Bachstrasse 30, 22083 Hamburg, Germany
Tel.: 040 - 229 30 26; Fax: 040 - 22 59 44; e-mail: IRIS_Hamburg@compuserve.com
The Institute for Rehabilitation and Integration of the Sight-Impaired - or IRIS for short - is a small private, non-profit organization in Hamburg, Germany. Our 8 employees
The IRIS courses for ADL-Teachers are highly qualified personnel preparation belonging to the category of "further education". There are both courses for single (ADL or O&M) and for dual qualification (ADL + O&M). Expertise in the individual fields is acquired in dual qualification courses successively, i.e. the participant completes the course in one of the fields before beginning the other. Both are full time courses:
Course participants must have completed a three-year education in either a social, paramedical or pedagogical field and must have worked in that field for at least one year. Further requirements are
Those instructors, who directly teach ADL in the course, must be qualified as ADL-teachers and must have a minimum of 3 years experience in ADL-teaching. Our three instructors for the ADL-course each have at least 10 years experience as ADL-teachers.
We also have other lecturers for specific parts of the course, such as a psychologist, an optical-specialist with low vision qualifications, a hearing-aids specialist, a neurophysiologist, occupational therapists with qualifications in sensory integration, a diabetes specialist, an early intervention team and a computer specialist.
The Office of labor covers the course cost as well as the cost of living for those participants who are unemployed or whose work situation is endangered. Participant's employers have also covered these costs. It is, however, possible that participants have to cover these costs themselves.
The activity of an ADL-Teacher is not a state recognized profession in Germany. The professional title of "Rehabilitation Teacher for the Visually Impaired (ADL and Communications)" is neither protected nor legally recognized. It is, however, recognized in Germany by the Association for blind and visually impaired persons and by the Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the visually impaired persons.
ADL-Teachers from IRIS are trained to work with clients of all ages and with additional handicaps (sensory, motor, learning and/or mental). They, therefore, are able to work with all clients.
The course content is listed on separate pages.