal: attempt to spread new knowledge about education of MDVI among professionals and parents.

2009. Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation in Belgrade

• Extension of the Typhlology bachelor study program with MDVI topics (subject Programs of work with blind children)

• New subject at PhD studies: Rehabilitation of multiply disabled visually impaired children

Population of MDVI

Population of MDVI becomes much more visible in our society and in special schools by accepting inclusive philosophy and by enrollment of children with disabilities in mainstream schools.

Multiply disabled children stay in special schools.

In order to improve education of children with disabilities, Individual educational plan (IEP) was introduced in legal system of Republic of Serbia in 2009.

2011. Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation

• Lectures were held by prof. dr Cvetkova-Arsova and prof. dr Radulov for principals and teachers of special schools:– Basic principles in education of MDVI students– Behavioral problems of MDVI children

• The colleague from school for children with visual impairment “Veljko Ramadanović” visited Perkins school.

2012. Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation

Two seminars were organized in cooperation with Perkins International:

Seminar I: Development of education program for MDVI i DB.

Goals: acquiring knowledge and competencies for working with MDVI and DB; promoting educational possibilities of MDVI children and promoting the importance of development and creation of educational programs for these children.

2013. Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation

Seminar II: Early intervention and assessment for MDVI and DB children

Goals: acquisition of competencies for working with MDVI and DB children; promoting the significance of early intervention; assessment of children with multiple disabilities and creating an IEP within the Individual family support plan.

Special schools and MD children

What about the readiness of special schools to accept MD children?

Before

• Categorical approach was dominant• There were schools for children with different types of

disabilities:– visual impairment– intellectual disability– hearing impairment– physical disability

Now

• There is noticeable tendency for schools to have more generalized names.

• Schools for children with developmental disabilities• There is tendency for schools to become resource

centers.

• Schools for children with visual impairments• Schools for children with hearing impairments

Schooling of children with visual impairment

• At mainstream kindergartens and schools.• At School for children with visual impairment “Veljko

Ramadanović” in Belgrade (increasingly getting the characteristics of a resource center).

• At School for visually impaired and chronically ill children “Dragan Kovačević” in Belgrade.

• At School “Milan Petrović” in Novi Sad in classes for children with visual impairments.

MDVI children

• Multiple disabled visually impaired children can attend schools mentioned above; they also can go to other schools in relation to the dominant type of disability.

• If the dominant type of disability is intellectual, it is possible for child to go to school where are mostly intellectually disabled children.

VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY

Schools for children with VI

School for children with ID

TYPHLOLOGICAL▼

VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

CHILD

OLIGOPHRENOLOGICAL▼

INTELLECTUALDISABILITY

VI and IDVI and ID

• If child is blind and has ID, most likely it will be educated at school for children with visual impairment.

• If child has ID, but with mild degree of visual impairment, it can attend school for children with ID.

• In accordance with that, specific approach to child will dominate.

VISUAL AND HEARING IMPAIRMENT

Schools for children with VI

Schools for children with HI

TYPHLOLOGICAL▼

VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

CHILD

SURDOLOGICAL▼

HEARING IMPAIRMENT

VISUAL AND PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT

Schools for children with VI

Schools for children with PD

TYPHLOLOGICAL

▼VISUAL

IMPAIRMENT

CHILD

SOMATOPEDIC

▼MOTORIC

IMPAIRMENT

VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND AUTISMVISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND AUTISM

APPROACH

? ? ?

WHERE CAN MORE MDVI WHERE CAN MORE MDVI CHILDREN BE FOUND?CHILDREN BE FOUND?

• At schools for children with disabilities• At families• At day care centers for children with disabilities• At Center for protection of infants, children and youths.

Cooperation with the Center was initiated during the seminar organized at the Faculty. Great number of multiply disabled children is at the Center; they were placed there after closing the institutions which offered only medical care to those children.

WeaknessesWeaknesses

• Health and social services are not sufficiently connected in order of detecting MDVI children.

• Unclear role of early intervention service. • Insufficient children assessment.• Weaknesses in creating an individual educational plan

(IEP).• Absence of Individual family support plan.

Benefits• Special schools can provide different types of

services and programs to address their users’ needs.

• We recognize the need for education of professionals for working with MDVI and need for specific skills and knowledge for working with these children.