1

Welcome to the summer edition of the

MDVI Euronet newsletter. In this issue:

MDVI Euronet

Summer 2013Newsletter

Articles:

Establishing a resource centre for

learners with a visual impairment in

Slovenia.

JOBS MDVI - and EU funded project

to support employment goals for

people with MDVI.

The Rehabilitation and Social Centre

for young people and adults in

Modena

8th National Lega del Filo d’Oro

Assembly of Families

Block Magic - an EU project.

Czech and Slovak Schools

Cooperation

Calls to Practitioners:

MDVI Euronet announces it first research

grant and calls for proposals.

New cooperation for those working with

learners with VI-Autism Spectrum

Conditions

Seminar in teaching mathematics to

learners with VI/MDVI.

Developing employment opportunities

through Social Entreprises.

MDVI Euronet - working to support the education of children and

young people with multiple disabilities and visual impairment.

w: mdvi-euronet.org

e: mdvieuronet@outlook.com

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MDVI Euronet Research Grant – An Invitation to Tender

MDVI Euronet members have long been aware of the changing nature

of the needs of children and young people with sight loss. However,

network members are looking for a summary of published evidence of such changes in order to help it

plan its project work to meet the needs of the new population.

MDVI Euronet is commissioning a review of literature into the characteristics of the population of

children and young people with visual impairment, particularly any changes in both incidence and

severity of additional disabilities which now accompany a loss of sight. The network is inviting

researchers to submit a research proposal, in the form of a literature review, to help shape the

development of current service provision. The aim is to arrive at a conclusion as to whether available

literature and research can provide some indication as to the current incidence as well as changes in

MDVI in European countries amongst the target population.

Target Population for Research: MDVI Euronet defines a person with MDVI as: a person with at least 2 disabilities, one of which manifests itself as a visual impairment, which impact significantly on the person’s learning potential to such a degree so as to require a customised education provision. The target population for the research covers learners aged from 0-22 years of age. The final product should take the form of a published report and should include a compilation of the latest published statistics in the area. Future work may also include preparing an article for publication in a peer reviewed journal such as the British Journal of Visual Impairment.

It is anticipated that this work should commence in early November 2013 and be complete by the end of February 2014.

The grant available for this work is €1,000, inclusive of all fees etc. A decision on how the research evidence will be published will be taken by MDVI Euronet at its next meeting in March 2014.

Applicants wishing to apply for this grant should outline in no more than 2 A4 pages a proposal detailing:

research methodology including how the data will be collected and analysed;

the output of the research completed;

agreement that the timeline is acceptable or make appropriate suggestions;

any ethical issues which may arise and how these will be addressed;

that the budget is acceptable and or make suggestions/requests for amendment.

Applicants should also provide evidence that they have a sound knowledge of the relevant research literature, research skills and a knowledge of MDVI contexts.

The deadline for proposals is 1 October 2013. Proposal should be submitted in Word format, Arial font 12, margins of 2.54 cm on A4 paper to mdvieuronet@outlook.com

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Social Enterprises For young people with a disability, finding suitable

employment is a significant challenge. This is very true for

young people with a sight loss. This is made doubly

difficult if the young person has an additional need such

as a learning difficulty. It is a well-established fact that

unemployment rates for people with visual impairment

are unacceptably high.

One solution to this issue is social enterprises—market-

driven enterprises to achieve a social purpose.

MDVI Euronet is interested in hearing from institutions for the visually impaired who have

established such social enterprises with a view to sharing expertise and ideas for the

benefit of other young people with VI/MDVI.

If you can contribute or are interested in exploring this issue further, please email the

network at mdvieuronet@outlook.com

VI-Autism Spectrum Conditions—New Project?

Whether we are better at diagnosing Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) or there is a

higher incidence, schools with children and young people with a visual impairment are

adapting to an increased incidence of VI-ASC.

MDVI Euronet recognises the important contribution of the work of Ian Bell and the RNIB,

Brookfields Specialist SEN School, National Autistic Society and Sunfield project.

MDVI Euronet is proposing to bring together practitioners experienced in VI-ASC for a

European Event e.g. Comenius Preparatory Meeting.

If you are interested, please email the network at mdvieuronet@outlook.com by

1 November 2013.

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SECOND INVITATION Seminar in Mathematics for Children with Visual

Impairment and Children with MDVI

We have the pleasure of inviting you to a Seminar in Mathematics for Children with Visual

Impairment and Children with MDVI, organised under the umbrella of MDVI Euronet.

