Inclusion of Children with Disabilities

Changing Attitudes, Perceptions within

Home, School, Society, and Culture

OBJECTIVES of this TEACHING TOUR:

1.      Public Awareness of the issues of inclusion of Children with Disabilities (CwD) in Schools, Society and Culture including:

a.      World Vision inclusive education pilot programs

b.      WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE ** children’s book and teacher/parent guidebook content and practical application in classroom and home

2.      Teacher Training using WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE children’s book and teacher/parent guidebook.

3.      Build parent awareness, support groups and structures for Azerbaijani family education, empowerment, and independence

4.      WV + Coca Cola video documentary to produce a DVD on “Public Awareness and Education on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities into Schools, Society and Culture.”  Teacher + Parent Trainings will be part of the DVD.

SUMMARY of this TEACHING TOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Wed. March 22

AM  10:30-12 noon – 50 participants

Pilot School NO 7 . Gulnaz Mehtizade, Principal; round table with 35 - 4^th grade children attended for a very impressive dialog with question and answer session discussing DREAMS book, building public education on disability issues, how to include and treat all children, and creating world peace in the home, school and local communities. Tour of School NO 7 Computer Center.  There was TV coverage. One dozen parents and COM Spouses also participated, along with WV’s Mrs. Leslie Harnish and Samir Mammadov. WV + Coca Cola documentary video team taped Linda in all Baku venues for DVD Public Awareness and Education on CwD Issues.

(available for purchase now).

PM 2- 5 – 150 participants

Linda does teacher training at Baku Teacher Training Institute for 4^th grade teachers.  MOE invited teachers. Interactive workshop with 150 teachers, administrators, methodologists, child psychologists attended with World Vision’s Leslie Harnish and Samir Mammadov.  Active discussion of such world issues as honoring all citizens, both children and adults, to effectively build democracy and global understanding, which promotes peace from within the home community then throughout towns, cities, countries, continents and the world..

Thurs. March 23

AM 7  - Depart for Mingechevir arrive at World Vision to meet staff ; TV interviews and coverage (Russian border)

PM 2- 5 – 150 participants

Linda does teacher training at the Mingechevir Teacher Training Institute.  MOE invited teachers. Interactive workshop with 150 teachers, administrators, methodologists, child psychologists attended.

TEA – with Mingechavir, Minister of Education

Active discussion on inclusion and ways to move forward for a “Department of Inclusive Education” as part of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Fri. March 24

AM: 10-12 noon – one dozen parents in attendance; contact and support list established and copied for all to utilize.

Parent Advocacy training at SBS Resource Center. Dilshad and parents discussed Linda’s pamphlet on the Linda presented her “5 Step Guide for Parents” to train, inspire and empower parents to become 1) Conscious, 2) Creative, 3) Competent, 4) Collaborative, 5) Compassionate for and with their children to become productive, independent Azerbaijani citizens at SBS Resource Center. TV Coverage and interviews with Mingechevir TV.

12 NOON

Lunch in Mingechevir with leading Mingechevir Speech Pathologist to discuss building a inclusive education curriculum at universities in Azerbaijan to train teachers, therapists, speech pathologists in knowledge, information in special education techniques and methodologies

PM 2   Depart for Baku  arrive Baku  7pm

Sat. March 25

AM 10-12 Noon – 10 children and 10 adults attended

Linda’s  WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE children’s book story hour and question and answers at Chiraq Book Store, Baku city center. Excellent public awareness with TV and Newspaper press coverage.

PM  2  - Azeri translation of book made available

Achievement of Azerbaijani public family continual access to the children’s book WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE.  Linda negotiated with Giso Enterprise, Printer Savalan Gariyev (The Linda Lee Ratto- World Vision printer of 170,000 public school books) regarding the Azeri edition of WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE children’s book. There is now established a continual process for distribution and sale of the children’s book exclusively through CIRAQ Bookstore, 47 Istiqlaliyyat ev.5 Baku, Tel: 492 32 89,  at the modest price of 10,000 manats per book.

PM 8-11 – 35 participants (8 people received concentrated information from Linda)

Linda attended US Ambassador and Mrs. Harnish State dinner welcoming the new French-Azeri Ambassador and wife. Linda discussed inclusion issues with table of eight including the Ambassadors/spouses of  Italy, Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Romania.

