Abstract
In the last 25 years, and despite the immense social, economic and educational blow of the Turkish invasion in 1974, the face of Special Education in Cyprus has drastically altered. We have had enormous changes in philosophy, legislation, terminology, policy and practice relating to special education. We have also had dramatic developments in teacher training and education in the same area. We have finally seen major differences in the administrative structure of the Ministry of Education and Culture as far as Special Education is concerned. All these are interrelated and interlinked.
On the eve of the new millennium we need to celebrate these developments (which are mostly positive), but also to stop and think, take stock and plan our future action. This symposium intends to do just that by bringing together people who have shaped special education policy and practice in the past with young women who can be considered as the future of special/inclusive education in Cyprus and their mentors who are currently influencing special/inclusive education philosophy on the island (the present). In these terms this is a very radical collection of papers where the past, the present and the future of special/inclusive education in Cyprus meet. It gives a very interesting critical account of the recent developments in the area and it offers very good ground for comparison with other European (and non-European) countries, as Cyprus enters its final round of negotiations to join the European Community.
Individual Papers
1. Helen Phtiaka
Special Education in Cyprus: A critical historical account
The paper will first offer a critical account of the historical development of Special Education in Cyprus so far, the external influences (Greece, U.K.) that have shaped it and the policies and practices that have been developed in the past, focusing in particular on the integration movement. It will note the big change of legislation that took place in July 1999 and it will examine its roots and its significance. It will finally attempt to scetch the future of the area in Cyprus taking into account all the philosophical, legislative and administrative changes that have occurred recently.
2. Simoni Symeonidou
Disability Organisations and Teacher Education: a growing relationship
This paper seeks to present the findings of a comparative study regarding the perspectives of disability organisations on educational developments in Cyprus and the United Kingdom. To this end, current literature regarding disability issues and disability organisations is presented, and the relationship between disability and the successive educational orientations of segregation, integration and inclusion is drawn. In an attempt to form a theoretical and practical framework concerning the contribution of disability organisations in current and prospective educational developments, documents of fourteen disability organisations are analysed. In particular, the documents of seven organisations from each of the countries compared are examined. Both organisations of and organisations for disabled people are included in the sample (i.e. organisations of and for the blind, organisations of and for the deaf, organisations for children with learning disabilities, umbrella organisations of disabled people and educational organisations). The documents used in this study are mainly documents produced by the organisations themselves in response to consultation processes initiated by the government of each country. However, other documents prepared by these organisations are used when necessary. As a result of the content analysis, the views of disability organisations about definitions and concepts of disability are revealed, followed by their views on organising provision and pedagogy. Content analysis provides evidence to suggest that organisations of and organisations for disabled people have similar perspectives about some educational issues, some of them even share similar ideologies and they do not always have competing objectives, as far as educational developments are concerned. Hence, the role of disability organisations in influencing prospective educational developments is discussed, taking into consideration differences in the structure of the educational systems of each country, as well as differences in the framework within disability organisations in each country.
3. Anastasia Hadjiyiannakou
The New Role of Parental Involvement
Most parents conceive of their child as a sort of "advertisement" for themselves. Therefore, if a couple gives birth to a child with special educational needs, they may feel that the child has turned out "imperfect" because there is something wrong with them. This inevitably influences not only their self image but also their involvement in their child's education. The research project presented here aimed to find out more about parental involvement by investigating the attitudes of parents and special education teachers on parental involvement in special education in Cyprus. A cross section of qualitative and quantitative research methodology was used, including interviews and questionnaires. The results indicated that both parents and teachers are willing to work together. Both parents and special education teachers confessed to the existence of informal parental involvement despite the legal inadequacies and restrictions. Under the circumstances it would appear appropriate for the Ministry of Education and Culture to formalize intervention programmes for parental involvement.
4. Katerina Mavrou, Despo Sotiriou, Simoni Symeonidou
Mainstream and Special Schools at the Crossroads: The Transition to Inclusive Schooling
This paper deals with the changing roles of a mainstream and a special school towards inclusive practice in Cyprus. The research methods used for data collection were observation, interviews and diaries. The study begins with an overview of the historical background, the atmosphere and the ethos of the two schools. It then focuses on the philosophy and policy of each school concerning the following issues: (a) the curriculum, (b) the timetable, (c) the administration and management, (d) the staff's and pupils' opinions concerning inclusion and segregation, (e) the teaching methods, (f) the relationship between the school and other agencies, such as other schools, parents and disability organisations. Having in mind the context of each school, the paper compares their philosophies and discusses the question of how special and mainstream schools can promote inclusive education. The possibilities of changing current thinking and practice in the field are debated together with the changing roles of the stakeholders. Finally, the authors make suggestions regarding the transition towards inclusive education in Cyprus, taking into consideration the implications of this process.
Brief CVs
Anastasia Hadjiyiannakou, M.Ed. Anastasia is a lecturer at Intercollege, Cyprus. She holds degrees from the University of Cyprus (1997) and the University of Manchester (1998) and has given a number of presentations and seminars on Special Needs in Cyprus. She is currently negotiating access to a Ph.D. programme to further pursue her interest in Parental Involvement in Special Education.
Katerina Mavrou, M.Ed. Katerina is a Primary School Teacher who graduated from the University of Cyprus in 1998. She holds an M.Ed. in Special Needs and Development from the University of Manchester (1999) and is currently responsible for a year two mainstream class in an area of increased need and deprivation.
Helen Phtiaka Ph.D. Helen is an Assistant Professor of Sociology of Education and Inclusive Education at the Department of Education, University of Cyprus. She holds degrees from the University of Athens, Greece (1981), the University of Stirling, Scotland (1983) and the University of Cambridge, England (1988). She worked as a Research Fellow at the University of Warwick, England, and has been at the University of Cyprus since 1992. She is responsible for Sociology of Education and Special Education courses. In 1997 she published Special kids for Special Treatment with Falmer Press.
Despo Sotiriou, B.Ed. Despo graduated from the University of Cyprus in 1998 and is now teaching for the second year in mainstream education in Cyprus where she has plenty of scope for exercising her interest in special education. She has worked as a volunteer in a special school for children with disabilities for two summers and she intends to pursue her interest in special education in postgraduate studies.
Simoni Symeonidou, M.Ed. Simoni works as a special school teacher in two mainstream schools. She graduated from the University of Cyprus in 1998 and last year she completed the Manchester M.Ed. course in Special Needs and Development. Her research interest in Special Education has already materialised in a publication which will appear in Greek in the next issue of the Paedagogical Review and is concerned with policy developments in special education.
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