Mathematic is considered to be a rather difficult but important subject for children with VI and

MDVI, and there will be workshops where this issue will be discussed and how it should be

handled by education. Some statements from a fresh PHD on mathematic for children with

visual impairment (2013) will be presented during the opening session. There will also be some

presentations about practical mathematic for children with MDVI, for instance – can mathematic

skills be obtained through woodwork and carpentry work?

Hosts:

Statped midt, Department of Visual Impairment, Melhus, Norway

(former Tambartun Resource Centre)

Ekeskolan, National School for Visual Impaired with Additional Disabilities, Örebro,

Venue:

Statped midt, Department of Visual Impairment, Melhus, Norway

(20 km outside Trondheim City)

Date:

29th – 30

th October 2013. (Travel days - 28

th and 31

st October 2013)

GENERAL INFORMATION

The seminar will be organised as a workshop with a combination of presentations, exchange of

experiences, team work and exhibitions. The seminar will consider all participants as

professional contributors. The target group for the seminar is educational staff involved in

mathematics for children with visual impairment and children with MDVI.

FORMAT OF SEMINAR

The seminar will run between 0900 and 1800 hours both days. It will have 3 content areas:

Presentations and group discussions

Exhibition (materials, equipment, technical aids)

Poster session

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We kindly invite the participants to make contributions to this unique seminar and important field,

either as an introduction for further discussions, or as a full presentation or a poster. We will at

end the seminar discuss the issue if there are any needs and wishes to organize European

projects in order to strengthen the mathematic area for pupils with visual impairment and MDVI.

For instance, it is possible to apply for EU funding if three or more countries are willing to

participate in such a project.

The outcome of the seminar will be published in the MDVI newsletter and possible other media.

ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD

Low-cost accommodation including full board will be provided by Statped midt, Melhus for

around 30 people (20 km outside Trondheim). There are also possible to stay in a hotel in

Trondheim if you prefer high standard accommodation. There are also other low-cost

accommodations available if required.

COSTS AND REGISTRATION:

These are the options if you consider participating in the seminar:

Option 1 will cost NOK 1.500/Euro 200 and will include the following:

A. Accommodation at Statped midt 28th – 31

st October (simple standard)

B. Three breakfasts at Statped midt (29th, 30th and 31st of Oct.)

C. Two lunches at Statped midt (29th

and 30th

of October)

D. Three dinners at Statped midt (28th, 29

th and 30th of October)

E. Coffee/tea and fruit during coffee breaks at Statped midt

F. A seminar kit

Option 2 will cost NOK 2.500/Euro 340 and will include the following:

A. Accommodation at Karivollen 28th – 31

st October 5 km from Tambartun (simple standard)

B. Three breakfasts at Karivollen (29th, 30th and 31st of Oct.)

C. Two lunches at Statped midt (29th

and 30th

of October)

D. Three dinners at Statped midt (28th, 29

th and 30th of October)

E. Coffee/tea and fruit during coffee breaks at Statped midt

F. A seminar kit

G. Transport between Karivollen and Tambartun

Option 3 will cost NOK 700 (ca. Euro 95 - hotel accommodation and transport NOT included):

A. Two lunches at Statped midt (29th

and 30st of October)

B. Two dinners at Statped midt (29th and 30st of October)

C. Coffee/tea and fruit during coffee breaks at Statped midt

D. A seminar kit

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DETAILS:

Postal address:

Statped midt, Department of Visual Impairment

PB 175 Heimdal

7473 Trondheim

Norway

Address to the venue:

Statped midt, Melhus (former Tambartun National Recourse Centre)

7242 Melhus

Norway

Registrations:

A registration form and other information by will be sent to you if you contact the following

persons by e-mail:

Bengt Elmerskog: bengt.elmerskog@statped.no

Catarina Reinestam-Nelander: catarina.reinestam-nelander@spsm.se

PAYMENTS:

Terms of payment: 15th of August 2013. Payment after this deadline will cost extra

NOK 500

Account number: 7694 05 16184

IBAN number: NO2576940516184

SWIFT code: DNBANOKK

Payee: Statped Midt, Department of Visual Imp., PB 175 Heimdal, 7473 Trondheim,

Norway

Bank: Den Norske Bank, CM – Offentlig sektor, 0021 Oslo, Norway

Important: Please mark your payment with (1) your name and (2) Mathematic seminar

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Please phone or send your questions to:

Phone numbers Bengt: +47 879356 or mobile: +47 93222457

E-mail address Bengt: bengt.elmerskog@statped.no

Phone numbers Catarina: + +46 104735260

E-mail address Catarina: catarina.reinestam-nelander@spsm.se

We look forward to seeing you in October 2013

Bengt and Catarina

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Block Magic www.blockmagic.eu

Block Magic, a novel IT-based teaching methodology for pupils in infant

and primary schools. Project update ...

by Patrizia Ceccarani

Director of the Rehabilitation Centre ceccarani.p@legadelfilodoro.it

In the first twelve months

of the project ‘Block

Magic’, the attention was

focused on the state of

art, the quantitative

results about teachers

and students involved in

the trial.

