PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE

School for the Visually Impaired，University of Tsukuba

Aiming to Become an Education Center for the Visually Impaired

Many changes are now taking place in school education for the blind and visually impaired. The number of students learning at blind schools is remarkably in the decrease across the nation. The ratio of multi-handicapped students is increasing in blind schools. More and more parents of visually impaired children want to enter their children in regular schools. The integrated and inclusive education is an inevitable current in Japan as well as in the world.

There are 70 schools for the visually impaired in Japan. The number of students who learn at these blind schools in 2000 is 693 for primary schools, 491 for middle schools and a total of 4089 students including high schools and post high school courses. Our school is the only one national blind school and has the biggest number of some 200 students.

We have been discussing becoming a central institution in Japan for school education for the visually impaired. The institution is to be composed of 3 departments which are a blind school, a resource center and a museum.

1. The School for the Blind and Visually Impaired consists of preschool to posthigh school with a dormitory. The teachers are required to have high qualities as specialists of academic subjects as well as orientations and mobility. The school is open to all children who want to learn in this school.
2. The Resource Center is to be made up of 3 sections which are of research, support and public relations. It will do the following:
   • Give consultation,counseling services and support to children who learn at integrated schools and their parents.
   • Accept visually impaired children regularly from integrated schools.
   • Dispatch itinarant teachers to integrated schools.
   • Offer in-service training for teachers.
   • Offer out-reach services to graduates, parents and communities.
   • Do public relations activities.
3. The museum collects, preserves and opens to the public domestic and foreign material regarding education for the blind and visually impaired.