Journal of Special Education and Rehabilitation

23-37

Authors: Miodrag L. STOSHLJEVIKJ, Fadilj N. EMINOVIKJ, Radmila M. NIKIKJ, Gordana I. ACHIKJ, Sanela R. PACIKJ

Pupils with cerebral palsy attend elementary education accordind to a regular and special teaching plan and program. Regular school curriculum was reformed in 1992, while special plan and program has not been changed and adapted according to pupil’s needs and capacities. Music is one of the best means of expressing oneself and plays a very important role in the development of every child, the child with cerebral palsy in particular. In order to test the possibility of pupils with cerebral palsy, with and without mental retardation, to apprehend the actual program content, we have conducted research on musical achievement of children with cerebral palsy. During 2007 a research was carried out, on the sample of 27 pupils with cerebral palsy and mild mental retardation who attended classes in the school “Miodrag Matikj”, and a sample of16 students with cerebral palsy without mental retardation who attended the school “Dr. Dragan Hercog” in Belgrade. Results of the research, as well as analysis of music curriculum content, indicated that the capacities of students with cerebral palsy to carry out the curriculum tasks require special approach and methodology. Therefore, we introduced some proposals to overcome the difficulties in fulfilling music curriculum demands of those pupils. We made special emphasis on the use of computer based Assistive technology which facilitates the whole process to a large extent.

51-61

Authors: Patrizia VELOTTI

Social networks often provide an important source of support for new parents. General, parent support programs sustain social-emotional development of children. Different aspects could impact both the quantity and quality of the sources of social support and the perception that parents would had. This study examines the role of social support in the couples of new-parents and assesses the influence of attachment models on it. The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) were administered to a sample of 100 participants. Results indicated a perception of social support more pronounced in women, mainly on the dimension of social support derived from the partner. Furthermore, for women and not for men, an association between attachment models to the AAI and the different perceptions of social support was revealed. Data seems support the opportunity to assess parents during early rehabilitation interventions. Support groups could be used with insecure parents and has positive effects in reducing stress and promoting adjustment to the disability for children and their families.

73-83

Authors: Nergis RAMO, Risto PETROV

The ICDP approach is based on the idea that the best way to help children is first to provide help for the children’s caregivers.1 At the centre of basic human psycho-social needs is the need for establishing a long-term, stable, and caring relationship with the primary caregiver, without which children cannot develop properly. The objective, therefore, must be to sensitise care­givers, in order to enhance their ability to pro­vide good quality care and to release empathic feelings towards the children. The most feasible strategy for helping children on a large scale is to support and educate children’s network of stable caregivers, which in practice means sen­sitising families and communities to enhance their own ability to sustain the social, cultural and environmental conditions necessary for the growth and development of children.

97

Authors: Olivera RASHIKJ

According to the example from many European countries, lead by the wish for improving the way and the conditions for living of the persons with disability, Government of Republic of Macedonia initiated the process of deinstitu­tionalization. In the framework of this process on the 04 of December 2008 in Skopje, the first group home in community for people with intellectual disability was opened by the President of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia, M-r Nikola Gruevski and the Minister for labour and social politics, M-r Dzelal Bajrami. The financial help for realization of this project was enabled by the Ministry for labour and social politics of the Republic of Macedonia and the Open Society Mental Health Initiative from Budapest and the home will be lead by Polio Plus-movement against disability. The group home is a family house with around 100 m2, and it is located behind the Special Primary School “D-r Zlatan Sremac” in the Municipality of Kisela Voda. For the beginning of the project, in the group home are accommodated four people, previous dependants of the Special Institute in Demir Kapija, which will have 24 hours supervision by the professionally trained persons, educators and medical team. The plan of the Government of the Republic of Macedonia is to open additional 48 homes and to include about 190 children, dependants of the Special Institute in Demir Kapija in the near future.

100-102

Authors: Vasilka GALEVSKA

Following the invitation of the National Society for Autism from Poland – Krakow Branch, four members of the Macedonian Scientific Society for Autism (Prof. d-r Vladimir Trajkovski, d-r Emilija Lazarova - Trajkovska, Zhivka Dimitrovska and Vasilka Galevska) in the period 24th –30th November 2008 realized a visit in Krakow, Poland. The respective visit was realized within the framework of the project “Ecological Support Systems for Autistic People” and it included participation at the international scientific conference “The Rain Man is Among Us”, a study visit and workshops for NGO repre­sen­ta­tives working in the field of autism in Central-East Europe. MSSA members had the opportunity to visit few institutions for autistic persons in Krakow as are the Special School No.13 and the Special School No.4 where they were introduced with the schools’ organization and activities and were given the opportunity to observe and directly participate in the class work with the pupils. MSSA members also visited the Non-Public Health Care Centre for Autistic Persons where the organization and the activities of the institution were presented. International conference “The Rain Man is among us” took place at the Faculty of Pedagogy at the Krakow University from 27th until 29th of November 2008.On the first conference day right after the opening ceremony and the ceremonial welcomes by the University professors and the representative of the local authorities followed the inaugural lecture by Prof. Paul Shattock – one of the most famous names in the field of autism. Following the plenary session, the discussions continued, organized in four thematic sessions. Within the framework of the session III entitled “A Person with Autism and Exo-systematic Solution”, Vasilka Galevska presented the paper “Comparative Analysis of the Attitudes of parents of Children With and Without Autism towards the Organization of the System of Protection, Education and Rehabilitation of Persons with Autism in the Republic of Macedonia”. Within the framework of the fourth session “A Person with Autism in the Macro system”, Emilija Lazarova-Trajkovska made presentation of the Macedonian Scientific Society for Autism and its activities. The second Conference day continued with the presentations grouped in two plenary sessions, from which we can underline the presentation of Rita Jordan – another worldwide famous name in the field of autism. Also, there was a special workshop organized dedicated to the music education of autistic children as well as poster-session. The last Conference day, within the framework of the last plenary session, Prof. d-r Vladimir Trakovski had a presentation of its paper “Genetic Evaluation and Genetic Counseling for Autistic Spectrum Disorders”. At the end of the Conference, two workshops dedicated to the micro system support of the autistic persons took place. MSSA members as well had the opportunity to attend two special events organized as a part of the Conference: the art exhibition of autistic persons “Welcome to My World” at the Krakow Gallery, and the concert of autistic people which took place at the “Radio Krakow” Concert Hall.