For eaxmple, in Spain,

the trials are performed

in rural schools and

primary schools with the

involvement of children

with 2,5/3 years old. The

qualitative results of the

trial, underlined the good

involvement of children.

Good results came out

from game in the social scenario in the Greek Schools: the children played in this

situation in a structured manner and all the pupils were involved in the game. In

Germany there were positive impact of the visual presentation and aural feedback.

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Photo 1 Photo 2

The exercises are well designed and for the individual scenarios there are not gen-

der differences in the satisfaction and motivation for children in Block Magic games.

In Italy the trial has been proposed to three children with special needs (they have

visual impairments and intellectual deficits) of the Lega del Filo d'Oro of Osimo.

(Photos 1 and 2 below).

The goals of assistive technology are: 1) to encourage the child’s self-directed ac-

tions through stimulating and motivating interactions; 2) To make the child aware

of the possibilities for creating new interactions in its environment. The Block Magic

kit for students with special needs uses only one tablet, to facilitate simple

matching skills based on tactile discrimination of logic blocks. In this context verbal

and tangible reinforcements are important.

For a better learning the actual voices of the computer could be substituted by the

actual voices with voices of parents of children involved in the trial. The feedbacks

of children were very positive and they were highly motivated.

The teachers involved have expressed good comments and the great interest in the

technology hidden in the Block Magic.

The Final Conference of Block Magic will be held in Rome in the Vatican University

(Università Salesiana) at the end of the project (29-30 November 2013).

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ESTABLISHING A

RESOURCE CENTRE FOR

INDIVIDUALS WHO

ARE BLIND AND

VISUALLY IMPAIRED

Andreja Pinteriè, National Education

Institute of the Republic of Slovenia

Franc Cankar, PhD, National

Education Institute of the Republic

of Slovenia

INTRODUCTION

Globally, as well as on a European level,

the last decades have brought about an

increase in comprehensive treatment of

persons with special needs. Comparison

between European models of education

and comprehensive treatment of people

with visual impairment (Proposal for the

Establishment of a Resource Centre for

the Blind and Visually Impaired 2009)

shows that numerous European countries

have established resource centres for

blind and visually impaired people, which

provide conditions for successful

inclusion. Transforming specialized

institutions into resources centres is a

demanding and complex task.

Specialized institutions’ role with regard

to inclusion is closely connected to each

country’s educational system, however,

resource centres for people with visual

impairment not only have an educational

function, but also set expert guidelines in

assisting blind and visually impaired

people and preparing them for

independent life. Resource centres thus

fulfil needs of several target groups:

expert help is provided to blind and

partially sighted children, their parents,

inclusive schools, their wider

environment and also to experts in the

science of teaching the visually impaired,

medicine and other sciences. Resource

centres for the blind and visually

impaired play an educational and

advisory role, they contribute to

professional development and include

other social partners with the aim of

preparing visually impaired individuals

for an independent life.

Despite evident needs, this type of

centre has not yet been established in

Slovenia. In 2000 the Placement of

Children with Special Needs Act was

passed. New legislation has greatly

diminished social segregation of children

with special needs and has increased

opportunities for inclusive schooling.

Pupils with visual impairment and their

parents are able to choose between

various educational programmes. Data

shows that after passing of the Act

trends are in favour of inclusive

programmes. However, it is a fact that

mainstream schools are organisationally

and professionally poorly equipped for

enrolment of blind and visually impaired

pupils and students. The Institute for

Blind and Partially Sighted Children

Ljubljana does it best in providing expert

support to participants in inclusive

processes, however, current legislation

and especially organisational structure

do not enable comprehensive assistance

to all target groups in the process of

implementing inclusion. There is thus a

realistic possibility that blind and visually

impaired individuals will successfully

finish educational programmes, but will

not be sufficiently equipped for an

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independent life. Consequently, a need

for further rehabilitation of these

individuals may be expected in the

future, whereas additional rehabilitation

demands substantive funds and does not

guarantee positive effects.

