1. MULTIPLY DISABLED VISUALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN IN THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA
Branka Jablan
University of Belgrade
Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation

2. Where are we when it comes to education of multiply disabled visually impaired children?

3. Special education in Serbia
University of Belgrade
Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation
University of Novi Sad
Medical faculty

4. University of Belgrade
Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation
realizes educational activities by conducting accredited study programs at three levels
First level studies
Bachelor studies
(240 ESPB)
Second level studies
Master studies (300 ESPB)
Third level studies
PhD studies (180 ESPB)

5. Bachelor studies - study programs-
Special education and rehabilitation of people with intellectual disabilities: Oligophrenology
Special education and rehabilitation of people with visual impairment: Typhlology
Special education and rehabilitation of people with physical disabilities: Somatopedy
Special education and rehabilitation of deaf and hard of hearing people: Surdology
Prevention and treatment of behavioral disorders
Speech and language pathology

6. Master studies - study programs-
Special education and rehabilitation of people with intellectual disabilities:
Special education and rehabilitation of people with visual impairment
Special education and rehabilitation of people with physical disabilities
Special education and rehabilitation of deaf and hard of hearing people
Prevention and treatment of behavioral disorders
Speech and language pathology

7. Special education and rehabilitation
PhD studies
Special education and rehabilitation

8. Special education and rehabilitation of visually impaired people
Bachelor studies
Special education and rehabilitation of visually impaired people
Lasts for four years,
240 ESPB,
60 ESPB credits per year 54
subjects 32
mandatory 22
elective
Practical training on 3rd and 4th study year

9. Outcomes Realization of:
pedagogical and educational work in schools and resource centers for visually impaired children;
pedagogical and educational work in preschool institutions;
program for the adoption of daily living skills of multiply disabled visually impaired children;
corrective individual curriculum (assessment of visual perception and visual efficiency; visual training; training blind people for independent moving in space; performing tactile-kinesthetic training; learning Braille; reeducation of psychomotorics of children with visual impairments;).

10. Special rehabilitation
University of Novi Sad Medical faculty Programs for special education and rehabilitation
In addition to studying medicine, there are two more study programs accredited in 2010:
Special education
Special rehabilitation
Şpecial educator
Special educator for substance abuse
Special educator for multiple disabilities

11. Special rehabilitation Special educator for multiply disabled
Bachelor studies
Special rehabilitation Special educator for multiply disabled
Lasts for four years,
240 ESPB credits
Goal of study program: professional preparation of experts for working with persons with special needs

12. Something from the program: http://www. medical. uns. ac
Theoretical and empirical approach to the phenomena of disability: deafness and hard of hearing, intellectual disability, visual impairment, speech, voice and communication disorders, behavior disorders.
Basic acknowledgments about processes in the early detection, identification and diagnosis in children and adults with multiple disabilities.
Process of psychosocial adaptation of family and individuals to disability in social context and constructive way of looking at life with a disability.
Contents that are necessary for systematic support for multiply disabled persons in the process of their social integration and affirmation during their whole life.

13. How did we start?
October 16–19th Varna - Bulgaria: participation at Balcan seminar on Education of blind students with additional impairments organized by Perkins International and School for blind.
2007. Varna: Aleksandra Grbović and Branka Jablan’s visit to School for blind.

14. : lectures about MDVI
Lectures were organized in order to share experience gained in Varna
School for children with visual impairment “Veljko Ramadanović” in Belgrade
School “Milan Petrović” in Novi Sad
Association of the blind - Belgrade
Association of the blind - Novi Pazar
Goal: attempt to spread new knowledge about education of MDVI among professionals and parents.

