How to organize the educational process for students with disabilities: a seminar at KBSU

The information center hosted an educational and methodological seminar on issues of supporting and teaching students with disabilities and/or special needs. The faculty and staff of the university discussed how to organize the educational process and support for students with special needs.

KBSU has 603 students with disabilities. 212 of them were admitted this year, 18 of them have disabilities, said Lyudmila Nastueva, head of the inclusive education department of the educational policy department. Opening the meeting, she spoke in detail about the work of each structural division and interaction with first-year students. These are young people with cerebral palsy, hearing and vision impairment, somatic diseases and dwarfism. KBSU employees use interactive educational technologies, adjust the schedule, work with the classroom fund, take into account the characteristics of students so that each student can attend classes without hindrance and feel comfortable at the university.

One of the current requests of the seminar participants is to improve the equipment of classrooms with assistive technology and furniture adapted for students with disabilities. The ability to connect to classes remotely is also very important, Nastueva emphasized:

“Unfortunately, students often suffer from concomitant diseases during the school year. Sometimes, due to unfavorable weather conditions, it is physically difficult for them to get to the buildings. We need to offer remote connection to classes so that the student does not drop out of the educational process.”
According to Lyudmila Nastueva, the students themselves are most often interested in how physical education classes will be held. Deputy Director of the Institute of Pedagogy, Psychology and Physical Education and Sports Education at KBSU Anna Konopleva spoke at the seminar and reminded that even with a temporary release, other formats of classes are selected:

“A special medical group is formed for students with special educational needs. We listen to the child and his parents, select the activity that he wants to do. If possible, we recommend visiting the pool instead of general physical training. For students with serious musculoskeletal disorders, we offer a distance format and theoretical study.”
The meeting was also attended by the head of the KBSU career development department Ratmir Kotsev. He spoke about promoting the employment of graduates with special needs and working on the digital career platform «Fakultetus». According to internal monitoring of graduate employment for 2024, a total of 66 people with disabilities graduated from higher and secondary vocational education programs. Of these, 34 graduates found jobs, 3 young specialists work at their home university. Kotsev addressed the audience and recommended providing an appropriate practical base for children with disabilities and special educational needs so that they can successfully enter the labor market.

Summarizing the main points of the seminar, the head of the inclusive education department of the educational policy department, Lyudmila Nastueva, emphasized:

Responsibility for the effectiveness of comprehensive support for students, for their socialization lies with each of us. I really want us to understand this responsibility and the value of inclusion, which is necessary not only for children with disabilities, but for the whole society.