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.

18-28

Authors: Jasmina KOVACHEVIKJ

The reform of the special education is directed to­wards creating preconditions for a more massive inclusion of children with developmental difficul­ties in the mainstream educational system (inclu­sive process), but also towards improvement and change of the concept of work of the special schools, especially the change in the internal or­ganization of the educational work through intro­ducing contemporary models and methods of learning. The modernization of the educational process asks for a modernization of the curriculum, but also of the modus which they are realized with, so therefore the goal of this research was to con­firm the educational effects of the innovative mod­els and methods of working in the educational process with the hearing impaired children. In this article we showed the experimental check up of the efficiency from the application of the project cur­riculum in relation to the traditional teaching, re­garding the level of the gained knowledge of the hearing impaired pupil. The sample is consisted of 49 hearing impaired pupils, from the fifth to eighth grade from primary schools for children with im­paired hearing. The results that we got show sta­tistically significant difference between the ac­complishments confirmed in the subjects with an applied traditional model of work and the applica­tion of the project curriculum. Key words: project teaching, traditional teaching, hearing impaired children, cooperative learning, frontal work

41-54

Authors: Zora JACHOVA, Olivera KOVACHEVA, Aleksandra KAROVSKA

In the communication of deaf people between them­selves and hearing people there are three ba­sic as­pects of interaction: gesture, finger signs and writing. The gesture is a conditionally agreed manner of communication with the help of the hands followed by face and body mimic. The ges­ture and the move­ments pre-exist the speech and they had the purpose to mark something, and later to emphasize the speech expression. Stokoe was the first linguist that realised that the signs are not a whole that can not be analysed. He analysed signs in insignificant parts that he called “chemeres”, and many linguists today call them pho­nemes. He created three main phoneme catego­ries: hand position, location and movement. Sign languages as spoken languages have back­ground from the distant past. They developed par­allel with the development of spoken language and undertook many historical changes. Therefore, to­day they do not represent a replacement of the spoken language, but are languages themselves in the real sense of the word. Although the structures of the English language used in USA and in Great Britain is the same, still their sign languages-ASL and BSL are different. Key words: communication, gesture, ASL, BSL, sign language, speech

67-75

Authors: Joanna KOSSEWSKA

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors influencing the identity deaf adolescents. The study involved 67 deaf adolescents (38 boys and 29 girls aged 16 to 19 students of secondary school). Ninety-three hearing children constituted a comparison group. The structure of identity was explored on the basis of identification references given by the subjects who were to reply in writing, 20 times running, to the question: „Who Am I?” the test, adapted from M. H. Kuhn and T. S. McPartland by Martines and Silvestre (1995) given in written and signed mode. Results showed that the hearing status as well as mode of communication influence the description of personal identity. It was found that deaf adoles­cents used more descriptions especially in the fol­lowing categories: Civil Status, Body and Physical Appearance, Tastes and Activities, Friendship and Relationships, Personal and Social Situation, Negative Personal Traits, and Neutral Personality Traits. Although this study could demonstrate im­pact independent variables on identity, the data raise the need for further, preferably longitudinal, research. This complex phenomenon has to be examined more closely. Combined self-descriptive processes lead to the development of an organized, learned and dynamic identity, and subjective description of an individ­ual has strong emotional consequences for the in­dividual in question.

86-92

Authors: Suzana KRAJNC JOLDIKJ

Drama activity presents a great challenge for ado­lescents with physical disabilities, and at the same time it provides them with much experience for life. Adolescents are educated through theatrical activ­ity; they test numerous new roles, develop their attitude towards the art culture, and most of all they get the insight into different life situations, which have not been known to many of them so far. By experiencing different roles, an adolescent gets personal recognition, undergoes a process of personal changing and thus tests his or her per­sonal perceptions of life. As regards drama activity we follow the presump­tion saying that being different is also an advan­tage. The main purpose of the drama activity is gradu­ally realized through the programme: getting to know yourself and the theatre medium in general. Adolescents meet the multilayered communication and public appearance, which helps them in their personal life. Key words: adolescent with physical disabilities, drama activity, expression

