Modernization of Special Education in Ukraine: Lessons for the Future

The first special institutions were established in Ukraine for blind, deaf, later and mentally retarded children, in the mid XIX century. Those institutions were charity-based. Since then the state-protected system of social support for children with psychophysical disorders of pre-school and school age has been formed.

The State Standards for Special Education

The idea to develop this document is not accidental. In its present social, political, and economic conditions Ukraine faces the need for changes in special education system due to the changed public attitude towards children with special needs, the new understanding of personal development of such children and their efficient socialization and integration into society.

Stages of Developing Cognitive Behavioral Strategies for Children with Autism (Programming, Control, Information processing).

Pedagogic work with autistic children should not only take into consideration, but also (within certain approaches) use some peculiarities of their cognitive activity. There is a wide-spread notion that, generally, autistic children are extremely aloof from outer world. In our opinion, it is more correct to say that they are hypersensitive to sensory emotional, visual, and auditory stimuli of the surrounding world.

Self-Rehabilitation of the Disabled: Theoretical Basis.

The rehabilitation of the disabled is a system of structural influences from social institutions in order to bring the disabled back to "normal" life and work within his/her psycho-physical abilities. Scientific literature describes the rehabilitation influences as dynamic, permanent, and structured in a very broad range (from bio-medical to social and psychological forms), at least for the disabled people whose intellect is preserved.

Overcoming Speech and Motor Disorders of Children with Cerebral Palsy

The issues of prophylaxis and early rehabilitation of speech disorders, in particular, caused by organic brain damages, are acquiring special significance in regard of providing appropriate psychological and pedagogical help, as well as further social adaptation of such patients. The renewal of the disordered motor ontogenesis of children with cerebral palsy is a complicated task for medical rehabilitation.