novir 2014 meeting stockholm,...
TRANSCRIPT
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NOVIR 2014 MEETING
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN September 18 – 19, 2014
The 2014 NOVIR meeting in Stockholm was hosted by the National Agency for Special Needs
Education and Schools (Specialpedagogiska skolmyndigheten – SPSM) at Lundqvist & Lindqvist
conference center in downtown Stockholm.
19 delegates representing centers/schools active within the field of education of persons with visual
impairment in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden attended the meeting. See Appendix
1 for a list of participants.
2
Content
Welcome and introduction 3
8. Nordisk kongress i synspedagogikk 3
ICEVI 3
ECPVI 4
Introduction to group discussions 4 Group discussion 1: Purpose and goals for NOVIR 4
Group discussion 2: Effect measurement and research and development 5
Braille and tactile reading from a literacy perspective 6
Pupils wih braille as reading media – Guidelines for principal
organisers and headmasters 6
Group discussion 3: Current and future themes, workshops – can we
afford them, what should they look like 7
Auditory focus: About sound environment and participation 8
novir.net: How to use it? Responsibility? 9
Next meeting 10
Appendix 1. List of participants and mailing list 11
Appendix 2. Programme 12
Appendix 3. NOVIR 13
Appendix 4. Braille and tactile reading from a literacy perspective 14
Appendix 5. “Ingers lista” and draft plan for 2014-2015 15
Appendix 6. Copy of NOVIR web site 17
Posters
Onerva 20
Step Up – A Comenius Project 22
National Institute for the Blind, Visually Impaired, and Deafblind in Iceland 23
Updates – Svenska skolan för synskadade 25
Denmark 26
Keskuspuista Vocational College 32
Sweden 33
Structure of SPSM 36
The following material will be sent as separate files:
PowerPoint: Pupils with braille as reading media - Guidelines for principal organisers and
headmasters (Anders Rönnbäck and Ingegerd Viktorin)
PowerPoint: Auditory focus - About sound environment and participation (Sara Backström Lindeberg)
PDF: Erasmus+ project - Juvenile Neural Ceroid Lipofuscinosis and Education (Per Fosse)
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Welcome and introduction
After a presentation of the participants they were asked to choose two photos from a large
collection put on the floor. One photo was used for a description of me as a person, the
second to describe the challenges I see in the job.
At previous NOVIR meetings quite a lot of time was used to present news from each
center/school. In order to have more time for discussions the participating centers were
asked to send a poster in advance presenting news and organizational changes. These
posters are presented in the appendix section of this report.
8. Nordisk kongress i synspedagogikk After the previous meeting Søren Schytt has been in contact with Per Mortensen, member of
the planning committee of the Nordic Congress, to discuss the possibility for a NOVIR
participation in the conference presenting the Nordic master course in visual impairment.
The conference will be held in Tønsberg, Norway on May 5-7, 2015. NOVIR is also anxious to
be represented in the planning of the 2018 conference.
(See http://www.syndanmark.dk/nordisk_kongres/ for information about the 2015 conference).
Decisions:
a) Norway will select a person responsible for the presentation (expected to be 1 hr long).
b) Depending on where the 2018 conference will be held (probably Finland or Iceland)
NOVIR will be represented by a person from that specific country.
ICEVI Klaus Hørn presented the International Council for Education and Re/habilitation of People
with Visual Impairment (ICEVI), an international organization founded in 1952 in order to
promote the education of children and young people with visual impairment. Today the
organization is represented in 180 countries.
ICEVI is divided in continental based divisions. Klaus is a member of the European Committee
of ICEVI, representing the Nordic and Baltic countries. In each of these countries Klaus has a
contact person.
ICEVI Europe will hold an International Conference on Enabling Access for Persons with
Visual Impairment (ICEAPVI) in Athens, Greece, on February 12-14, 2015. Together with the
Swedish company “Funka Nu” Klaus is responsible for the planning of the ICT related content
of the conference.
According to the home page of the conference the call for submitting papers has been
extended to October 15, 2014. A reason for the so far limited number of papers submitted is
probably the high academically demands the host, University of Athens, has presented.
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(For information about the conference, see http://access.uoa.gr/ICEAPVI-2015/index.html. For
information about ICEVI see http://www.icevi-europe.org/ and http://icevi.org/ ).
Decision:
Klaus will contact the committee in Athens to ask them to consider less demanding
requirement on abstracts.
ECPVI Peter Rodney, one of the founders of the European network for psychologists working in the
field of visual impairment, presented the 5th European Conference on Psychology and Visual
Impairment (ECPVI) that will be held in Bratislava, Slovakia, on November 20-21, 2014.
(For information about the conference see http://www.unss.sk/ecpvi/)
Decision:
All NOVIR institutions will inform Peter about psychologist who has left the institution and
send the name/address of new staff (see http://www.synsraad.dk/psychology/) for list of
members in the network).
