3rd Workshop on Training of Teachers of the Visually Impaired in Europe,
Warsaw, Poland, 3 - 6 April 2002
by mrs Gerti Jaritz-Tschinkel
The integration movement started in the beginning of the eighties carried by parents and teachers.
The politicians had to react with the legislation. Therefor since 1993 we have a law that parents have the choice between mainstream schools and special schools. Austria still has the dual system . Most special schools act as service centres for integration/inclusion as well.
But since we have to save money support is getting smaller and the conditions for peripatetic teachers decrease.
The number of pupils in special schools for visually impaired children are small. Therefor two schools in Graz and Vienna opened their doors for children without handicaps with the emphasis on integration. These models are favoured by many parents.
Teacher training: The traditional system " handing on knowledge to the next generation" had to change with the support in mainstream systems.
In 1987 the first Austrian teacher training course for teachers for visual impaired and blind children started. The in-service courses are attended by fully working teachers, are delivered at different places in Austria and lectures are given by experienced teachers fully working themselves.
At the moment a commission is busy working on the renewing of the curriculum according to the EU standards. Courses in the new system will probably start 2003.
The strength of our teacher training is the strong relation to practical work - the weakness is research and theoretical studies.
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