On Sun, 8 Feb 1998, Marc Camras wrote:
> Ellice-
>
> I wanted to comment on your message about Vygotsky and special education
> in the Soviet Union, albeit somewhat indirectly. I was in Cuba this past
> summer for a conference on Special Education and was impressed on a number
> of levels. The first is that my hosts were all followers of Vygotsky and
> in working in the Ministry of Special Education were applying his
> theoretical principles to their work in Special Education schools-focuing
> very much on a child centered approach were improving the lives of these
> children was higher on their agenda then dealing with the causes of the
> problem. Unfortunately, and as is the case with much of Cuban society, I
> saw first hand that even with a great special education system, those with
> disabilities are not integrated into any kind of productive system after
> their schooling. Cuba does not have real possibilities from an economic
> standpoint for many of its citizens, yet if this changes and I imagine it
> would at some point, they might be able to more successfully integrate
> their special citizens into society.
>
> Marc Camras
>