Report
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Preface
At the end of the first workshop on Training of Teachers of the visually impaired, organised by ICEVI Europe in 1997 in Budapest, the wish to meet again after two to three years was unanimously expressed. In that way more profound discussions could be held about optimisation and updating of the curriculum in order to train more competent teachers of the visually impaired.
Again invitations were sent to about 30 countries. Just as in Budapest, 22 countries were represented. Three countries - Belarus, Norway and Turkey - were not present now but were indeed so in 1997. We also welcomed three 'new' countries - Estonia, Sweden and Yugoslavia - which were not present in 1997.
Also new was the presence of some representatives of the European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education which will be dealt with in this report hereafter.
We would like to share the outcome of this workshop with all people professionally involved in, or otherwise involved in the training of teachers: hence this publication.
This publication would not have been possible without the reporters of the different discussion groups: Ms Mary Kingsley, Mrs Rita Kirkwood, Mr Steve McCall, Mr Steve Minett and Mrs Barbara Raybould. Much preparatory work was done by the programme committee, the facilitators, Mr Branislav Mamojka and Ms Eva Tatarkova, respective chairman and staff member of the Slovak Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted and Mrs Maria Venhuizen, staff member of ICEVI Europe. The editing of the English text as well as preparation of this report for printing was done by Mrs Carolien Hermans.
I would like to express my gratitude to all of them for their efforts.
I also want to extend a special word of thanks to the "Katholieke Stichting voor Blinden en Slechtzienden' (the Catholic foundation for the Blind and Partially Sighted) in the Netherlands for their generous donation without which this workshop could not have taken place.
We sincerely hope that this report will contribute to the discussion about improvement and adaptation of the curriculum as a result of which it will better meet the requirements of the new millennium.
Dr Herman Gresnigt
European Chairman ICEVI
St. Elisabethstraat 4
5361 HK Grave
the Netherlands
e-mail: herman.gresnigt@upcmail.nl