Science Activities for the Visually Impaireds (SAVI) and Adaptation for Japanese Children

Abstract

SAVI (Science Activities for the Visually Impaireds) project was started in 1976 and ended in 1982 at University of California, USA. Aim of this project is to develop the new science program for the visually handicapped children in the mainstream setting. SAVI was adapted for other handicaps as SELPH project. Today, SAVI/SELPH is an interdisciplinary, multisensory science enrichment program that has been used effectively with blind and visually impaired children, orthopedically handicapped children, learning disabled children, developmentally disabled children and many other handicaps, and also with nondisabled children, too. SAVI was influenced by SCIS. The contents and materials of SAVI were suitable for disabled children. We can study about curriculum development for disabled children in Japan from SAVI phirosophy and materials. We have tried to use some materials of SAVI to the Japanese visually impaireds. In result we have aquired very useful information about teaching methods and materials for handicapped children.