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In late
October a dissemination seminar, Beyond the Classroom, was
held in Senigallia, Italy for the ImPAct MDVI project.
In late October a dissemination seminar, Beyond the Classroom, was
held in Senigallia,
Italy for the ImPAct MDVI project. This project ran between 2003 and
2006 with the aim
of developing a holistic teaching approach based on activities and
participation in real life
situations. This aim was in accordance with ICF/WHO Perspectives on
Rehabilitation
(1998/2000). Details of the project and the partner institutions can
be found on the web site www.imapct-mdvi.org
The dissemination seminar was hosted by the Lega del Fila d’Oro,
supported by the partner institutions at the Hotel Ritz in
Senigallia, on the Adriatic coast of the Marche Region. 46
practitioners working with young learners with MDVI from 14
countries attended the seminar which was held over five days.
As well as plenary sessions, there were plenty of opportunities for
workshop activities and the sharing of practice between such a
significant meeting of MDVI practitioners. Delegates learnt about
the teacher planning methodology developed by the project and
contributed to workshops and feedback sessions that have allowed the
planning materials to be further developed.
Access to the presentations and feedback session notes will be
available on the web site
from late November 2006.
The project phase of ImPAct MDVI has ended but the web site will
continue to act as a hub for development of the teacher planning
materials to allow educators of young people with MDVI to improve
participation and activity for their students. At the seminar, five
regional coordinators were also identified for the following
regions:-
Southern European countries - Patrizia Ceccarani (It)
Scandinavia – Mathias Furu (Fi)
English speaking – Judy Bell (GB)
Croatia & Czech – Marketa Skalicka (CZ)
Benelux & western Europe countries – Laurent Dura (L)
Contact details on website www.impact-mdvi.org
In addition to the web site and extensive teacher planning
materials, the project has
produced a booklet:“Improving participation and activity for
students with multiple disabilities including visual impairments”
Edition Bentheim ISBN3-934471-62-5
This project, that originated from the core aims of MDVI Euronet and
was financed by the Socrates programme has now reached a stage where
it will be used and developed further by those who attended the
seminar so that to quote from the booklet:
‘It introduces an approach which enables teachers to move from the
developmental, skills
base, to an activity based intervention approach. It uses real life
activities which are meaningful to the child in the context of
her/his life, family and community’..that..’can then become the
basis for student learning. Moving education beyond training
programmes, and expanding the experiences of MDVI children to real
life activities gives the child the equal opportunity to participate
in their community.’
“We do not want to be part of unsuccessful stories imprisoned in
environments poor of
stimulation. Let us be part of successful stories!” Alex Garcia,
2001.
Iain Prain
Royal Blind School Edinburgh
40th ANNIVERSARY OF LEGA DEL FILO D’ORO
REHABILITATION CENTRE |
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In 2007, Lega del Filo d’Oro will
celebrate the 40th anniversary from its foundation by organizing a
Workshop including technical and scientific activities, such as an
international conference about communication.
The Workshop will take place in September and October 2007 in the
areas where our institute is currently active: Palermo, Bari, Ancona,
Modena, Milano.
THE FAMILY
Families are always very important during the rehabilitation process
which is carried out in our institute. As a result, parents will be
involved in several activities such as:
a one-day national meeting where professionals will meet the parents
of children affected by Charge syndrome (June 2007).
The first edition of the parent-training course “Il movimento del
corpo come principale
mezzo di espressione e comunicazione” (Body movement: the most
important method to
communicate and express). The course shall involve a number of
parents with the aim of
increasing the range of movements and improve their knowledge about
their children’s mind and body. Grand-parents shall be involved too,
in order to help parents and children to communicate.
RESEARCH
Thanks to the cooperation with the “Bambini Gesù” Hospital in Rome,
the “Characteristics
of impairment in relation to the circumstances of birth: an
epidemiological analysis” project is going on. Its aim is an
analysis of past cases studied by the “Unità Speciale” of the Lega
del Filo d´Oro, in order to find out if some changes have happened
during the years.