Introduction to group discussions Monica Thomsson introduced a model often used by SPSM in which four persons are chosen
to be the coordinator, the spokesperson, the time keeper, and the secretary. At this meeting
the participants was divided into three groups with common topics to be discuss and later to
be presented to the other participants. At the reassembly each group presents their
discussion and conclusions after which a common standpoint is decided.
During the two days the participants held three group discussions, followed by reports from
the groups and a discussion/conclusion.
Group discussion 1: Purpose and goals for NOVIR. The three groups were expected to discuss the following issues:
- How can we review the current purpose and goals?
- How can we get a flow between the manager meetings, the seminars and the home team
(staff, employees etc)?
- How and what should we document?
- Manager meetings: Is it important to decide who should be involved – which function,
profession – from each center/country? How many participants from each country?
- Seminars: How many participants from each country?
The present purpose of NOVIR is presented in a text written by Peter Rodney in 2012 (see
Appendix 3).
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Some voices heard in the groups:
- The present purpose of NOVIR as described in documents and web is somewhat out-of-
date.
- Before the manager meeting the topics of future seminars ought to be discussed at home.
- Interesting presentations given at the NOVIR (i.e. management meetings) could be
streamed and be available for a larger audience.
- The political focus of NOVIR is difficult to achieve and should therefore be removed.
- The management meetings are important.
- Leave the network of the old schools for the blind and include other groups and the
population has changed (MDVI).
- We should reestablish the seminar schedule that Øystein Forsbak took care of.
- At future NOVIR meetings we should evaluate the seminars held since the last meeting.
- Ask the staff before the NOVIR meeting what they need. Based on that we can decide
future seminars.
Conclusion:
NOVIR has an important role to play also in the future as a meeting place for the Nordic
centers and schools. However, the aim as presented on the web site (www.novir.net) must
be re-written. This will be one of the tasks at the 2015 NOVIR management meeting.
NOVIR is an important forum where the management team of a center can meet and discuss
with fellow colleagues from the other Nordic countries to get inspiration of what perhaps
could be done at home to improve at their own center/school.
It is important that all Nordic centers/schools are represented at the annual meeting on the
management level. Each manager/leader is expected to use “common sense” regarding
additional members of the delegation depending on the issues to be discussed or presented.
Discussion and evaluation of previous seminars should be a topic on following NOVIR
meetings.
Group discussion 2: Effect measurement and research and
development Due to illness Ulla Sturaeus could not attend the meeting and introduce the second group
discussion as expected. With a short notice Hanna Ginner Hau therefore stepped in to
present some of her thoughts on research and development based on her previous
experiences as a researcher in the field of social work before recently joining SPSM. Her PhD
dissertation (2010) dealt with young offenders in community-based rehabilitative programs1.
1 Her dissertations is availabe in full text on:
http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:346503/FULLTEXT01.pdf
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In her research Hanna had to deal with small populations as there are 290 independent
communites (“kommuner”) in Sweden responsible for community-based rehabilitation.
Small numbers is also what characterize research and development in the field of visual
impairment. In such a case the solution could be to base R&D-work on systematic case
studies as well as cooperation across national borders. However, be aware that it is not the
researcher who can formulate to the topic for research – it is only you who has the
knowledge of what is of interest to know who could do the formulation.
There is a difference between what the government wants us to report and what we need to
make conclusions based on research and development to improve the work carried out.
Some voices heard in the groups:
- In Norway Statped has a cooperation with the University of Trondheim (NTNU). This year
the report “En i flokken” was published. The report is available on
http://samforsk.no/Sider/Publikasjoner/En-av-flokken.aspx
- Cooperation between NTNU and University of Stockholm (courses on master level)
- In Finland training of teachers for v.i. stopped about 10 years ago. The Institute for
educational assessment has carried out a survey of inclusive education. Onerva and the
Finnish Association of the Visually Impaired are discussion the possibility of a study regarding
the situation after school.
- Annica Wiberg (SPSM) is working on a study of factors relevant to preventing difficulties for
students with severe visual impairment/blindness when entering the labour market or in
post-secondary education. So far her preliminary results indicate that the situation is better
than expected.
- “This is what we want” – a Statped strategy for research for which money is reserved.
Conclusion:
The discussion continues at home.
Braille and tactile reading from a literacy perspective SPSM will host a NOVIR seminar on Braille and Tactile Reading from a Literacy Perspective in
Stockholm on March 5-6, 2015.
See Appendix 3 for further information.
Pupils with braille as reading media – Guidelines for principal
organisers and headmasters Anders Rönnbäck and Ingegerd Viktorin presented an on-going work on advices for principals and
headmasters what they should be aware of if they have a braille reading pupil – laws and regulations
in order to create an accessible learning environment.
The task given by the Ministry of Education in January 2014 states (in Swedish):
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“SPSM ska utarbeta ett stödmaterial för huvudmän och skolor med målet att elever med blindhet,
som använder punktskrift som läsmedium, ska höja sina kunskapsresultat.”
