A conference entitled "Systems of Continuous Education of Disabled People: Experience, Problems, Trends and Solutions" was hosted at TISBI in Kazan, May 25 -27, 2006. This was the first conference held since the establishment of PEN-Russia (see the program book). There were approximately 270 participants from 18 cities across the Russian Federation, as well as guests from the USA-Dr Virginia Simmons, Principal, Academy for the Arts, Sciences and Technology, and Professor Maria Shustorovich, NTID/RIT, representing Dr. James J. DeCaro and PEN- International.
The participants represented Government of the Russian Federation and Tatarstan, educational institutions and professional organizations (educational, labor, social welfare, and the like), and various programs for disabled people. Importantly, there were presentations by graduates of TISBI ... role models of what people with disabilities are able to do if they are provided with access to high quality postsecondary education programs.
The conference was extremely well organized and executed. There were 14 paper sessions and several round table discussions. In addition, the conference was attended by invitees from potential future PEN-Russia partners-for example, Chelyabinsk State University in Siberia.
Given the expanse of territory within the Russian Federation, distance learning was a major topic of discussion at the conference. During the conference, a video link was established among all four members of PEN-Russia (Bauman, TISBI, Vladimir State University and Novosibirsk State Technical University). Further the conference provided for direct exchange of information, experiences and the like among participants.
The Center for the Deaf at Bauman (Moscow) was, and remains, the most advanced member of PEN-Russia. However, TISBI (Kazan), a new member of PEN-Russia, is quickly becoming a leader and a role model for the Tartarstan region, thanks to TISBI's rector, Dr. Nella Pruss.
