Lifelong Learn. 2012, 2, 56-70

https://doi.org/10.11118/lifele2012020256

The Development of the Communication Skills of Individuals Living in Homes for People with Disabilities

Petr Kopečný

Katedra speciální pedagogiky, Pedagogická fakulta, Masarykova univerzita, Poříčí 9, 603 00 Brno, Czech Republic

This paper concentrates on the area of special educational support provided to individuals living in homes for people with disabilities in the Czech Republic and presents partial research results illustrating the state of the provision of speech therapy to users of social services facilities falling under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. The subject of the research is an analysis of support for the development of the communication skills of pupils living in social services facilities. The partial results of the research outline the approaches employed by the managerial staff of the given facilities in implementing special educational procedures, describe forms of speech therapy provision in homes for people with disabilities, and compare the attitudes of teachers and social services staff to the development of communication with the importance attributed to it by speech therapists and demonstrated by the case studies performed.