Trends in development of inclusive education for visually impaired people in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

In the current article authors briefly describe prerequisites and those organisations which were among pioneers of inclusive education for people with eyesight problems in Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Introduction of the continuous system of inclusive education in the Republic is currently underway. The authors themselves are initiators and organisers of the two unique organisations: production and training computing centre "Tolbon" and public organisation of the Yakut republican association of students, post-graduate students and graduates with special needs. For over 20 years these organisations help schoolchildren and students with special needs to receive secondary and postsecondary education with the assistance of adaptive computer technologies. The authors of the article are also organisers of the educational scientific laboratory of adaptive computer technologies at North-Eastern Federal University which carries out methodological, educational and advisory support for students with problems of eyesight in order to help them with independent use of adaptive computer technologies in educational process; it provides the required equipment for students with special needs. In the article authors focus on the fact that from the beginning of functioning of production&training computing centre "Tolbon" and educational scientific laboratory of adaptive computer technologies schoolchildren, students, post-graduate students and graduates with eyesight problems have become the most active and interested participants. It can be easily explained with the fact that humans receives about 90 percent of all information through organs of sight. Eyesight problems can significantly complicate the process of receiving, elaboration and transferring of information. Therefore, according to the new Federal law "On education" educational institutions should develop conditions for introduction of adaptive computer technologies into the educational process.