100-106

Authors: Simona R. OZHEK

The article deals with the effects of overprotection on the care and development of children with physical disabilities. The focus is on the profes­sional work of carers caring for young people with physical disabilities. Children with physical dis­abilities are less mobile and need more protection. As long as this is objective protection against real dangers, which the child in a certain stage of de­velopment cannot overcome himself, the reaction is suitable, but in cases where the situation is un­real danger and the child is capable of dealing with it himself but parents or other protect the child by prohibiting a certain activity or perform it them­selves instead of him, the reaction is unsuitable. Such unsuitable reactions are called overprotec­tion. Overprotection is very important in the de­velopment process of separation and individuali­sation. Because of overprotection the separation and individualisation will be thwarted and with this the building of identity, independency and autonomy. It was found that young people with physical disabilities are more overprotected than healthy young people. In caring for young people with physical disabilities independence and auton­omy are made the central goals, so professional carers in care institutions must be protective but not overprotective, if they want to achieve these goals. Key words: overprotective care, child with physi­cal disabilities, process of separation and indi­vidualisation, independence and autonomy, carers, care institution

109

Authors: Olivera RASHIKJ

In organization of the Association of Special Educators and Rehabilitators of the Republic of Serbia, in the period from 11th January to 15th January 2008 “Special Educators and Rehabili­tators Days 2008”, were held in the place of Vrnjachka Banja. Besides the wide area and extensive issues which were of interest to the special educators and reha­bilitators, advantage of this assignation was given to the questions for: · Models of education and rehabilitation of per­sons with special needs for society support-from vision to realization; · Communities of habitation with support for persons with intellectual disability-innovative methodological approach. The work was organized in topic areas, where current problems were discussed with proposals for their solving and conclusions, and work in sections where papers from special educators and rehabilitators practice were presented. At the meeting about 700 guests participated from the territories of former Republics of Yugo­slavia. Overviews on the situation of scientific and practice achievements in the area of special education and rehabilitation in the Republic of Macedonia in their papers gave: · Laura Gjurchinovska (member of the PHO Integrin) and Risto Petrov (professor at the “Ss Cyril and Methodius” University-Skopje, Faculty of Philosophy-Institute of Special Education and Rehabilitation) with the topic: Living with other families-New quality of life for children with severe mental disability, pointing out the rights and needs of children with special educational needs to have family life, outside of the institutions, even-though they live with a foster family, and · Vladimir Trajkovski (associate professor at the “Ss Cyril and Methodius” University-Skopje, Faculty of Philosophy-Institute of Special Education and Rehabilitation) with the topic: Autism and genes, presenting the new detected genes and mechanisms which are in the base of the etiopatogenesis of the autism.

111-112

Authors: Aleksandra KAROVSKA

The First Congress with an international participation of the surdology students was held in Belgrade, the Republic of Serbia, in the period between 22-24-th of March. This Congress was organized by the students of the Faculty for Special Education and Rehabilitation at the University in Belgrade. At the Congress there were participants from Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia and Serbia. The goal of the Congress was to exchange experiences in the area of education and rehabilitation of the persons with hearing impairments. The students had the opportunity to presents their papers in some of the following areas: Prevention of the hearing impairments, Detection of the hearing impairments, Diagnosis of the hearing impairments, Audio prosthetics, Rehabilitation of the persons with hearing impairments, A child with a hearing impairment in education; Deaf culture, Development of the language expression in children with a hearing impairment, Sign language, Psychology of deaf persons, Professional qualification of persons with impaired hearing. Our country was represented by eight under-graduate students (third and fourth year of studies) and one postgraduate student. The presentations of the students were mentored by Professor Zora Jachova. Monika Efremova and Bisera Mladenovska presented the results from the research Employment of the persons with impaired hearing. The under-graduate students from third year of studies – Anita Ristovska and Ivana Vasilevska presented the theme Attitudes of the teachers of a child with a cochlear implant within the inclusive classroom. Blagica Stanoevska and Aleksandra Simonovska presented the results of the qualitative research in the area The culture of persons with impaired hearing in the Republic of Macedonia. The third year students Hristina Mitreva and Ivana Petrovska conducted a research on the topic Specifics in the vocabulary of the hearing impaired pupils. Aleksandra Karovska as a postgraduate student presented her paper on Comparative analysis of the British and American Sign Language. The students at the Institute for Special Education and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje participated in a large number of sessions and demonstrated a high level of professionalism and competence. Our recommendation for the students is to enforce their participation at student congresses that will take place in different countries in the world, with the purpose to exchange valuable experiences and to implement the positive experiences of Macedonian grounds.