Inclusion can be defined as a concept of

providing rights and creating conditions

for the development and education of

children with special needs together with

their peers. The basic principle of

inclusion (Kobal Grum and Kobal 2009:

39) is providing children with special

needs with the same opportunities for

education in mainstream schools as are

given to their peers who do not have

special needs. Adequate expert support

is needed for the implementation of this

principle. Appropriate implementation of

inclusion (which does not create

condit ions for new forms of

discrimination) requires adequate

preparation (Rutar, 2010: 21). We must

be aware that encouraging inclusive

practices in schools calls for substantial

changes of the educational system as a

whole, as well as regulation of schooling

of children with special needs.

Modification in world views and behaviour

of everyone included in the educational

process is of special importance (Peček,

Lesar, 2006: 204).

Due to the abovementioned reasons a

project (experiment) was conceived for a

planned and controlled implementation of

a Resource Centre for Blind and Visually

Impaired Individuals. The Centre

comprises 4 structural parts, i.e. units.

Each unit has its own work plan defining

objectives, contents and methods. These

units are:

· unit for diagnostics and early

treatment

· unit for inclusion support

· teaching aids unit

· development unit

Unit for diagnostics and early

treatment carried out diagnostics for all

blind and visually impaired individuals,

whereas early treatment was intended

for the youngest children (i.e. children

who have not yet entered the education

system) and their parents. The unit’s

task was to establish a child’s vision

status, functional vision and possible

developmental issues. The experts

worked directly with children to reduce

and prevent developmental lagging

behind, with parents in the form of

individual talks with expert staff and

seminars, as well as with the child’s

immediate environment. This included

spatial adaptations of the home

environment and appropriate didactic

aids to boost development, preparing

kindergartens for inclusion of blind and

partially sighted children and familiarising

local environments with blindness and

visual impairment of individuals in their

midst.

Unit for inclusion support planned,

organised and executed activities and

programmes that provided blind or

visually impaired children and

adolescents with opportunities for all-

round development, training and

reaching educational goals. The following

activities were planned and executed:

special education treatment of blind and

visually impaired children and

adolescents, mobile monitoring in

mainstream educational institutions,

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teacher and other expert staff counselling

regarding lesson planning, adaptation of

methods and teaching aids, specialised

equipment, organisation and execution of

seminars for all target groups (teachers,

parents, the interested public etc.), work

in course form, thematic workshops,

sports activities, organisation of camps

for blind and visually impaired children

and adolescents.

The teaching aids unit was in charge of

textbooks, computer and other

specialised equipment, didactic aids and

the “Garden of Senses”. It lent out

library materials, didactic aids, computer

and specialised equipment, prepared and

modified textbooks, created new didactic

aids. Training seminars for utilisation of

adapted information-communication

technology, specialised teaching aids and

equipment were carried out for teachers.

The unit was entrusted with the Garden

of Senses and its coordination.

The development unit is a forum for

employees and outside associates to

propose, develop, evaluate and

implement new guidelines and

disseminate knowledge. The unit’s

objectives are: efficient implementation

of new scientific, technological and

expert findings in Slovenia and abroad,

collaboration in projects that provide

oppor tun i t ies fo r pro fess iona l

development, implementation of

developmental strategies in select fields,

creating conditions for research work

done by the Institute’s employees.

Efficiency of the planned form of

organisation depends on the functioning

of each individual unit and also of all

units seen as a whole. Individual units –

despite adequate staffing – cannot be

successful without mutual cooperation

and efficient management of the entire

Resource Centre. Functioning of the

resource centre for blind and visually

impaired individuals thus depends on

coordinated actions by all units, which

requires careful planning, cooperation

and leadership. Internal and external

evaluation of the experiment model has

given us data about its functioning and

all its characteristics.

METHODS

The project duration was 2 years, namely

from September 2010 to August 2012,

and the experiment was aimed at

determining the efficiency of the resource

centre form of organisation. Monitoring

goals were adapted to target groups,

since the Resource Centre’s activity,

which includes development work,

counselling, providing information and

other support activities, focuses on blind

and visually impaired children in early

treatment and kindergarten, primary and

secondary school students, as well as

their classmates, parents, teachers and

school counsellors, headmasters and the

Centre’s staff. The goals were as follows:

· To determine how blind and

visually impaired children, pupils

and students who receive special

education rehabilitation treatment

progress with regard to

independence and achieving

educational goals.