Responsible for the work is the Department of Operational Development/Resource Center Vision
where the team working on this is Anders, Ingegerd and Kia Johansson. A final report is expected to
be presented in December 2014.
The PowerPoint presentation will be sent as a separate file.
Voices in the following discussion:
- It was suggested that the European Convention on Human Rights by the European Council should
be added to the list of rules and conventions.
- What qualification should a teacher have when teaching a braille reading pupil?
- What impact can a Swedish document have for improving the situation in other countries? This is a
good example on how the rules in one Nordic country can be used to promote the development in an
another country.
- The present work in Sweden became a reality thanks to the existing situation in Norway.
- In Sweden braille is recommended when the visual acuity is 0,03 or below.
- The number of braille reading pupils in the compulsory school (“grundskolan”) are approx. 50 in
Denmark, about 50-70 in Finland. The average in a specific age group is in Norway 5 and in Sweden
10.
Group discussion 3: Current and future themes, workshops – can we
afford them, what should they look like As an introduction to the group discussion Ingegerd Viktorin presented a circular flowchart describing
the relation between the NOVIR manager meetings and the work at home. This flowchart was also
available for group discussion 1.
Available for the discussion were also the so called “Ingers lista” and a draft plan for 2014-2015 (see
Appendix 5 and Appendix 6 for a copy of www.novir.net giving a historical background of seminars
(see also http://www.novir.net/ (page Nordiske arragementer)).
Some voices heard in the groups:
- The streamed web lectures in Norway should be opened up for participants in the other Nordic
countries. In the future other countries could also send recordings to be distributed from Norway.
1. Discussions about relevant themes/topics for up- coming seminars, responsible country and current year for presentations. A short presentation of the next upcoming seminar before the current seminar.
2. Discussion about appropriate contributions to the seminar.
3. Seminar is conducted. 4. Discussion about what has been presented at the
seminar, the collection of thoughts and opinions. 5. Discussion about thoughts and opinions, important
facts, knowledge etc. Decisions and careful documentation.
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- Could seminars be available on novir.net as streamed files
- Several new topics for possible future seminars were mentioned:
--- Physical education
--- Mathematics in higher education
--- Access to the labor market
--- Reading and writing for all our age groups should be a regular theme
--- Special needs assessment
--- ICF
- Previous seminars should be kept on the web to give us a background of what has taken place
rather recently
Conclusions:
(The reporter may have been exhausted at the end of the second day. Therefore only two
conclusions are found in my notes).
Each country should send their suggestions of new seminars in good time before the following NOVIR
meeting.
Klaus Hørn will contact “Norges blindeforbund” (Norwegian Association for the Blind and Partially
Sighted) to see if they are planning a conference on labour-market issues.
Auditory focus: About sound environment and participation Sara Backström Lindeberg from SPSM presented her master theses “Auditivt focus: Om
ljudmiljö och delaktighet för elever med synnedsättning” from Univerity of Stockholm,
Department of Special Education, in 2014.
The purpose of this study was to highlight different sound environments and their usefulness
to provide access to social and educational settings during a school day, for students with
blindness
- How can the student use the sound as a source of information to understand social and
educational events ?
- What sound environments hinder participation, and what sound environments favour?
- What are the characteristics of a sound environment that lead up to active or passive
behaviour?
- How do the students experience different sounds and sound environments at school?
In the study Sara has used Grounded Theory as a methodological approach where a theory is
allowed to grow based on coding, analysis and constant comparison of collected data.
Methods used are:
- Auditory observations by researcher
- Auditory observations by students
- Visual observations by a non-blind companion
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- Semi-structured interviews with the students after a day at school
- Both observations and interviews recorded and transcribed
Some of the most important conclusions are:
- Participation in social context in school is a problem for many students with visual
impairment.
- The results of this study imply that the sound environment can be a contributing cause for
this exclusion
- The acoustics of Swedish schools is generally quite poor and the problems with sound
environment in schools and pre-schools is something that should be high priority. Students
with visual impairment are not even mentioned in these documents. Why?
- The challenge is to create sound environments that will function for all.
- Overall solutions, that students with blindness could benefit from could be favorable for
many other student groups too
- Organisation and educational solutions as well as the design of room facilities
- Sound has a tendency to merge and overlap. It is much easier to specify direction and
discriminate visual impressions than auditory (Gibson 1969)
- In noisy sound environment with many people and activities it is hard or impossible to get
access to context and meaning
- Risks/consequences: passive listening, will shut down and turn inwards, develops
exaggerated control needs or demonstrates stereotype or acting out behaviour
- Risk that the surrounding people will misunderstand the reason for these behaviours and
interpret them as a sign for autism or other neuro-psychiatric disabilities, where as it in fact
is a sign that the meaning and context is not comprehendible due to a noisy sound
environment.
