To all ICEVI readers!
The United Nations has declared 2003-2013 the decade of
Literacy for All. Its aim is to eradicate illiteracy across the world by 2015.
This demanding task will require immediate action on the part of Governments,
Institutions, Agencies, NGO’s and the private sector.
In order to achieve this important goal, it is natural that both ICEVI
and WBU work hand in hand. We must show the world that we have the political
will and a strong common agenda to promote literacy skills for all blind and
partially sighted persons.
However, as we can see from the articles in this issue relating to
early childhood intervention for blind and partially sighted children, this
population is often overlooked and forgotten in such national and international
initiatives. The specific needs of users
of braille or large print have not been considered in the declaration of
“Literacy for All” and the lack of specially trained teachers to teach literacy
to people with a visual impairment during the decade has been overlooked. This
is very disappointing!
In another world wide initiative, the UNESCO Disability Unit together
with the International Working Group on Development and Disability (IWGDD),
have recently launched a Flagship
campaign relating to Inclusive Education
for persons with disabilities.
International disability organisations have been invited to participate,
along with representatives of specialist and professional organisations as well
as interested stakeholders. Both WBU and
ICEVI have participated in the two meetings already held.
But even in this forum we have difficulty in making our voice heard
when it comes to the needs of Braille users and the requirement for trained
specialist teachers. The World
Federation of the Deaf (WFD) has argued extremely successfully for the
retention of special classes and settings for the teaching of sign
language, yet we, who are working in the
field of blindness, have not gained similar recognition of the need for special
approaches – yet!
This must be our common goal in the coming years, ICEVI and WBU working
together to fight for the recognition of Braille as blind people’s own written
“language”. Trained specialist teachers
must be available to teach these skills to ensure that people who are blind have the same
opportunity ofeducation as other citizens in their country.
The solution might not always be found in inclusive classes, as the
first draft of the Flagship initiative on Inclusive Education seems to suggest,
and as UNESCO implies in their policy for the education of disabled people.
Just like children who are deaf, Blind and Deafblind children need access to
specialist trained teachers, and sometimes to special teaching and individual
attention, which can often be difficult to achieve in inclusive classrooms.
Children who are blind have specific needs that are different from
those of sighted children and from those of children with other needs arising
from intellectual and physical disabilities. To educate a blind
person is to meet all their special needs including developing their mobility
and independence, not just teaching them how to read and write in Braille!
In order to make our common dream come true, ICEVI and WBU have
together developed joint policy statements.
One is a general statement relating to education in the field of
blindness, the other declares our common position on “inclusive” education
policies which often appear to be organised in a way which excludes children
with visual impairments.
Together we will change what it
means to be blind and WBU is grateful to have the support of ICEVI !
Kicki Nordström
WBU President