· To determine the changes in self-

esteem of blind and visually

impaired pupils and students who

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are included in special education

rehabilitation treatment.

· To determine the changes in

satisfaction with inclusive education

of blind and visually impaired

pupils (first and second cycle of

primary school) and secondary

school students.

· To determine the changes in

knowledge and opinions of

classmates of blind and visually

impaired pupils (third cycle of

primary school) and secondary

school students.

· To determine the state of

interpersonal relations and the

social structure of classes into

which blind or visually impaired

pupils/ students are included (third

cycle of primary school and

secondary school)

· To determine the changes in

viewpoints and specialised

knowledge of parents of blind and

visually impaired children who

receive early treatment or are

enrolled in kindergarten.

· To determine the changes in

competence and viewpoints of

teachers and school counsellors.

· To determine the efficiency and

adequacy of the organisational

structure and educational activities

of the resource centre for blind and

visually impaired individuals.

In accordance with goals for external

evaluation facts were determined at the

beginning of the experiment and then

again at the end. With the aim of internal

evaluation the functioning of individual

units and the Resource Centre as a whole

was monitored.

At least 15 per cent of blind and visually

impaired children and adolescents from

all educational levels (and also those

receiving early treatment) were included

in the experiment. Three kindergartens,

nine primary and two secondary schools

participated in the experiment, which

included determining facts at the

beginning of the experiment and then

again after 2 years, when the Resource

Centre’s activity was already well-

established. Monitoring instruments were

prepared with the objective of

evaluation.

RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION

· Blind and visually impaired pupils and

students feel well and accepted in

school, they all exhibit a relatively

high level of self-esteem. All included

in the experiment have a complex

vision dysfunction, which requires

special education treatment and

activities. During the experiment

progress was made in all evaluated

competencies. Younger children

enhanced their orientation and

mobility, developed their sense of

touch, smell and taste, progressed in

understanding speech, whereas older

children made headway in everyday

chores and skills as well as

communication.

· At the end of the experiment

classmates of blind and visually

impaired individuals are generally in

favour of their integration in regular

classes. The majority of them are

familiar with specificities and

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adaptations that their blind or visually

impaired classmates need during

lessons.

· Findings regarding interpersonal

relationships and social structure

reveal that blind or visually impaired

primary school pupils are relatively

well or at least sufficiently socially

integrated. They do not have an

above average number of social

interactions with classmates,

however, in the majority of cases

their existing interactions are mutual,

reliable and strong. Certain difficulties

occur with regard to inclusion of blind

and visually impaired adolescents into

secondary school classes, which is not

necessarily connected to their social

integration into classes, but

verification is not possible.

· Results show that during the

experiment parents acquired

numerous specialised skills that aid

them in everyday life. They have

developed a more positive attitude

and acceptance of their children and

themselves as parents of blind or

visually impaired children.

· During the experiment pre-school

teachers, teachers and counsellors

gained certain knowledge which has

enhanced their perception of

themselves as being competent,

there is also a positive trend in

changing viewpoints.

· Pre-school teachers, teachers and

school counsellors support the

inclusion of blind and visually

impaired children, pupils and students

into mainstream educational

programmes and believe that blind

and visually impaired peers are

relatively well accepted in the group

or class, but they also suggest

improvements in following areas:

· more training on the methods

for teaching blind and visually

impaired individuals is needed

· teaching aids and specialised

equipment need to be

provided

· continuous expert support is

necessary

· lower number of pupils in

classes

· assistants should be provided,

especially for blind children.

· Experts of the Centre have been

effective in executing their tasks;

headmasters , teachers and

counsellors deem their cooperation

with the Centre as good and

necessary, the Centre‘s expert

support has received high marks.

· At the end of the experiment the

Resource Centre for Blind and

Visually Impaired Individuals project

group proposes merging two units

(Unit for diagnostics and early

treatment, Unit for inclusion

support) into one unit (Unit for

inclusion support), since it believes

this organisational form would be

more adequate.

· The project group also proposes

speeding up the process of formal

establishment of the Resource

Centre for Blind and Visually

Impaired Individuals, as the current

funding and organisation of The

Institute for Blind and Partially

Sighted Children Ljubljana does not

enable effective support for inclusive

processes of blind and visually

impaired individuals in Slovenia.

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CONCLUSION

Findings from the 2-year monitoring

process show that the planned model of

a resource centre has proved effective.

