Armenian Inclusive/Special Education Delegation Visited ICI in February

In February, eight inclusive/special education delegates from the eastern European country of Armenia visited ICI and sites around the Twin Cities as part of the project, Enhancing the Inclusion of Children and Youth with Disabilities in Armenia: University of Minnesota—Armenian State Pedagogical University Partnership. The group included UNICEF Armenia staff, faculty from Armenian State Pedagogical University, and principals of schools in Armenia. Hosted by project co-directors Renáta Tichá and Brian Abery, along with Christopher Johnstone (assistant professor at the College's Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development), the Armenians visited Minnesota schools, the Minnesota Department of Education, the Shirley G. Moore Lab School at the College's Institute of Child Development (pictured during an earlier visit), and the University's Disability Resource Center. The group also continued their work on an inclusive education textbook that will be the first of its kind available in the Armenian language.

"The visit provided our Armenian colleagues with different opportunities to experience inclusion and special education services in Minnesota schools and other education facilities," says Tichá, who, along with Abery, co-directs ICI's Global Resource Center for Inclusive Education. "By spending time together in person, we are able to understand each others' perspectives and facts about inclusive and special education in the two countries. This knowledge will help us complete our textbook on inclusive education that will be available both in Armenian and in English."