DANA BALA PRESS TOUR: INNOVATIONS IN INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

For three years Amanzholov University has been operating an innovative platform, developing the sphere of inclusion in the region by leaps and bounds – the Center for Continuous Inclusive Education “Dana Bala”. Here higher education, science, psychology and medicine harmoniously overlap to effectively address the problems of inclusion. The Center is aimed at quality education of students, who after graduation become specialists with a valuable baggage of practical skills, as well as comprehensive support for children with disabilities. Interdisciplinary approach in the organization of work and effective relationship with science give the opportunity to teachers of defectology, psychology, specialists in adaptive physical culture together with students to experimentally develop new methods, obtain author’s certificates and patents.

In 2023, scientists of the university won grant funding for the project “Center of competence for psychological and pedagogical training, rehabilitation and methodological and technological support of children with special educational needs”, which is implemented on the basis of “Dana Bala”. Alima Alipova, one of the authors of the project, said that the results of the project are used by defectologists, psychologists in complex diagnostics and correction of children with special educational needs for socialization and ensuring the quality of education.

The commercialized project includes the development of author’s methodical aids, constructors, a professional desk of a psychologist-defectologist, a verticalizer, desks with locomotor system disorders and technical means for rehabilitation and development of children with disabilities. Five patents for utility models and 12 certificates of authorship for teaching aids, interactive simulators, albums and programs were obtained under this project. One of the first and loudest inventions was a verticalizer chair, desks and adjustable chairs. Special furniture is made by the university team of developers, including enterprising students.

At the start, all samples of products were tested at the Center for Continuing and Inclusive Education “Dana bala” and the Support Center for Rehabilitation of Children with Cerebral Palsy “DEMEY”.

In addition, the university scientists do not neglect modern trends, introducing AI in their works. Thus, scientists invented an interactive table for a defectologist, equipped with modern tools to help children with speech delays. Its main advantage is author’s speech therapy developments and methods for correction in Kazakh.
The interactive table for speech therapists and speech pathologists, which has no analogues in Kazakhstan, includes a touch screen monoblock, an interactive panel, a professional speech mirror, speech therapy cards and methodological material. Namely more than 100 tasks for the automation of sounds and elementary mathematical concepts. They can also be used to correct children with severe speech disorders, mental retardation and mild intellectual disability.

– This multifunctional equipment solves problems with phonetic perception, visual and verbal memory, verbal and logical thinking, correct pronunciation of sounds and accents. To date, the table has already been tested in preschool educational organizations, correctional kindergartens, rehabilitation centers, correctional rooms, – said speech therapist-defectologist of the highest qualification category, Senor Lecturer of the Department of Psychology and Correctional Pedagogy, Master of Defectology Rauan Baichinov.

As it is known, correction is impossible without a consistent and logical methodology. Thanks to the specialists of “Dana Bala” new methods of teaching preschool children with speech disorders and methodological manuals for their parents, as well as teachers have been developed. The author of the idea is Rauan Baichinov, a speech pathologist-defectologist of the highest qualification category of the university. The team of the scientist offers several types of methodical manuals, which include mnemotechnics cards, speech therapy, speech therapy album, manual for correct pronunciation of sounds and educational books with QR codes for children with stuttering.

It is noteworthy that all materials have been created in Kazakh language. However the scientists have emphasized that the Russian version is not less demanded.

The scientists of East Kazakhstan University have paid special attention to the correct pronunciation of sounds. As it turned out, in speech therapy practice, sound pronunciation disorders in children of 6-7 years old are more common. In particular, substitution, distortion, mixing whistle, humming Indian sound groups. These children need effective, systematic, individual speech therapy. Also developed a manual on therapeutic rhythmics, realized with the help of language, music and physical exercises. It is scientifically proven that logorhythmics has a positive effect on children with various speech disorders, especially during the ligature period.

As part of the large-scale work, the East Kazakhstan University team also prepared a speech therapy album of a set of game exercises. Interesting experimental tasks were selected in the collection.

– In Kazakhstan, more than 200,000 children need inclusive education, and in EKR this figure reaches more than 11,000 children. Studying and analyzing this problem, we come up with new and more valid solutions,” emphasized Alima Alipova, head of the Center.

Inventors are constantly transforming their works. Including special furniture for children with disabilities, which can be used even at home.

For example, a verticalizer chair, desks and adjustable chairs, a multifunctional verticalizer bed. All know-how is made according to the main principle – safety, so the production often uses wood, eco-leather, and all corners of the furniture are exclusively soft.