In the future special attention will have

to be paid to strengthening staff

numbers, which will enable the centre’s

greater role as a development and

support institution for blind and visually

impaired individuals in Slovenia.

SOURCES

1. Project group of the Institute for Blind

and Visually Impaired Youth (2009).

Proposal for establishment of a Resource

Centre for Blind and Visually Impaired

Individuals. Strategic document of the

Institute for Blind and Visually Impaired

Youth.

2. Project group of the National

Education Institute of the Republic of

Slovenia (2010); Plan for Implementation

of the Experiment »Implementing a

Resource Centre for the Blind and

Visually Impaired«.

3. Kobal Grum, Darja, Kobal Barbara

(2009): Ways to Inclusion: Pedagogical

Institute, Ljubljana

4. Peèek, Mojca, Lesar, Irena (2006):

Fairness of the Slovenian Schooling

System: Myth or Reality. Ljubljana:

Sophia Publishing.

5. Rutar, Dušan (2010): Inclusion and

Inclusivity: Centre of the Republic of

Slovenia for Vocational Education and

Training.

LITERATURE

1. Bishop, V.E. (2004). Teaching visually

impaired children. Charles C Thomas,

Publisher. Ltd., Springfield.

2. Davis, P. (2003) Including Children

with Visual Impairment in Mainstream

Schools: A Practical Guide. David

Fulton Publishers; 1 edition (24.Mar

2003)

3. Gilliam, James E.: McConell, Kathleen

S. (1997). Scales for Predicting

Successful Inclusion. Designed to

indentify students with disabilities for

potential success in general education

classes,. Austin, Texas: PRO-ED

4. Lisbon Declaration – Young People’s

Views on Inclusive Education(2007).

http://www.european-agency.org/

publications/flyers/lisbon-declaration-

young-peoples-views-on-inclusive-

education/declaration_sl.pdf

15

The Rehabilitation and Social Centre

for young people and adults in

Modena.

On the 7 January 2013, the Center of Modena has opened the doors to the first

three users from the Center of Osimo (two residents in Emilia Romagna). They were prepared for this important change: they lived together the previous year, and

the sharing of activities and experiences, has allowed them to strengthen mutual

understanding. In particular, the transfer to a new Center has allowed two users to move near their families who live in Modena, continuing their rehabilitation process

assisted by educators of the Lega del Filo d'Oro. The families of Emilia Romagna, now can therefore follow the children with more ease and peace of mind to think

with "After us."

The new Centre of the Lega del Filo d'Oro has an area of 11,000 square meters and

is divided into three buildings: one for the daytime activities, clinics, offices and general services; two for the residences of deafblind and multisensory impaired

people. The Centre will be able to accommodate 24 young people and adults who are deafblind from Emilia Romagna and

neighbouring regions. It is a further service to meet more and better the needs of people

who come to the Lega del Filo d'Oro.

Now there are five residential centers of the Lega del Filo d’Oro working on our national

territory. The staff of the Centre of Modena

have followed a special training course (from 12 November to 14 December 2012) carried

out by the experts of the Lega del Filo d'Oro, the staff did a training period at the Center

for Rehabilitation of Osimo. Inside the Centre there is the Local Service (active since 2005)

which represents an important point of reference for the deafblind people (and their families), who are not actually living within the structure. With the center of

Modena, Lega del Filo d'Oro has exceeded 500 employees (www.legadelfilodoro.it).

16

8th National Assembly of the Families

of the Lega del Filo d’Oro

From 14 to 16 June 2013 in Castelfidardo

(Ancona), the eighth National Assembly of the

Families of the Lega del Filo d'Oro was held.

It is a triennial event that wants to be an

opportunity to meet and dialogue between the

families of the people followed by the Lega del

Filo d'Oro.

It is also a time of budget and collecting

requests and demands to bring to the attention of the Italian institutions in order to

improve services users.

The theme this year was the "Transition between opportunities and obstacles",

understood as a transition "period of transformation and change in a path of difficulties,

choices are not easy, but also of opportunity and growth."

The Lega del Filo d'Oro was committed to be present and support to families with

activities for their kids, but also for their parents, brothers and sisters, offering moments

of sharing and support. The event was attended by over 300 people: parents with their

deafblind and multisensory impaired children, brothers and sisters, professionals and

volunteers.

