Zankov. [An Introduction: Mental/intellectual retardation, blindness and deaf-dumbness: psychophysiology, pedagogy, prevention]

Abstract:
Life proves that blind and deaf-mutes are not only capable of working and social life, but that great scientists, musicians, and writers come out of their midst. According to L. Vygotsky, a blind or deaf-mute child is, first of all, a child, and — secondly, — a special child. Their psychophysiology does not differ. There are no fundamental differences between them that would make it impossible to apply the general principles of social education to these children, differences that would block the blind, deaf and dumb and mentally retarded from working and social life. Special education and social education are two sides of the tasks of special school. The collection highlights new methods and techniques of special education. The description of the methods of teaching deaf-mutes oral speech is given. The new approach to working with the deaf and dumb consists not in the absence of those activities that characterize a normal person, but in the fact that the personality structure of a mentally retarded person is different, while along with a decrease in some functions, a mentally retarded person can significantly develop other activities that compensate for his/her defects.