- Considering the cocktailparty-effect, the working memory and distraction, together with
the results from this study, it may be of importance to discuss how those environments and
situations, aiming for play and interaction that is offered to children with blindness in school
and pre-school is designed.
- In a manageable sound environment the risk for exclusion and marginalization is
diminished.
The thesis (in Swedish) can be found on
http://www.spsm.se/PageFiles/10011/Auditivt%20fokus.pdf
Sara’s PowerPoint presentation will be send as a separate file.
Novir.net: How to use it? Responsibility? Marie Fasmer (IBOS) and Johanna Svahn (SPSM) will take over the responsibility for the web site.
The present web site is created using an old software (HomePage) which is no longer updated why
no further updates of the site will be made. A new site must be created. The new site will be in
English.
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After a discussion if passed seminars should be on the seminar list or not it was decided that this of
value as it gives an overview when planning new activities.
In the autumn 2015 (probably October or November) Refsnæs will host a seminar on vision accessment.
International conferences should be presented on a separate page as it is very useful when making
decisions. In connection to this it was mentioned that “Myndigheten för tillgängliga media”2 (Swedish
Agency for Accessible Media) in cooperation with SPSM will in 2016 arrange an international
conference on braille/tactile reading for children and young people.
As it is already today difficult to get material to the yearly NOVIR newsletter in native languages, it
would probably become even more difficult if the requirement in the future should be text written in
English.
Next meeting Following the normal cycle, Finland and Onerva Mäki in Jyväskylä should host the 2015
meeting. Due to construction work on a new school building this is however not possible.
The 2015 meeting will therefore be hosted by Statped to be held in Tromsø on September
10-11.
2 Previously known as TPB – Talboks- och punktskriftsbiblioteket.
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APPENDIX 1. LIST OF PARTICIPANTS AND MAILING LIST
DENMARK Klaus Hørn IBOS [email protected] Marie Fasmer IBOS [email protected] Peter Rodney IBOS [email protected] Søren Schytt Refsnæs [email protected]
FINLAND
Josefin Holmqvist Svenska skolan för synskadade [email protected]
Maj-Len Heinkel Svenska skolan för synskadade [email protected]
Maria Rutenberg Keskuspuisto Vocational College/ARLA [email protected]
Tarja Hännikäinen Onerva Mäki School [email protected]
Tuula Vähäkainu- Kujanen Onerva Mäki School [email protected]
ICELAND
Elfa Hermansdóttir National Institute for the Blind, VI [email protected]
Huld Magnúsdóttir National Institute for the Blind, VI [email protected]
NORWAY
Anne Bakken Statped midt [email protected]
Inger Larsen Statped sørøst [email protected]
Rune Johnsen Statped nord [email protected]
Steinar Sandstad Statped sørøst [email protected]
SWEDEN
SPSM, avdelningen för verksamhetsutveckling …..
Elisabeth Brynje Starfelt Ekeskolan [email protected]
Ingegerd Viktorin RC [email protected]
Michael Wennblom RC syn [email protected]
Moncia Thomsson RC [email protected]
FUTURE NOVIR COMMUNICATION SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE
Astrid Vik Statped sørøst, Norway [email protected]
Bente Krakhellen Statped vest, Norway [email protected]
Johanna Svahn SPSM, Sweden [email protected]
Karin Kass Sjóndepilin, Faeroe Islands [email protected]
Per Fosse Statped midt, Norway [email protected]
Raija Väisänen Onerva Mäki School, Finland [email protected]
Riitta Kangasaho Onerva Mäki School, Finland [email protected]
Ulla Sturaeus SPSM, Sweden [email protected]
The report has been compiled by Harry Svensson
[email protected] (for larger attached files please use [email protected])
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APPENDIX 2. PROGRAMME
Our meeting will be characterized by activity and participation!
Here is the program:
Thursday the 18th
09.00-10.00 Introduction and presentation of the program.
10.00-10.45 Coffee break with possibility to take part of information from each
country on Posters.
10.50-11.05 Information from Søren Schytt about the collaboration between Novir and the
Nordic Congress.
11.10-11.25 Information from Klaus Høm about ICEVI.
11.30-12.00 Introduction to the teamwork about Purpose and goals for Novir.
12.00-13.00 Lunch break
13.00-14.00 Teamwork and reports; Purpose and goals for Novir.
14.10-14.40 Introduction to the teamwork about Effect measurement and research
and development.
14.40-15.10 Coffee break with possibility to take part of information from each
country on Posters.
15.15-16.15 Teamwork and reports; Effect measurement and research and
development.
16.20 Bus transport.
ca17.30 Joint activity and dinner.
Friday the 19th
09.00-10.00 Braille; special commission, guidelines for headmasters and principals,
the Braille seminar in March 2015.