15. 2009. Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation in Belgrade
Extension of the Typhlology bachelor study program with MDVI topics (subject Programs of work with blind children)
New subject at PhD studies: Rehabilitation of multiply disabled visually impaired children

16. Population of MDVI
Population of MDVI becomes much more visible in our society and in special schools by accepting inclusive philosophy and by enrollment of children with disabilities in mainstream schools. Multiply disabled children stay in special schools. In order to improve education of children with disabilities, Individual educational plan (IEP) was introduced in legal system of Republic of Serbia in 2009.

17. 2011. Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation
Lectures were held by prof. dr Cvetkova-Arsova and prof. dr Radulov for principals and teachers of special schools:
Basic principles in education of MDVI students
Behavioral problems of MDVI children
The colleague from school for children with visual impairment “Veljko Ramadanović” visited Perkins school.

18. 2012. Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation
Two seminars were organized in cooperation with Perkins International: Seminar I: Development of education program for MDVI i DB. Goals: acquiring knowledge and competencies for working with MDVI and DB; promoting educational possibilities of MDVI children and promoting the importance of development and creation of educational programs for these children.

19. 2013. Faculty of Special Education and Rehabilitation
Seminar II: Early intervention and assessment for MDVI and DB children Goals: acquisition of competencies for working with MDVI and DB children; promoting the significance of early intervention; assessment of children with multiple disabilities and creating an IEP within the Individual family support plan.

20. Special schools and MD children
What about the readiness of special schools to accept MD children?

21. Before Categorical approach was dominant
There were schools for children with different types of disabilities:
visual impairment
intellectual disability
hearing impairment
physical disability

22. Now
There is noticeable tendency for schools to have more generalized names.
Schools for children with developmental disabilities
There is tendency for schools to become resource centers.
Schools for children with visual impairments
Schools for children with hearing impairments

23. Schooling of children with visual impairment
At mainstream kindergartens and schools.
At School for children with visual impairment “Veljko Ramadanović” in Belgrade (increasingly getting the characteristics of a resource center).
At School for visually impaired and chronically ill children “Dragan Kovačević” in Belgrade.
At School “Milan Petrović” in Novi Sad in classes for children with visual impairments.

24. MDVI children
Multiple disabled visually impaired children can attend schools mentioned above; they also can go to other schools in relation to the dominant type of disability.
If the dominant type of disability is intellectual, it is possible for child to go to school where are mostly intellectually disabled children.

25. VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY
Schools for children with VI
School for children with ID
TYPHLOLOGICAL ▼
VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
CHILD
OLIGOPHRENOLOGICAL
INTELLECTUAL
DISABILITY

26. VI and ID
If child is blind and has ID, most likely it will be educated at school for children with visual impairment.
If child has ID, but with mild degree of visual impairment, it can attend school for children with ID.
In accordance with that, specific approach to child will dominate.

27. VISUAL AND HEARING IMPAIRMENT
Schools for children with VI
Schools for children with HI
TYPHLOLOGICAL ▼
VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
CHILD
SURDOLOGICAL
HEARING IMPAIRMENT

28. VISUAL AND PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT
Schools for children with VI
Schools for children with PD
TYPHLOLOGICAL ▼
VISUAL IMPAIRMENT
CHILD
SOMATOPEDIC
MOTORIC IMPAIRMENT

29. VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND AUTISM
APPROACH ?

30. WHERE CAN MORE MDVI CHILDREN BE FOUND?
At schools for children with disabilities
At families
At day care centers for children with disabilities
At Center for protection of infants, children and youths. Cooperation with the Center was initiated during the seminar organized at the Faculty. Great number of multiply disabled children is at the Center; they were placed there after closing the institutions which offered only medical care to those children.

31. Weaknesses
Health and social services are not sufficiently connected in order of detecting MDVI children.
Unclear role of early intervention service.
Insufficient children assessment.
Weaknesses in creating an individual educational plan (IEP).
Absence of Individual family support plan.

32. Benefits
Special schools can provide different types of services and programs to address their users’ needs.
We recognize the need for education of professionals for working with MDVI and need for specific skills and knowledge for working with these children.