Training teachers for inclusive education

In two years, 499 teachers completed the courses, drawn from mainstream schools and special education centres across eight regions of Peru. Sense International built six sensory rooms, which help students with deafblindness and other sensory impairments learn to process sight and sound, as well as developing their motor skills. 103 teachers received special training in sensory stimulation techniques, to help them get the most from the new rooms with their students.

Impact

Already in special education centres, the sensory rooms have benefitted 354 children with deafblindness and multiple disabilities, who now have better access to a quality education.

And the wider impact is substantial: the Universal Design for Learning approach, which Sense International promote, helps teachers meet the individual needs of all their students, if they have a disability or not. Some teachers have cascaded knowledge to colleagues as well. So the charity estimate 2,997 children with disabilities will indirectly benefit from their teachers being trained, in the special education schools alone.

As well as benefitting students and teachers today, this work helped demonstrate to the Peruvian Ministry of Education how children with deafblindness can and should be included in education. This has meant a module on deafblindness is now included in the Ministry’s special education teacher training; and the
Ministry funded 20 sensory rooms at schools in Lima in the past year, with plans for more across the country.

‘I think the most important part was to understand the functional assessment. We did group work and prepared an assessment for Nicol, a student with multiple disabilities including low vision. She is already nine. Next year, when Nicol returns to school, she will have a proper individual education plan. During the course, we also learnt new strategies to work with parents, teaching them how to support progress made in school.’ Jessica, special education teacher, Tumbes