In Irkutsk Region, the distance learning project for disabled children continues to develop. In 2013, 536 children and 413 teachers take part. Funds from regional and federal budgets will go to modern equipment, method support, training, and learning at the childs home.
In the Irkutsk Region in 2013, 536 children with disabilities and 413 teachers are participating in the distance learning project. The project of distance learning for people with disabilities began operating in the Angara Region in 2007 as part of the priority national project “Education.” The project has very important social significance, so the implementation of the program “Development of Distance Education for Children with Disabilities” has been extended until 2015.In the Irkutsk Region in 2013, more than 7 million from the regional budget has been allocated for the development of the project, and more than 24 million rubles have been attracted from the federal budget for the modernization of general education. These funds will be spent on purchasing the most modern equipment for teaching children with disabilities.
As part of the implementation of the program in 2009-2012, the workstations of 536 children with disabilities, 413 teaching staff members, and the distance education center were equipped with sets of computer equipment, digital educational equipment, office equipment, and software adapted to the specifics of developmental disorders of children with disabilities. The distance education center - the regional operator responsible for implementing this area - coordinates the progress of the project, activities related to organizing the educational process, provides methodological support, professional development for teaching staff, and monitors implementation. Weekly monitoring is carried out of the state of organization of the educational process and the state of access of children with disabilities and teaching staff to the Internet.
The equipment is installed at the child’s place of residence. Access to the Internet is provided without restrictions on traffic consumption. Training has been conducted for teaching staff, heads of educational institutions, and parents of children with disabilities under the program “Necessary Technical Skills in Organizing Education Using Distance Educational Technologies.” Children and teaching staff directly involved in distance learning for children have access to educational and methodological materials (distance courses), study groups have been formed, network teachers have been assigned, and in 2011 the regional information and educational environment “School Without Borders” was created.
Based on materials from the press service of the Government of the Irkutsk Region