THE RENOVATED DISTANCE LEARNING CENTRE FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN IS OPEN IN SMOLENSK

Governor of the Smolensk region Sergey Antufiev participated in the opening of the renovated Distance Learning Centre for handicapped children.

In 2009, they began organizing the arrangements on the development of distance learning for handicapped children within the national project ‘Education’ in the region. For this purpose a Distance Learning Centre for handicapped children (Smolensk, Popov Street, 56) was set up on the basis of the regional state educational institution ‘Smolensk special (correction) school of the I – II types’ (the establishment had the necessary rooms for that).

In accordance with the Agreements between the Administration of the Smolensk region and the Ministry of education and science of the Russian Federation the construction was financed from the regional and federal budgets. The sum total amounted to approximately 63 million rubles, 14 million rubles coming from the regional budget and over 48 million rubles coming from the federal budget.

The money was spent on modern equipment, installation, network connect, the training of teachers, special transport for taking children in wheelchairs to the Centre in case of need, and the general overhaul of the premises of the Centre considering the accessibility for handicapped children. Along with the above-mentioned means they also received 5 million rubles from the Fund of the President of the Russian Federation for the repair work.

The Agreements on distance learning for handicapped children presuppose involvement of 150 children in the educational space: 50 children in 2009 and 100 children in 2010. In 2011, it is planned to create conditions for educating other 75 handicapped children. Thus, of 297 handicapped children (possessing intellect), who get education at home, 225 will start leaning using distance technologies. The learning process has already begun for the 50 handicapped children involved in the project in 2009. Children from 23 districts of the region are taking part in it. It should be noted that along with distance learning the parents would like the teachers to continue lessons with their children at home.

The Centre is well-equipped: flat screens with web cameras, keyboards suitable for a particular child, e.g. with Braille script or finger fixing ones; a special raiser transporting a child in a wheelchair upstairs to the first floor.

‘Look at the happiness in the eyes of these children; they are so thrilled with the studies! It is very important that in the regional centre there is an institution where children of special physical growth and development enjoying the support of their parents and teachers do not only acquire knowledge becoming self-governing citizens but also communicate with their peers gaining self-confidence. It means that owing to the Centre all handicapped children today capable of studying but unable to go to school do not ‘fall out’ of society. I am satisfied that we have managed to solve rather a difficult problem – not only buy the necessary equipment for the Centre but also decide the issue concerning the pedagogical personnel. The children will not only study at home but also occasionally come to the Centre where they can find all the necessary things’, emphasized Sergey Antufiev.

The Administration of the Smolensk region pays undivided attention to the social rehabilitation of the disabled, especially children. The Head of the region also noted that the setting up of the Distance Learning Centre was the first stage in the important process of the social rehabilitation of handicapped children. That concerns further job orientation of children by means of distance learning.