10.00-10.15 Coffee break
10.20-10.50 Introduction of the teamwork about Current and future themes,
Workshops – can we afford them, what should they look like?
10.50-11.50 Teamwork and reports; Current and future themes,
Workshops – can we afford them, what should they look like?
11.50-12.50 Lunch break
12.50-14.15 Presentation of the master´s thesis on the subject Auditory focus - about
sound environment and participation, Sara Backström Lindeberg
14.30-15.00 Novir.net; How to use it? Responsibility?
15.00-15.30 Concluding remarks.
Coffee.
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Appendix 3. NOVIR
Nordic Visual Impairment Network.
Formål 1:
At orientere om handicappolitiske udviklinger i de nordiske lande
Gensidig at fortælle om tendenser i inklusions og rehabiliterings status i de nordiske
lande.
Orientere om strukturelle og organisatoriske ændringer og deres betydning for værdien
af de synsfaglige indsatser.
Se på konsekvenser af specifik lovgivning på handicapområdet.
Forsøge at påvirke disse udviklingstendenser, bl.a. gennem nordisk råd.
Formål 2:
At drøfte mulighederne og perspektiverne for at koordinere og igangsætte
fællesnordiske forsknings- og udviklingsarbejder indenfor synshandicapområdet.
På internordisk plan at udvikle et forsker- udviklingsnetværk, der synliggør alle
aktuelle initiativer samt igangsætter, støtter og superviserer nye forsknings- og
udviklingsarbejder
En vigtig del af netværksudviklingen er at bygge bro mellem relevante og
sammenfaldende initiativer og medarbejdergrupper på nordisk plan, omfattende alle
organisationer, der beskæftiger sig med synshandicap.
Målet med denne nordiske paraply organisation er videndeling.
Sproget på vores møder er de nordiske sprog.
10. oktober 2012
Peter Rodney.
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Appendix 4. Braille and tactile reading from a literacy perspective
A NOVIR Seminar on March 5-6, 2015, hosted by SPSM Resource Centre Vision Stockholm, Sweden.
All children must have the opportunity to learn to read, write and count - skills which are an
important basis for intellectual freedom, knowledge, independence and participation. Reading,
writing and mathematics are not only about technical skills as decoding characters and words. It is
also based on the ability to draw conclusions from text and images, make associations and be able to
connect what you read to own experiences of the world.
Literacy is a concept that encompasses this broader approach.
Braille is a tactile code of written language, similar to ink print. Braille is the "key" to literacy for
children with blindness. The little child with blindness, as the fully sighted child, must have numbers,
letters, words, text, and images around them. To create these "meetings" persons close to the child
must, in a conscious and playful way, give language experiences both verbal (reading aloud,
storytelling, visual interpretation) and tactile (tactile images, braille dots etc.)
A positive development in different school subjects, such as math, science and languages, is
dependent on good reading and writing skills. Schools must therefore meet the student with
knowledge and skills in Braille, many opportunities for tactile reading and how to operate alternative
technical tools independently.
A stimulating and accessible learning environment provides the conditions for the development of
knowledge, activity, participation and independence.
The development of literacy skills can be seen as a lifelong process - central to education,
employment and a rich social life!
A NOVIR seminar builds on presentation from each Nordic country. It is now time to begin thinking
about possible lectures.
In the beginning of November 2014, you will get more information about the seminar.
15
Appendix 5. “Ingers lista” and draft plan for 2014-2015 Sammanställning av ämnesförslagen från Norge (”Ingers lista”) och Sverige (tilläggen från IV och JS)
Norges förslag Sveriges förslag Redan planerade seminarier/workshops
Punktskrift Punktskrift ur ett livsperspektiv, att läsa, skriva, räkna
Punktskrift och taktil läsning ur ett literacyperspektiv RC syn, Sverige Stockholm 5-6 mars 2015
Taktile planer och kommunikasjonssystem
Taktila bilder och bildtolkning utifrån bildens betydelse i dagens informationssamhälle
Mobilitet
Aktiviteter i dagliglivet Självständighet – delaktighet ”paraplybegrepp” för ADL och oreintering & mobility
Kroppsöving
Kroppsspråk, drama
IKT – ny teknologi
IBOS, Danmark ? september 2014
Musik (punktskriftsnoter)
Andre praktisk estetiske emner Praktisk estetiska ämnen: Bild, musik, textilslöjd, trä- och metallslöjd, idrott & hälsa
Syntolkning
Syn och kommunikasjon (ssv)
Små blinde och starkt svaksynte barn
Synfunksjonsutredning Specialpedagogisk utredning ur ett bredare perspektiv än enbart synfunktionsutredning
16
Ämnesområde 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
IKT/ICT IBOS september
Fagdagar IBOS november
Inklusion och delaktighet Vem? Konferens om inklusion och arbetsmarknad november
Punktskrift SPSM 5-6-mars
Syn och hjärna IBOS Syn och stroke
Förslag på kommande workshops områden
Läsmediabedömningar*
Nätverksmöten SPSM, Sthlm 18-19 september
Onerva Mäki, Jyväskylä
17
Appendix 6. Copy of NOVIR web site Nordisk samarbeid.