Sun. March 26

PM

Italian Ambassador and Mrs. Maurizio Pavesi and their two children. Discussion of book and its contents regarding city, country, and world inclusion of children with disabilities and education; Question and answers, especially with the children and planning for one day teaching tour at their children’s school Baku International School for children, parent and staff development training.

Mon. March 27

AM 10-12 – 30 professionals in attendance – MOE agreed to the concept of a “Department of Inclusive Education”

Minister of Education Round Table Discussion on the Creation of a “Department of Inclusion of Special Education” in MOE. Hydar Aliyev Foundation collaboration and support with Minister of Education Misr Mardanov . Ministry of Finance, UNICEF, Ministry of Youth , Milli Majillis Hadi Rajabli,  Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, all in attendance.    Extensive TV and press coverage. World Vision’s Leslie Harnihs, Barat Azizov, Samir Mammadov participated.

PM 3-5 – 20 parents and families in attendance; contact and support list established and copied for all to utilize.

Hadar University Parent Advocacy Training; Linda presented her “5 Step Guide for Parents” to train, inspire and empower parents to become 1) Conscious, 2) Creative, 3) Competent, 4) Collaborative, 5) Compassionate for and with their children to become productive, independent Azerbaijani citizens. TV coverage, personal interviews

Tues. March 28

AM 9:30 – Meeting with Dr. Hijran K. Huseynova.

Meeting with this Chief of the Republic of Azerbaijan’s State Committee on Children, Families and Woman to discuss their role in advocating for CwD. 

PM  3 :00

Meeting with the special working group to brainstorm on special service provision and US experience. Meeting at CIE  

PM 4-6   Baku Resource center  -  2 dozen participated; contact and support list established and copied for all to utilize. Parent Advocacy Training with staff and parents Linda’s “5 Steps for Parent/Family Advocacy”

Wed. March 29

AM 7 depart for Lenkoran

Lunch with NGO Resource Center

2- 5 PM Linda does teacher training at Lenkoran Teacher Training Institute for 4^th grade teachers.  Minister of Education to invite teachers (Farzali Gadirov) 

Local Press coverage and interviews.  

Move to Hotel check in. Dinner to be determined 

Thurs. March 30.

10-12 Parent Advocacy training at SbS resource center. Local education department head to Invite parents of home school children.  Local  TV Coverage and interviews with parents?

12 p.m. Lunch in Lenkoran and possible press time for interviews 

2- Depart for Baku

Fri. March 31 - 160 participants

Baku International School (BIS) Teaching Tour

120 students, Kindergarten through age 18 years:

Reading of the book WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE, discussions, activities and inclusion of local children with disabilities for art classes and physical education afforded 130 students opportunities to collaborate and include their ideas and knowledge into meaningful interactions and fundamental learnings.

The BIS staff and administrators (approx 20 international educators) participated in an in-depth teaching in-service course on utilizing tools to integrating children of all abilities into the classroom.

10 parents joined for luncheon to discuss the global issue of incorporating children with disabilities into school and society.

Sat. April 1st

AM Depart house  at 5: 10 for 7:10  Azal FLIGHT 73 to Paris 

CONCLUSION

Over the past two years, the integration of Linda Lee Ratto’s storybook as a primary public awareness document for World Vision and the Center for Innovation in Education’s Inclusion Program “Children with Disabilities” (CwD) has been highly successful in motivating families and teachers to advocate for children with special needs.  From Ministry of Education (MOE) and governmental meetings to teaching children, parents and teachers throughout Azerbaijan, the Children with Disabilities Program that included Linda Lee Ratto’s work, has significantly inspired shifting attitudes.  The MOE of the Republic of Azerbaijan publicly has pronounced the need for a Department of Inclusive Education.  This is the beginning of significant countrywide change.  Couple with 155,000 copies of the book WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE in the hands of students and teachers, the Azerbaijani society is already changing.

RECOMMENDATION:

It is all leaders' recommendations that we continue working together in teaching tours across Azerbaijan, especially focusing on students, their teachers and community leaders and parents to teach concretely how to work within existing Azeri society to affect change and meet the needs of children in conjunction with World Vision and the Center for Innovation in Education.  I am willing to help solicit grants and funding sources to bring my workshops into all regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan.  It is hope that the remaining Coca-Cola grant will afford me this opportunity as soon as September-October 2006 and beyond.  Linda Lee Ratto is currently in meetings with Children's Institute of Education -CIE and also hope to continue my wonderful partnership with World Vision.  Please advise how we may continue this vital work for underserved children, especially in light of Mrs. Leslie Harnish’s departure from this program.