The project is made up of several stages. At present, we have
analysed the database including cases since the beginning of the
“Unità Speciale” and have focused on the variable “age” of impaired
people from their access to the Osimo institute to the present. We
have defined a statistical sample that is composed of 400 children
from 3 to 8 years old. We have found meaningful correlation among a
number of social and demographic aspects, the pre-birth period, the
diagnosis and the health and the level learning abilities and
independent skills.
The card for data collection and the relevant software program for
data input had been created so that it shall be possible to collect
and analyse data in the next 6 months.
NEW CENTRES OPENING
Next year, the Lega del Filo D'oro will open two centres, one based
in Molfetta (BA) and
another in Termini Imerese (PA).
They are both residential health and social institutes for
rehabilitation of grown-ups with
deaf/blindness and multi-sensory impaired. Their opening will offer
an important contact point for people in need living in the South of
Italy.
In addition, people will go on living in their surroundings with
their families, thus
preventing the stress of a long-distance transfer, as well as
encouraging the integration
between these facilities and those already active in that area.
Patrizia Ceccarani
Lega del Filo d'Oro
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Comenius 1 - Look at Me! Moving Forward |
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Freddie’s Story So Far!
Partner Schools – St. Joseph’s Dublin, Royal Blind School Edinburgh
(both campus),
School for blind and partially sighted, Hamburg Germany
(Coordinating School), Kaunas
School for partially sighted, Lithuania, Resource Centre, Örebro,
Sweden
Freddie is the project mascot. He is on a European adventure
visiting all 6 partner schools.
Year 1
Freddie began his travels in Germany. He was brought to Scotland
during the first project
visit to the Royal Blind School. During his time in each country the
host school was responsible for educating Freddie about their school
and themselves. Freddie’s visit was catalogued in his diary. He was
given a memento from each country. He sent each school a postcard
during his visits. As he travelled round, each country added to the
year’s activities - a collage and a recipe book. The suitcase got
heavier and heavier! His visit to Jordanstown was very successful
and the pupil’s enjoyed involving Freddie in their school day. Every
3 months a newsletter was e-mailed to each country telling any news
about school events or news events. The second project visit was to
the Örebro Resource Centre in Sweden. There we reviewed the project
so far and planned for Year 3. We also exchanged music CD’s each
school had produced. Our pupil’s interviewed each other about
themselves and their interests. These recordings were given to each
country. Freddie was delayed on route and in year 1 did not manage
to return as planned to Jordanstown, Sweden and Lithuania. But he
will be back next week.
Year 2 Plans
Freddie continues his travels but this time he goes out and about in
the community and
country visiting places of interest, going on educational visits
etc. We will design a
“Promotional Flyer and booklet/ video” to promote our country. As it
is the mobility theme
“Transport” in each country will be studied We will also be
interviewing someone interesting/famous/ important / well known” in
our country. Sports personality? the mayor? This will be an audio
and/or visual presentation
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MDVI Euronet Staff Exchange News |
Craft Design and Technology
Exchange - Ekeskolan, 2006
My name is Derek Adam and I am the Craft teacher at the Royal Blind
School in Edinburgh, Scotland. I was very fortunate to have the
opportunity to visit your school in Sweden, an experience which
proved extremely worthwhile indeed.
I spent one week in the school and from the first day I was made
very welcome, the Scottish flag flying high on the school mast was a
most impressive welcoming sight, making me feel honoured to be part
of your school community…thank you.
The week was structured in such a way that it gave me the
opportunity to engage in a whole variety of classroom settings. This
helped me greatly to get a feel for the friendly and professional
ethos that permeates the school.
In addition to the benefit of seeing how the ‘whole school’
operates, the time spent with
Stefan Axelsson in his department has inspired and provide me with
many new ideas and
approaches that I will adopt and use in my own department back home
in Edinburgh.
The new experiences that I have gained from my visit are invaluable
to me, from an educational stance the visit has been a great asset,
and socially an experience that will be with me for the rest of my
life. Everyone in the school was so friendly, pupils and staff
alike. I was made to feel part of the team and cannot express with
words how much I appreciate the warmth and hospitality expressed to
me ... from ‘ALL’ of you.
Tak
Derek Adam
Royal Blind School
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