Behinderungen

Begriffklärungen rund um das Thema Behinderungen.

Dr. Peter Radtke ist Schauspieler, Schriftsteller, Geschäftsführer der „Arbeitsgemeinschaft Behinderung und Medien e.V.“ und Mitglied des Nationalen Ethikrates. Von 1977 bis 1984 war er Fachgebietsleiter für das „Behindertenprogramm“ der Münchener Volkshochschule. Da er selbst glasknochenkrank ist, verbinden sich bei Peter Radtke berufliche mit persönlichen Erfahrungen zum Thema Behinderungen in besonderer Weise. Er spricht über notwendige Überlegungen bei der Konzeption von Bildungsangeboten für Behinderte, über das gesellschaftliche Klima, den möglichen Nutzen von selbstgesteuertem Lernen und Anforderungen an Lernberatung und plädiert dafür, bei allen Diskussionen immer auch den Vorteil des Gemeinwohls und der nächsten Generation im Auge zu haben.

Institutionally organized adult education has traditionally seen the integration of social strata and groups as its most important task. However, in recent years an increasing disinterest of general adult education in integrative work is to be observed which goes along with the emergence of a specialised andragogical approach and institutional compartmentalization: people with disabilities are increasingly catered for by care facilities and financed by social welfare institutions. The emergence of a specialised branch of adult education, however, counteracts the idea of normalisation which would on the contrary imply a far-reaching implementation of integration on various levels. Of these levels, particularly the organisational one is important. The author distinguishes the practice of organisations of adult education for people with disabilities according to the degree in which they allow a cross-over towards integrative adult education. While taking into consideration the necessity of separate course offers in special cases, nevertheless the guiding principle holds true: Not integration, but segregation needs to be justified!

Common staff qualification concepts hardly ever pay attention to the needs of disabled people. Qualification measures for sensorically handicapped employees must, however, yield a surplus. Above and beyond the teaching of professional know-how, problems have to be addressed which derive from the handicap and affect day-to-day work. The article gives information about a further education concept for people with hearing disabilities and about the chances and difficulties in its implementation.

The EQUAL development cooperation project »Virtual Centre of European Education« is an example of how on the part of the European Union discrimination on the labour market is to be combated. In the article six subprojects of the cooperation are evaluated as to whether they correspond to European directives for the promotion of employment. The examined qualification measures implement standards like empowerment, equal opportunities, abatement of xenophobia as well as the use of information and communication technologies in significant approaches.

Ein Längsschnitt zur noch jungen Geschichte der Erwachsenenbildung für Menschen mit geistiger Behinderung.

The author investigates whether, to which extent and due to which motivation migrants participate in general further education programmes of the City-Volkshochschule (adult education school) of Berlin. Results: The ethnic composition of the city district is not mirrored in that of the course participants. Whichever their formal education, migrants are more than German course participants motivated on the personal level.

279 participants in a survey on elearning applications for foreign language learning in Volkshochschulen (German adult education schools) had little prior knowledge. While they do indeed have interest in such applications, they still keep to formats known from their previous learning experience. The participants in the survey estimate the potential of e-learning applications for foreign language learning as positive, but only in combination with traditional non-virtual classes. The willingness to participate in a purely virtual course is small.

The latest number of the Berichtssystem Weiterbildung (»Further Education Report System«) of the Federal Ministry for Education and Research marks a trend reversal: whereas in the last periods under review an increase in the attendance of further education courses was to be observed, currently attendance is regressive by five percent points – particularly in general further education. The author presumes that one reason for this is education’s focussing on the labour market perspective, an attitude which is increasingly socially accepted, and resignation in the face of promises of »salvation by further education« particularly in the East of Germany. As the pressure to privately invest into bettering one’s chances on the labour market rises, the willingness to do so seems to dwindle.