The family members complained that the local health and other social-care services of

many parts of Italy pose many obstacles to obtain the necessary

authorizations to the interventions of the Lega del Filo d’Oro. Often the institutions

propose to families alternative solutions at “generic” Centers for other

disability or other diseases, but these structures are not appropriate to the deafblind and

multisensory impaired user. |

The attention to the problems of families is a priority of the Lega del Filo d’Oro. So the

Lega asks the institutions to ensure an appropriate and efficient education-rehabilitation

support. The family is the first partner of the Lega del Filo d’Oro.

17

J.O.B.S. MDVI

An Overview

By Mary Leonard

ChildVision, Dublin

J.O.B.S. MDVI is a European project

sponsored by the Leonardo da Vinci

Lifelong Learning Programme. The

acronym stands for ‘jobs and

opportunities that benefit society’ and

the focus is on harmonising training for

professionals working with multiply

disabled visually impaired people in

terms of the best practices within each

jurisdiction for supporting service users

employment goals.

This focus derives from the perceived

need to better harness transnational

collaboration to afford the participants

opportunities:

· to explore and identify issues for

the training of professionals,

· to develop methodologies

addressing lifelong learning and

work related issues in the

development of people with

multiple disabilities and visual

impairment during their transition

towards work,

· to better understand the barriers

people who are described as MDVI

have in accessing the formal

vocational training system and the

traditional employment market in

their member states.

The project acknowledges that

professionals are in need of training

methodologies and curricula to

rehabilitate and educate the target group

so that they can increase their capacity

to acquire or update basic and general

social competencies and work skills.

Hence, the overall aim of the project is to

provide practical and transferrable

outcomes in the areas of job mediation,

valued activities, social and personal

skills and assistive technology.

The partnership and its work groups

includes a range of expertise - such as

adult educators, vocational trainers,

special education teachers, university

lecturers, researchers, pr ivate

consultants, together with service user

organizations- and it examines many of

the issues involved in enabling

professionals to support the project

beneficiaries to develop their citizenship

as well as the methodologies, materials

and staff training required to achieve

this. For a disabled person, and

especially for those with multiple

disabilities, reaching the labour market is

a major challenge, as it implies

overcoming potentially overwhelming

barriers in school, in accessing third level

or continuing education, in engaging

socially in appropriate ways or even in

mundane daily tasks such as taking the

local bus or even surfing the Internet.

Therefore, the partnership has address

ways to overcome these barriers.

As its overarching texts the project has

taken the UN Declaration of Rights for

People with Disabilities (2008) and the

WHO’s International Classification of

Functioning, Disability and Health

(2001).

It is also envisaged that in a brief

political statement of rights and

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entitlements will accompany the project’s

dissemination in April 2013.

P R O J E C T O B J E C T I V E S A N D

STRATEGY

To train staff to develop their skills and

competencies in the following areas:

· Job mediation (job coaching): the

provision to people with MDVI

mentors / job coaches in the

work place, preparatory and on-

going work with employers to

help their approach and attitude,

the identification of suitable,

sustainable jobs and the

establishment of appropriate

support mechanisms.

· Valued activities: the recognition

of the need for professionals to

be trained and enabled to offer

valued activities which will

contribute o the quality of life of

people with MDVI and underpin

their desire and capacity to seek

work.

· Social and personal skills: given

the wide range of individuals with

MDVI and the increasing

spectrum of need, the project

partnership has identified a

fundamental need for individuals

with MDVI to have training which

understands etiology and

presenting features in ways

which increase and support the

development of self-esteem,

minimise challenging behaviours

and, overall contribute to an

increase in active citizenship.

· Assistive technology: prefaced

on the ever burgeoning increase

in assistive technology, the

ongoing training staff in this area

is essential to their being able to

offer the appropriate support to

the individual with MDVI.

These objectives were achieved through

training events, seminars, discussions,

expert inputs, drama and role play

activities.

The Project concluded with a meeting

hosted by Royal Dutch Visio in the

Netherlands. One of the highlights of the

meeting was the inaugural showing of a

jointly made film in which service users

from each of the project countries

described their work experiences and

aspirations. It is expected that this film

will be widely disseminated both within

and beyond the partner organisations

and will represent an important resource

in respect of advancing the agenda of

people with MDVI’s right to meaningful

work.

The overarching sense at the end of this

project is that we have, albeit in very

useful ways, only begun to explore the

relevant issues and that there is much,

both on a theoretical and a practical

level, which remains to be fleshed out.

To this end, the partners committed to

on-going contact in order to clarify where

the work done so far should be focused

next.

