XN000022-1978-01-26 — Page 9

THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 1978

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INTEGRATION OF HANDICAPPED SCHOOL CHILDREN

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MR: KENNETH TOPLEY, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, TODAY SPOKE ON THE MODERN POSITIVE APPROACH IN DEVELOPING THE FULL POTENTIAL OF HANDICAPPED CHILDREN BY EDUCATION AND TRAINING.

HE WAS ADDRESSING A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUE OF HONG KONG SOUTH AT THE COUNTRY CLUE.

THE MODERN TREND OF EDUCATION FOR THE HANDICAPPED IS TO EMPHASISE FULL UTILISATION OF THEIR ABILITIES, HE SAID.

+WE BELIEVE THAT CHILDREN WITH VARIOUS TYPES OF DISABILITIES CAN RESPOND TO THE STIMULI OF EDUCATION, TRAINING, SOCIAL ACTIVITY, AND INTEGRATION.+

HE ADDED: +THE KEYNOTE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION IS INTEGRATION' AS OPPOSED TO SEGREGATION. +

+OUR AIM IS TO PLACE HANDICAPPED CHILDREN WHEREVER POSSIBLE IK ORDINARY SCHOOLS SO THAT THEY RECEIVE THE EQUAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITY AND THE BENEFIT FROM MIXING WITH ORDINARY CHILDREN.+

+ THE PROVISION OF EDUCATION FACILITIES FOR SEVERELY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN IN HONG KONG WAS PIONEERED BY VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS,+ THE DIRECTOR SAID. IT IS STILL THE POLICY OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO ENCOURAGE VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS TO PROVIDE AND TO EXPAND FACILITIES FOR THESE CHILDREN.+

MR. TOPLEY NOTED THAT THE REHABILITATION WHITE PAPER PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR MARKED THE LATEST AND THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP TAKEN TO INCREASE PROVISION OF FACILITIES FOR THE HANDICAPPED.

THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS DIRECTLY INVOLVED WITH THE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT OVER THE YEARS TO 1986 OF ITS SCREENING, ASSESSMENT AND REMEDIAL SERVICES AS WELL AS EDUCATIONAL SERVICES FOR THE CHILDREN.

THE DEPARTMENT'S SCREENING SERVICES INCLUDE AUDIO-

METRIC SCREENING, VISION SCREENING, SPEECH SCREENING, AND GROUP TESTING PROGRAMMES FOR PRIMARY 1 AND 3 PUPILS BETWEEN NOW AND 1985.

ASSESSMENT AND REMEDIAL SERVICES WILL INCLUDE SPECIAL IST SERVICES TO ADMINISTER DIAGNOSTIC TESTS IN THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE TYPE AND DEGREE OF DISABILITIES. IT IS PROPOSED TO PROVIDE SCREENING, DIAGNOSTIC AND REMEDIAL SERVICES TO COVER 400,000 CHILDREN BY 1985-86.

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