Issue No.5 - Faculty of Education - The University of Hong Kong

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2 Vice Chancellor’s Reception The program of the Conferences kicked off on June 10, 2007 with the Vice-Chancellor’ Reception. Prof. Nirmala Rao, Acting Dean of the Faculty of Education joined with guest -of-honor, Mrs. Fanny Lam, Principal Assistant Secretary (School Administration & Support) from the Education Bureau, gave a warm welcome to delegates. The highlights of the Reception were the two outstanding performances by students of Lutheran School for the Deaf and Caritas Pelletier School, which received great appreciation and applause from the audience. Opening Ceremony CASE News 啟訊 At the Opening Ceremony on June 11, which was officiated by Prof. Nirmala Rao, Acing Dean, Mrs. Betty Ip, Deputy Secretary of the Education Bureau and Mr. Chong Chan-yau, Director of Student Development of the Hong Kong University, Dr. Beverley Johns, Chairman of IASE traced the intention of IASE to hold their conference in Hong Kong back to 2003. It was canceled in the last minute because of SARS. They spared no time in securing the second opportunity and with the dedicated hard work of the IASE Organizing Committee and the Local Organizing Committee, it finally became a reality. In the welcoming speech Prof. Rao highlighted the achievements of Hong Kong in service development and teacher education for children with special needs over the last fifty years and its unique position in facilitating professional interchange between east and west. Mrs. Ip, the officiating guest from the Education Bureau, took the occasion to outline the government’s policy and plans in implementing and promoting integrated education. Speaking from his personal experiences (and feelings) as a disabled person, Mr. Chong, the officiating guest traced the challenges that disabled persons had to face in overcoming barriers and restoring their opportunities (and rights) to education. While commending the government and tertiary institutes for their effort in improving the facilities, access and opportunities to higher education for disabled persons, he made several recommendations on how this could and should be further improved to ensure true equity in education. Keynote Speeches Prof. Micheal Hardman, Dean of Education, University of Utah, presented the first keynote of the Conference on the topic of “Politics and Policies that Impact Special Education Around the World”. Prof Hardman first drew our attention to the relationship between globalization and education and how this had affected education in the US and countries around the world. He went on to share his perspective of the international trend in the policy on the education of students with special needs, emphasizing the shifting of two major concepts i.e. from segregation to inclusion. Speaking of future challenges, Prof. Hardman urged governments around the world to focus on the “rights” of students with special needs. The community should also be involved in increasing access to education and cultivating positive values about the “educability” of students with special needs. Dr. Kathleen L. Lane, Assistant Professor, Vanderbilt University, was the second keynote speaker. The title she presented was “Identifying and Supporting Students at Risk: Recommendations for Three-tiered Models of Support ”. Dr. Lane, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education at the Vanderbilt University and an investigator in the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, is an expert in the research on the efficacy of writing interventions for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). In her keynote, she presented cases on the prevention of anti-social behaviors in schools. She also pointed out the relationship between learning and behavioral problems. Dr. Lane further claimed that for students with EBD unfavourable school outcomes might have negative impact on post-school outcomes; therefore, improving their academic performance and social development was an urgent issue. She ended her speech by suggesting that students would succeed better with the design of school-wide identification and intervention systems. (continued on next page)
Volume 3, No. 1 第三期第一號 3 Parallel Sessions Over 200 papers were presented in the parallel sessions of the 3-day program. Apart from the usual research papers innovative and effective intervention for children with disabilities such as autism, ADHD, EBD, giftedness, and dyslexia, there were a good number of papers addressing the practice on inclusive education and the challenges, with one full-day session on the ecology of special education and inclusive education in Poland and Central Europe. One highlight of the parallel sessions was the Showcase of Hong Kong Program. Over 10 papers were presented under this program by academics and professionals from Hong Kong on issues and challenges of special education that Hong Kong was facing. Children Arts Exhibition Memories of IASE 10 TH Biennial Conference: A Wonderful Experience for All By Dr. Beverley Johns, IASE President One of the most attractive events of the Conference which received a lot of appreciation from delegates was the Children Art Exhibition. A total of 15 special schools, mostly from Hong Kong participated in the Exhibition The exhibits covered drawings, painting, art crafts produced exclusively by pupils in special schools and all were of very high quality. Delegates were deeply impressed by the beauty, range and authenticity of the art pieces and the warmth generated by the reception of the teachers and pupils at the booths. The Exhibition was in some ways a showpiece of the achievements of Hong Kong in special education. With over 300 individuals coming from 30 different countries to experience the warm hospitality of Hong Kong, the International Association of Special Education’s Conference will be remembered in our history as an outstanding one. IASE thanks the representatives from CASE and The University of Hong Kong for all of their hard work and hospitality. From the time we arrived at the airport and were greeted with welcome signs from the Hong Kong Tourism Board until we arrived at our hotels and the University, we will never forget the warm greetings we received. To all of the hard-working members on the Local Organizing Committee, I extend a huge thank you. IASE’s 10 th Biennial Conference created so many positive memories. Our common purpose—making the world a better place for students with special needs—gives us a sense of camaraderie and provides us with a vehicle for communication. As I talked with representatives from so many countries when we were together in Hong Kong, I knew our conference brought us together to improve services for students wherever they live. I hope that all of us will continue to dialogue and network with each other until the next time we are together. We have made new friends from all over the world, thanks to our time in Hong Kong and look forward to working with them and growing professionally because of each of them. The Evaluations completed by attendees (or delegates as they are called in Hong Kong) were very positive. One evaluator said: “There was just too much to do.” With all of our planning to assure a whirlwind of activities, we consider that the highest compliment. Networking, attending sessions, attending excellent Keynotes and Plenary sessions, interacting with the IASE blue -shirted students who did so much to make the Conference run smoothly, going on the variety of tours, sharing meals with each other, taking in the many sights in Hong Kong—all of these activities made for a busy and fulfilling conference. The conference was a true team effort in organization and quality. A special thanks to all of you who completed the evaluations for the Hong Kong conference. I have read each one of them and we will use them as guidance for our 2009 11 th Biennial Conference. I am most appreciative of the many positive comments that were offered and am as appreciative of the suggestions you have made for improvements for our next conference. Those positive comments and the suggestions will drive our planning for the future. We grow as an organization because of all of you. Until our next conference, please communicate with us and visit our website (www.iase.org) often to learn about the events we have planned. In closing, I say to all of you Thank You – “Xiexie” -- for all of your efforts on behalf of students with special needs.
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Issue No.5 - Faculty of Education - The University of Hong Kong

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