The Effects of War

I rarely write about the war in Ukraine in these pages.  For one thing, it is a very depressing topic, and people here are so beaten down and discouraged that I don't like adding to the negative discussion and thoughts that daily dominate the news and mealtime table talk.  I want to focus on special education in Ukraine and the positive aspects of my work here. 

Unfortunately, one really cannot avoid the issue of the war with Russia and it's effect on education.  By now it should be evident to readers of this journal that Ukraine faces many challenges in the area of special education.  There are so many needs:  Children with disabilities do not receive appropriate educational services or are denied an education altogether.  Older students with disabilities are generally denied entrance into higher education programs or are permitted enroll in very limited and stereotypical vocational programs.  There is a belief among some educators that individuals who are blind or deaf are good at manual labor, such massage or auto repair, but little else (not everyone believes this, of course, but it's a pervasive attitude).  Students with disabilities fortunate enough to attend a higher education program are not always permitted the freedom of choosing a field of study that interests them.  Additionally, there are no university programs for educating special education teachers.  These are just a few examples facing students, families and educators.

Before the war, significant gains were made.  In Luhansk, a program at Volodymyr Dahl East Ukrainian National University was developed by Dr. Olga Krsek that allowed deaf and hard of hearing students to receive a genuine education and obtain the same degree level as students without disabilities.  Tragically, all of her efforts have been destroyed by the war in the Donbas, and the Russian leaders in Luhansk (and Donetsk) have no interest in providing education to students with disabilities.  Such an idea is incompatible with their outdated Soviet mindset.  During the period of the Soviet Union, which the Russian terrorists in the Donbas are trying to resurrect, Soviet society was viewed as a perfect model for the rest of the world to emulate.  Consequently, all individuals with disabilities were hidden away, because they were viewed as imperfect.  Sadly, all of our progress in Luhansk towards equalizing education for students with disabilities has been lost.

The war situation in Ukraine is worsening rapidly as Putin is becoming more aggressive and dangerous. Unless the West gets serious about stopping him, there is little hope for ending this terrible conflict, as Ukraine has limited financial and military resources. It is very depressing to watch the endless suffering of the Ukrainian people and being completely powerless to stop it. The war affects my work here in many negative ways. How we can provide services to children with disabilities when there is no funding? It is very difficult to reform education when all of the government’s focus, attention and resources are directed at the war in the east. Ukraine is a country fighting desperately to survive and under these difficult conditions, providing an education for students with disabilities and developing new special education programs has become a monumental challenge.

Here are some photos of damage in my former city of Luhansk, as a result of the fighting.

The Library in Luhansk. 
This breaks my heart.  
I still have my library card.

(Photographer unknown)

An apartment building in the Vatutin neighborhood  
damaged by shelling.  My building was located in this area.
(Photographer unknown)






The Central Market
This is one of the places where I used to shop in Luhansk.
(Photographer unknown)





The Central Market
(Photographer unknown)




The Central Market
(Photographer unknown)




The Central Market
(Photographer unknown)



The Central Market
(Photographer unknown)

The Challenges of Educating Ukrainian Children with Autism

I have a tireless and dedicated colleague who leads the only kindergarten for children with autism in the entire territory of the former USSR.  It is located in Kyiv and serves children ages 2 to 7.  In Ukraine, the situation for children, youth and adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is profoundly severe.  Intervention and educational programs for these children and youth are nearly non-existent throughout the various and far-flung republics of the former Soviet Union.  To make matters worse, as soon as a young Ukrainian with autism turns 18, he or she is automatically classified as having schizophrenia and is placed on psychotropic medications, which is entirely inappropriate and ineffective.  In Ukraine, autism is viewed as a mental illness and falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Health, which is counterproductive, because autism is not a mental illness, but rather a developmental disability.  Medications may be used to treat severe symptoms in some individuals, but the most effective treatment is early intervention therapy from birth to age three. Indeed, therapy and behavioral interventions are the predominant and most effective ways of improving children’s development.   Additionally, children with ASD also benefit from educational interventions. 

The situation here is absolutely dire.  In Ukraine, children with ASD frequently are never properly identified or identified very late, which means the critical window of early childhood intervention is missed.  Obviously, early screening by trained pediatricians followed by a thorough evaluation is absolutely critical.  Tragically, most Ukrainian children with ASD never receive appropriate therapeutic and educational services.  Other than Ina Markovitch’s, school, which has a waiting list, parents have few options and nowhere to turn for help. The general attitude in society is to totally reject and ignore individuals with autism, and as a result parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders live in absolute shame.  Their children remain at home, hidden away by families too afraid or ashamed to take them out into public.  In Ukraine there is a profound stigma attached to having a child with a disability, any disability, but especially having a child with severe needs, particularly developmental disabilities such as ASD, cognitive disabilities or profound physical disabilities. 

I am a teacher of the deaf, so I have limited experience working with children with ASD, but because I am one of the few (or only?) American professors in special education in Ukraine, I am often asked to help address a wide range of difficult problems.   Currently, with the help of a medical colleague, I am trying to help Ina develop a program for teaching physicians how to screen young children for autism, so they can be properly evaluated (a another significant challenge here).  I would like to set up a conference where pediatricians and family practitioners receive some training on screening children for a range of disabilities.  A topic of significant importance to me professionally is Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EDHI).  I would love to present a breakout session on this topic at the above mentioned medical conference, because early identification and intervention is crucial to effective language development of deaf and hard of hearing children.

The goal of the pediatrics conference would be the eventual widespread establishment of special education screening and evaluation programs, which would lead to effective early intervention and education for children with autism and other disabilities.   Secondly, I would like to see the development of higher education programs for training special education teachers.  Currently, Ukrainian teachers of children with disabilities receive no training.  The few individuals who do choose to work with children with special needs must learn as they go.  I also want oversight of Autism Spectrum Disorders moved from the Ministry of Health to the Ministry of Education.  That would have profound implications on how programs for children with ASD are viewed and managed.