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Ashgabat, 22 August 2013 – Teachers, who work in specialized schools for visually and hearing impaired children, and specialists in the area of special education for children with disabilities from the Departments of Education from Ashgabat and 5 velayats participated in two five-day workshops on basics of sign language, typhlo pedagogics and methods of teaching general subjects to visually, hearing, and speech impaired children.

During the workshops, the teachers and specialists enhanced their knowledge of psychological aspects of correctional and developmental education of children with impairments, methodology and methods of a correctional teaching process, modern achievements in the area of sign language and typhlo pedagogics, and use of communication technologies and software in the teaching process.  

The participants also had opportunity to share their experience in adaptation of teaching methods to special needs of children with impairments, creating an adaptive learning environment, and development of communication ability of children with disabilities.  The International trainer, Iryna Rusakovich, stressed the importance of development of rehabilitation programmes and institutions for socialization of children with impairments and work with parents of children with disabilities. Organizing an effective educational process for visually and hearing impaired children will secure and provide them with necessary skills and knowledge for independent and quality life, learning profession, and integration in society.

"The teachers, who participated in the workshop, are going to organize a seminar for other teachers to share their new knowledge and experience they obtained during the 5 day workshop", said Maral Agayeva, a teacher of the Turkmenabat Specialized Boarding School for Hearing Impaired Children. She noted that professional development is critical, and the role of educators in specialized schools is very important because they not only teach general subjects, but also teach communication skills and further comprehensive development of children personalities and their ability for socializing.   

The workshops were organized in the framework of the project "Advancement of Social Inclusion and Integration of Persons with Disabilities" implemented by the United Nations Development Programme jointly with the Blind and Deaf Society of Turkmenistan with financial support from the Government of Finland. Three specialists from Belarus Iryna Rusakovich, Tamara Niatylkina, and Iryna Sukhotskaya conducted those workshops.

An overall project objective is to rehabilitate visually and hearing impaired people and further their social and economic integration in the society. UNDP and the Blind and Deaf Society of Turkmenistan are working together with the Government to promote employment opportunities for people with disabilities and to review the national legislation for compliance with the CRPD.

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Source - www.undp.tm