Emneområder
2008 -
2009
2009 –
2010
2010 -
2011
2011 –
2012
2012
2013
2014
2015
Fagdager
HUS
mars0
9
HUS
mars1
0
HUS
mars1
1
REF
mars1
1
HUS
mars
12
IBOS
mars1
2
IBOS
November
Inklusjon og
deltakelse
SPSM
høst1
2
22-
23/11
IBOS 08-
09/04
Helsinki 21-
22/03
Sociale
kompetence
r
Konference
om inklusion
på
arbejdsmarke
d
November
Førskolekonferanse
(3. årl)
Island
mai09
Helsinki 17-
19/06
Punktskrift
ARL
mars0
9
SPSM:
Punktskrift, torsdagen den 5 och fredagen den 6 mars 2015.
Musik
IBOS
høst
11
Spielm.Vogt/Batten
s sykd.
NCL
Holdes hvert år
REF
nov09
Malm
ø
vår 11
REF
høst
11
TAM
mai
12
18
Emneområder
2008 -
2009
2009 –
2010
2010 -
2011
2011
–
2012
2012
2013
2014
2015
IKT/ICT
SPSM
mars09
IBOS
vår11
TAM
juni11(E)
IBOS
18-
19/09
REF
Høst 13
IBOS
september
Syn og Autisme
HUS
høst
11
HUS
28-
29/11
Syn og hjerne
REF
Januar 11
IBOS
04-
05/12
IBOS:
Syn og
strok
Udredninger
SPSM
vår11
Matematikk
ARL
mars10
Tambartun
oktober 13
Praktiske fag
JYV
vår 11
ADL/O&M
JYV
okt09
IBOS
juni 13
Belysning
IBOS
nov08
Gjøvik
nov10
Seminarer m.v. er fortrinnsvis basert på kostnadsfri deltakelse av 2 fra hver institusjon, men det åpnes
også for ytterligere deltakelse også utenfor sentrene og gjennomføres da med full kostnadsdekning av
deltakerne.
Emneområder
2008 -
2009
2009 –
2010
2010 -
2011
2011 –
2012
2012
2013
2014
2015
Netværksmøter
NOVIR
IBOS
Sept
08
TAM
Sept
09
SPSM
Uke 37
SSS
Uke 37
15-
16/09
REF
Uke 37
13-14/09
Island
Sept 13
Stockholm
18-19 sep
Jyvaskola
Forkortinger: ARL=Arla (FIN), HUS=Huseby kompetansesenter (N), IBOS=Instituttet for Blinde og
Svaksynede (DK), REF=Synssenter Refsnæs (DK), SPSM=Spesialpedagogiska skolmyndigheten (S),
SSS=Svenska skolan for synsskadade (FIN), TAM=Tambartun kompetansesenter (N), JYV=
Jyväskylän näkövammaisten koulu (FIN)
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Emneområder
2008 -
2009
2009 –
2010
2010 -
2011
2011 –
2012
2012
2013
2014
2015
Nordisk kongres
syn
Lund
Mai 09
Kolding
21-23/05
Xxx
2015
ICEVI m.v.
Istanbul juli
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21
22
23
24
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Updates on what is going on at Svenska skolan för synskadade.
IT- Project
Consist of 2 parts
1. The state run Special Schools developing and learning together - A new joint Intra Net - The use of Yammer for interaction - Find new solutions for courses on line - A thorough in service for staff member to improve use of computers and IPad 2. SSS own project - To start using braille on Iphone and teach students to use it - To set up a “Bank” with useful Apps for VI and HI students - To learn how different interactive boards can be used
Project “Gnistan”
Continuation for a project we started 3 years ago for children with VI under age
5. Weekend get together for children, siblings and parents to get important
information and support with the VI-child.
Seminar in Mathematics
Will be held Oct. 27th-28th 2014
Joint ventures for Government run Special Schools
We have 6 state run Special schools that are specialized in Vision Impairment,
Hearing Impairment, Autism, Language Impairment, Physical Impairment etc.
Updating Curricula
Finland will have a new curriculum beginning 2016 and we are working on the
update for those who study according to “Verksamhetsområden” (Swedish).
ICF
We are working on how to use ICF as a part of our reporting and assessment.
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Denmark IBOS
Rehabilitation and the labour market
In Denmark every strategy for inclusion and rehabilitation is based on providing
the right support and professional help aiming for each citizen to be self-
supporting.
To meet this IBOS is now further enhancing the labour perspective in all new
initiatives and services.
Through projects IBOS has gained knowledge about how crucial it is that blind
or visually impaired people has the opportunity to reach out and get
professional vision support in the process of being a self-supporting individual.
