People with Disabilities nnn Historical Perspective Karel Pancocha How disabled people lived in the past? Ancient Greece n  ill people including people with disabilities could be cured by half-sleep (lethargy) n  procedure took place in temples called Asclepions How disabled people lived in the past? the Middle Ages n  some people with disabilities were considered evil n  to burn such people was quite common even in the Czech lands How disabled people lived in the past? 16th century – BRNO n  in 1582 an asylum was founded n  it was the 1st non-church institution n  people with disabilities and mental illnesses were exhibied in cages as curiosities during the town markets How disabled people lived in the past? 18th century – VIENNA n  in 1784 the famous “Narrenturm“ or madhouse towerwas constructed n  Vienna was the capital of the AustrioHungarian Empire How disabled people lived in the past? 19th century - Prague n  Saint Catherine Asylum founded in 1822 n  for 260 residents People with disabilities in the 20th century 1909 •  the first congress of remedial (special) school teachers •  12 000 students identified to have special needs •  18% of all school children 1913 •  Jedlicka Institute for children and adults with physical disabilities •  education, medical care, social care 1918 •  Czechoslovakia becomes independent state 1919 •  Kocianka Institute in Brno •  education and work opportunities for people with disabilities 20’s and 30’s •  development of remedial (special) schools 20th century: Social engineering 20th century: Laws on compulsory sterilization 1907: Indiana n  the 1st of more than thirty states to adopt legislation aimed at complusory sterilization 1928: Switzerland 1933: Germany n  Law for the Prevention of Hereditary Deseased Offspring 1934: Sweden n  the “Sterilization Act 20th century: Nazi occupation 1938 – 1945 Protectorate Bohemia and Moravia •  Schools and institution for people with disabilities in lack of finance •  often relocated or closed down „This person suffering from hereditary defects costs the community 60,000 Reichsmark during his lifetime. Fellow German, that is your money, too.“ T4 Program •  program to eliminate people with disabilities from the society •  applied in Nazi Germany and also in other occupied countries including parts of Czech Republic Hitler’s order to start the program. 20th century: Communist regime 1948 - 1989 The myth of the worker, health, happiness, full employment and manual work 20th century: Communist regime 1948 - 1989 •  Children with mild/moderate disabilities •  self containing schools •  Children with moderate/severe disabilities •  institutionalized, not educated •  medical care only •  Adults with disabilities •  institutionalized *parents officially encouraged by physicians to give their children with disabilities to institutions 1990 - present Special Education Centers •  established in 1991 •  assessment, counseling, integration New constitution •  written in 1992 •  Article 33 – free, appropriate education for all integration •  in 1992 for children with special needs except children with intellectual disabilities •  in 1998 classes for children with severe disabilities •  in 2002 approval of integration for children with intellectual disabilities 1990 - present School Education Act •  in 2004 •  LRE, preferably integration Terminology •  in 2005 •  all special school renamed as Primary schools Social Services Act •  in 2006 elligible people receive financial support to purchase social services •  home care, housing, rehabilitation •  interpreting services Enduring issues §  special schools §  32 000 children in special schools §  38 000 children in special classrooms §  adults with disabilities in large institutions §  high unemployment among people with disabilities §  negative image of people with disabilities in the majority society