PARTNERS

· National Institute for the Blind,

Visually Impaired and Deafblind -

Reykjavik, Iceland

· Blindravinnustofan - Reykjavik,

Iceland

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· Lega del Filo d’Oro Onlus - Osimo, Italy Cont ...

· Keskuspuisto Vocational College - Helsinki, Finland

· Budapest School for the Blind – Budapest, Hungary

· Royal Dutch Visio - The Netherlands

· Südbayerische Wohn- und Werkstätten für Blinde und Sehbehinderte

gemeinnützige GmbH – Munich, Germany

· BFW Halle – Berufsförderungswerk Halle(Saale) gGmbH – Halle, Germany

· Licuel Pentru Deficienti De Vedere – Cluj, Romania

· Positive Eye – Lancashire, UK

· CRDV Centre de Rééducation pour Déficients Visuels – Clemont-Ferrand, France

· Ibos – Institute for the Blind and Partially Sighted - Hellerup

Denmark

· ChildVision, National Education Centre for Blind Children – Dublin, Ireland

· Vision Europe Limited – Caerwys, UK

Czech and Slovak Co-operation - Meeting in Slovakia

By Klara Eliaskova

High School for Visually Impaired, Prague, Czech Republic

MDVI Euronet Newsletter readers might remember our first report about the project Janua

linguarum reserata published last year. The goal of the project is to revive the Czech and

Slovak common linguistic tradition and culture to our students. Young generation of both

countries have lost interest in each other´s culture and language since the split of former

Czechoslovakia twenty years ago. It is not common to see young Czechs struggling with the

Slovak language and vice versa. They often perceive it as a foreign language. Therefore, we

would like to contribute partially to the recovery of the common national consciousness and to

show our students the quality and lasting value of Czech and Slovak culture within the European

Union.

The first meeting took place in Prague in 2012. Czech and Slovak teachers taught Czech

language and literature in comparison with Slovak language. They pointed out difference in

pronunciation, spelling and intonation. Challenging Slovak films were watched and discussed.

Slovak students as well as students and pupils from several Czech schools for visually impaired

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participated in the recitation contest Butovicke versobrani. There was held a music workshop

concerning folk songs and the history of our national anthems. Furthermore, the students sang

together hits of Czech and Slovak popular singers. A walking sightseeing tour in Prague was

organized to remind some important moments of our common history (Memorial of Victims of

Communism etc...).

In March 2013, we implemented

the second phase of the project. Our

meeting took place in a beautiful

historical Slovak town of Levoca. This

year, we celebrate 1150 anniversary

since Constantine and Methodius came

to Great Moravia. The anniversary is

very important for both countries. The

activity of missionaries, patrons of the

European Union, laid the foundations of

Slavonic culture which was the basic

aspect in forming of our history. Therefore, we decided to focus our exchange teaching on this

period of our history. We discussed Slavonic fonts and its development over time and compared

it with the Czech and Slovak alphabets. Teaching programme was enriched by interesting

workshops such as the creative workshop (handmade figures of missionaries). An integral part

of our meeting was a poetry contest, this time called Levocske Muzy (The Muses of Levoca)

where students from both schools competed in impressive recitation. Students made a bilingual

glossary which included the words they did not understand during the meeting.

We visited the historical sights of

Levoca during the four-day programme.

There are many monuments there such

as St. Jacob Cathedral with the highest

gothic altar (18.62m) in the world, the

Town Hall or a very interesting metal

construction near the Town Hall – the

Pillory of Shame. Up the hill over the

town, there is Basilica Minor – Church of

the Visitation of Blessed Virgin,

honoured by the visit of the Pope John

Paul II in 1995.

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Another goal of our project was to share experiences among teachers of visually impaired

students. There are two important institutions dealing

with special education there. The Museum of Special

Education in Levoca is a specialized institution with

nationwide competence. It was established in order to

address fundamental problems of people with

disabilities such as their education, status and

integration in society. The Matej Hrebenda Slovak

Library for the Blind is the only nation-wide library and

information center for visually impaired people in

Slovakia. Matej Hrebenda was a blind popularizer of

Slovak literature. Having visited both institutes we

discussed with our Slovak colleagues the main

problems of special education we face in our countries.

The second project meeting fulfilled our expectations and objectives and it was valuable

experience for both students and teachers. Students participated in many activities which helped

them to remind some common traditions of our common history. Teachers shared their teaching

experience and discussed problems they come across on a daily basis. Even though both

countries split up over 20 years ago, the problems are similar. We believe that we can solve

them together in future. We look forward to meeting again in Prague next year.