The gained experiences is implemented as tangible services, among these the
following four is started in 2013:
The testing of working qualifications Individual support and professional coordination of all or part of a programme testing working qualifications
Labour market mentor The labour market mentor is working close with the person in question in finding a suitable job
Coaching Individual guidance through the process of finding a job matching professional and personal qualifications
IBOS Young Occupation Addressing young people with visually impairment under the age of 30 without an education, and who are in need of clarification concerning education and occupation. The service also handles combined impairments
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IBOS Conference on inclusion 2013
Wanting to enhance the focus on the special issues children and adults with
visual impairment experience, IBOS hosted a conference on inclusion in 2013.
The conference themes where: Why include? What will it take to create open
and innovative environments? Is inclusion a shared or an individual
responsibility? Which competences are required in acting inclusive? What is
quality in this manner? The dilemmas in working with inclusion etc.
Many interesting reports were held, and the workshops were characterized by
commitment and professional interest. Reports were held by (among many
others):
Maja Røn Larsen: Children’s Communities Willy Aastrup: Obstacles on the road to inclusion Tanja Stevns: Materials in alternative formats – a prerequisite for inclusion Tove Dunkers: Speaking meets between youths Dr. Karen Wolfe: A structured learning approach to teaching pre-
employment skills Peter Rodney-Jensen: Inclusion in schools
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Synscenter Refsnæs Increased digitalising - Mediateket
Synscenter Refsnæs has previously developed the digital library
(www.biblus.dk), and are now continuing with a digital exhibition on materials.
The exhibition opened on the 21th of March 2013 on www.synref.dk.
The digital exhibition - Mediateket – contains a wide variety of materials for
visually impaired children, e.g. stimulation of senses, aids for schoolchildren
and much more. Besides pictures of the materials, the Mediateket also
contains descriptions of how to use them. You can order the materials directly
from the site, since a webshop is attached.
A physical exhibition is established, where you can try out the devices.
Synscenter Refsnæs
Independent boarding school for lower secondary students
In August 2014 Synscenter Refnæs opened their new independent boarding school for lower secondary students. It’s a school for young visually impaired students in the age 14-16. There is currently 7 students, and the schools aim is to provide a school environment, where visual impairment is taken in to account and at the same time ensure that the students gets their Primary and Lower-secondary School Leaving Certificate.
Learn more about the school on http://synref.dk/unge/efterskolen
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IBOS ’From earth to mouth’ – a project
Since 2009 IBOS have had a ‘activity and social group’ for people with
substantially lowered physical or mental capabilities or with strong social
issues. The aim is to maintain or even increase personal skills or living
conditions. This group is working with the project ‘From earth to mouth’, which
is funded by Pensionsstyrelsen.
The project stretches over 3 years and through learning about nutrition,
ecology and movement the project is aiming to increase the quality of life,
personal development and participation in the surrounding community for the
participators.
The participants will be involved in ativities such as grossery shopping, growing
of wholesome raw ingredients, picking of apples and the making of an
applejuicery. In the project we are working with the method “learning by
doing”, which means that the participants are involved in all parts of the
process from beginning to the end. From putting the hands in the ground un till
the taste of the final product.
Faze 1: Start-up - theory (sep. 2011 - nov. 2012)
Collection of knowledge, creating joint responsibility and learning about
nutrition and health. Testing of personal skills, tactile skills and limitations.
Fieldtrips to an applejuicery, the botanical garden and market garden, and
involvement of external expertise, e.g. visits from a chef, an expert in nutrition,
gardener or other relevant professional. The first harvest of apples and
vegetable seasonings.
Faze 2: Priming – from theory to praxis (dec. 2012 - nov. 2013)
In this faze the participants has to grossery shop, seed, plant, take care of,
harvest and process the wholesome raw ingredients. An ecological sensing café
will be held. Start-up of the applejuicery. The group will visit an appleorchard
and make applejuice of the apples they take home.
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Faze 3: Development (Dec. 2013 - Sept. 2014)
Continuing the work with the juicery and refining of products and the
production of tea, oils, soaps etc. Organizing and hosting an ecological
minimarket
Background
Many people with visually impairment experience challenges when it comes to
dietary and exercise. They are at bigger risk at receiving a dietary without
variation and are more likely not to exercise. This is a fact found by SFI (Danish
research affiliation) in 2010 where they made a survey in blind and visually
impaired people’s barriers for participation in the surrounding community. The
survey also shows that change is possible – and this is one of the aims of this
project. An increased focus on the body through physical activity and
information about nutrition, quality, hygiene, ecology etc. will lead the way.
Throughout the project all other senses than sight will be stimulated – tasting,
feeling, hearing and smelling. The hope is that the participants will experience
friendship, fellowship, and interaction, concurrent with joint responsibility in
the creation of different products. There will also be a corporation with TV Glad
(a local tv-station).
