A S U

On International Literacy Day, the Adult Education Center at Ain Shams University organized a conference entitled "Adult Education and Empowering People with Special Needs." The conference was held under the patronage of Prof. Mohamed Diaa Zain El-Abedeen, President of the University, and chaired by Prof. Ghada Farouk, Vice President for Community Service and Environmental Development, and co-chaired by Dr. Islam El-Saeed, Director of the Adult Education Center.

The conference, which was held online, featured a group of academics and experts who discussed the educational rights of people with disabilities and ways to integrate them into society, in line with Egypt's Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as educational and technical rehabilitation for the integration of people with disabilities.

Prof. Safaa Shehata, Dean of the Faculty of Education, presented a working paper on institutional integration within the faculty, presenting successful models of students with disabilities who have benefited from the services of the Faculty's Special Needs Support Unit.

Dr. Islam Al-Saeed, Director of the Adult Education Center and conference coordinator stated that the activities are part of the university's efforts to enhance its societal role. The conference addresses the needs of a significant group, adults with special needs, by providing a platform for dialogue and exchange of experiences between experts and specialists and developing practical recommendations and solutions that contribute to the integration and empowerment of this important group.

Prof. Osama Farag, former President of the General Authority for Adult Education, emphasized that attention to people with disabilities has gone through several historical stages, arriving at the stage of integration that recognizes them as active individuals with rights and responsibilities. He explained that Islam and other divine religions have enshrined the principles of mercy and equality in their treatment.

Prof. Ashour Omary, Assistant Professor of Educational Planning at the University's Faculty of Education and former Head of the General Authority for Adult Education at the Cabinet, highlighted the challenges facing literacy for people with disabilities, such as a shortage of training materials and specialized teachers. He noted that Egypt is paying great attention to literacy for this group, as part of Egypt's 2030 Sustainable Development Vision, through initiatives such as "Cooperating to Eradicate Illiteracy for People with Intellectual Disabilities" and the Egyptian Sign Language Literacy Initiative.

For his part, Prof. Wael Badawi, a member of the Research Council at the Academy of Scientific Research, emphasized the importance of digitally empowering adults and people with special needs, with the aim of equipping them with the skills necessary to integrate them into the labor market through curriculum development and the use of sign language.

Conference participants recommended empowering people with special needs by developing specialized training programs tailored to their needs and adopting assistive technology as a key tool in the educational process.

Participants also emphasized the need to strengthen partnerships between families and adult education institutions to create a supportive environment, emphasizing the importance of supporting scientific research and development in this field to ensure the provision of best educational practices for this group.