Sabanci Foundation, Türkan Sabancı Primary School, Secondary School and Vocational Education Center for the Blind, Vista Tourism and Travel Agency, and Perkins School For the Blind had signed a 3-year partnership agreement in 2009. As part of the partnership, teachers from Türkan Sabancı Primary School, Secondary School and Vocational Education Center for the Blind attended a training program to reinforce their capacity through sharing experiences and to ensure that students who attend school and have multiple disabilities access higher quality education services.

Scope of the Project

The main activities covered by the 3-year project were as follows:

• Capacity Building: Training teachers from Turkan Sabanci Primary School for the Blind through seminars, devising communication methods for children with multiple disabilities, renewing the school curriculum to develop a new curriculum for vocational education.
• Teacher Exchange Program: Two teachers from Turkan Sabanci Primary School for the Blind visiting Perkins School for the Blind and engaging in on-site observation of the work conducted with children with multiple disabilities.
• Family Counseling: Teachers from Perkins School for the Blind offering support and counseling services to families whose children attend Turkan Sabanci Primary School for the Blind.

Project Outcomes

The project was completed at the end of 2010-2011 academic year.

For the first time in Turkey the project addressed the education of children with multiple disabilities and included:

• 5 training seminars were held whereby educators from Perkins School for the Blind offered training to 76 teachers
• 2 teachers from Turkan Sabanci Primary School for the Blind attended an exchange program to specialize in the field of “multi-disabled education”
• About 70 children with disabilities from Turkan Sabanci Primary School for the Blind and their families received counseling services

Efforts continue to disseminate the results of the project that developed a “best practice” model in the field of multi-disabled education.

For the Evaluation Report please click here…

Formore information:

Türkan Sabancı Primary School, Secondary School and Vocational Education Center for the Blind http://turkansabanciortaokulu.meb.k12.tr/

Perkins School for The Blind http://www.perkins.org/