For further information please contact Project coordinator Anna Öberg, phone:
+45 39 45 23 33
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IBOS European overview of educations on visually impairment
In October 2013 IBOS went to the european conference EOMADL (European
O&M and ADL) in Valladolid, Spain – sponsored by EU-fonds. The conference
gave insight in the participating countries occupations regarding ADL and O&M
educations and gave a relevant overview of the education in the respective
countries. The participating countries were Holland, Spain, France, Denmark,
Switzerland, Portugal and Germany.
More countries have the same structure as in Denmark, where certain
organizations or institutes handles the education on the field – and always has
(e.g. Holland)
Listed knowledge on not-participating countries:
Norway and Sweden has the educations on visually impairment embedded on universities (Master degree)
The UK has both master degrees and private educations Norway and the UK are has the leading position compared to all other
countries when it comes to the formal level of education, also Sweden is in front with the corporation with NTNU (Norways technical-scientific university in Trondheim) and Huseby and Oslo. This is due to legal demands on qualifications for professionals working with visual impairment. The legal demands are internationally coherent with professionals working with children and in the schools.
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Finland/Keskuspuisto Vocational College at Novir, Stockholm 18.-19.9.2014
Arla /Maria Rutenberg:
For discussion:
All paths available for students with visual impairment after basic education – need for support? How and where?
- general upper secondary (gymnasium) further studies - vocational qualifications - preparatory training for further (vocational?) studies
(Preparatory 1) - preparatory training for work and independent life
(Preparatory 2) - competence-based qualifications, work…
Secondary level /vocational/ education under fundamental change and development in Finland:
- larger schools vocational special needs colleges network Ameo
- new study plans - new, common recruitment path
Keskuspuisto Vocational college:
- part of the Ameo network - c.1000 students, mostly with special needs, partly adult
education and projects and development of new methods in the field of special needs education
- at the Arla unit especially support for students with visual impairment (vocational qualifications, prep 1 support also for adults with sight loss, prep 2 for students with mdvi)
- the big challenge at Arla: to keep up and renew competence in special needs education and support in the field of visual impairment - out of 300 students 60 students have visual impairment as their primary special need + students with mdvi
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SWEDEN
A digital learning program, Tactile navigation
The authority for the Swedish Agency for Accessible Media (MTM), Mälardalen
University Sweden (MDH) and National Agency for Special Needs Education and
Schools (SPSM) are collaborating in the project, Tactile Navigation.
The purpose is to create a digital learning program that caters to parents and
teachers of children with visual impairment. The intention is to provide
guidelines for how to teach reading tactile pictures.
The program will also include “Synpunkter”, a self-instructional digital course in
learning braille for sighted people. This course was developed by the former
agency Tomteboda resourse centre, TRC. The course is now reworked to fit into
the new program.
Novir seminar on braille and tactile reading
All children must have the opportunity to learn to read, write and count – skills
which is an important foundation for intellectual freedom, knowledge,
independence and participation.
These words are the starting point for the Novir seminar “Braille and tactile
reading from a literacy perspective”, 5th – 6th of March, 2015 in Stockholm.
Responsible for the seminar is the National Agency for Special Needs Education
and Schools (SPSM), Resource Centre Vision.
A Novir seminar builds on presentations from each Nordic country. It is time to
begin thinking about possible lectures.
In the beginning of November 2014, you will get more information about the
seminar.
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An assignment for SPSM
SPSM has got an assignment from the Ministry of Education, 2014, to produce
guidelines for headmasters and principals about braille and tactile reading. The
purpose is to give braille reading pupils better possibilities to reach the
educational goals.
The guidelines provide guidance on laws, roles and approaches in the
education of pupils with blindness. Headmasters and principals must provide
pupils with blindness education in an accessible learning environment.
A development project within Resource centre Vision
"Factors relevant to preventing difficulties for students with severe visual
impairment / blindness when entering the job market or in post-secondary
studies" is the title of the development work, written by Annica Winberg.
The researce questions are:
• How have these young people experienced support during secondary
education in terms of learning and participation? How has the communication
and interaction with classmates worked?
• How are the prerequisites for post-secondary studies or work after secondary
education?
• Are there any key factors or events which have had a positive impact on the
prospects for labor market entry or to post-secondary studies?
The development project is expected to run in 2014 and 2015, including in-
depth interviews with young people as a method. The result hopefully will
bring new and important knowledge about how things work out for students
with visual impairment / blindness later in the school and in the first years after
completing high school. This knowledge will provide important information for
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the design of the support of the Resource centre Vision for braille reading
students and their teachers in primary and secondary schools.
Children and tactile reading
An international conference on children and tactile reading will be held in
Stockholm in spring 2016.
The conference is a collaboration between The authority for the Swedish
Agency for Accessible Media (MTM) and National Agency for Special Needs
Education and Schools (SPSM).
The planning for the conference has just started. More information will be
published later.
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Structure of SPSM