International conference “Socio-Cultural Integration and Special Needs Education” opened in Saratov State University on October 9.
Before the conference started its work, the guests watched a concert prepared by special school students, dance studio “Inspiration” and the Center for rehabilitation and learning of people with disabilities “Parus Nadezhdy”.
Faculty of Pedagogical and Special Needs Education Dean R.M. Shamionov opened the plenary session welcoming the guests. “I believe the conference would give a new impulse to research on social psychology, special needs education and logopedics and would attract attention to solving modern problems in theory as well as in practice”.
Vice-rector for research work A.V. Stalmakhov welcomed the guests on the behalf of SSU administration and Vice-rector for educational work E.G. Elina in particular.
“Modernization of special needs education as a way of integrating people with disabilities into society is an important task of our state policy on education. The law states that people with disabilities have a right to get access to modern education”, highlighted A.V. Stalmakhov. He also drew attention to the fact that Saratov State University in the only university in the region that trains specialists in special needs education, methods used by teachers of Faculty of Pedagogical and Special Needs Education provided the basis for a further training program design by SSU and recommended by the Ministry of Education and Science.
The plenary session continued with the report by the Vice-rector for secondary professional education and social work O.Ye. Nesterova. “Inclusive education is an important aspect of professional education system and it states a lot of tasks including socialization of people with disabilities, psychological, educational and organizational support”, said Olga Yevgenievna Nesterova. “It does a lot to help solving their everyday problems”. SSU opened Student Inclusive Education and Social Adaptation Center where over 130 students with disabilities could get support and help they need. Saratov University works closely with the regional government, NGOs, education and rehabilitation organizations.
The first conference report was presented by the Vice-rector for educational work of Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, Prof. V.Z. Kantor. He talked about the history of special needs education in Russia and Herzen University role in it. He talked in detail about social and cultural rehabilitation of people with disabilities, visually impaired in particular. He talked about the importance of artistic culture and arts and their role in the rehabilitation process for people with visual impairments.
Next report concerned social adaptation for students with disabilities in the process of building cultural competencies in inclusive higher education. It was made by E.A. Martynova, Professor of the Department of General and Professional Pedagogy of Chelyabinsk State University.
There were also reports on traditions and innovations of pre-school education for children with disabilities; disabled people complex rehabilitation, innovations in autism correction, adaptation mechanism of socio-cultural integration.
The conference worked for two days. The participants talked about different issues of inclusive education such as socialization, adaptation and development of people with disabilities, modern logopedics, socio-cultural resources of special needs education, issues of professional education for the disabled, etc.
