Information of the Department

The Institute of Special Education Studies, which has included the Centre for Special Education Research and the Department of Special Education since 2011, is a unique workplace in the framework of the Comenius University in Bratislava. It provides college preparatory of special education teachers. The members of the Department are experienced university teachers, authors of many professional publications, university and high school textbooks and textbooks for special schools, as well as researchers employed in scientific research tasks and projects.

The Department of Special Education provides educational programmes in special education at Bc., Mgr. and PhD. level of study in such a structure in which it is not offered by any other faculty in Slovakia. The Department provides a unique study in special education – counselling. The Department of Special Education has ensured curricula (continuous studies in specializations) for the last seven years, which any other faculty in Slovakia or the Czech Republic does not provide. The study programmes of the Department are adequately covered by relevant literature. Students have a permanent access to study literature in the library and through multimedia. Of course there is a continuous flow of relevant foreign literature. Study programmes are supported by the existence of special educational rooms.

The Department (practically since its very beginning in 1967 as a leading workplace in the field including scientific research) has carried out fundamental and applied research in the field of special education. The core issue, which the scientific research and publications are focused on, is the theory of special education, special education and educational rehabilitation, theory of communication disabilities, inclusive trends, special pedagogical pedeutology, counselling and early intervention for people with disabilities and disruptions. Outcomes of research projects follow the current trends in educational sciences and interdisciplinary trends in educational sciences and serve for the development of the theory of scientific research in the field of special education, preparing students, as well as creating publishing base for special pedagogy. The Department has been involved in a domestic and international scientific tasks and grants for a long time.

The Department of Special Education provides special education degree programs at the bachelor (Bc.), Master (Mgr.) and doctoral (PhD.) degree study in such a structure in which it is not provided by any other faculty in the Slovak Republic. The Department provides a unique study of special education - counselling. Study programmes of the Department are adequately covered by relevant literature. The Department has been granted the right to organize rigorous exams in the fields of study of Special Education and held a doctoral degree in Special Education (PhD.). The Committee for doctoral studies in the field of special education is also based here.      

Since 2010 the scientific research activity of the Department is also covered by the European psycho-neuro and Educational Laboratory which was built as one of the outputs of RTD Ministry of Education no. 042-008UK-8/2008.

The laboratory is involved in research, dissemination and publishing activities of the Department and has extensive international cooperation. The importance of scientific research has increased since September 2011 after the Department of Special Education with the Centre for Special Education Research was included into the Institute together with its 10 researchers. The employees of the Institute and Department present the results of long-term research activities at scientific forums at home and abroad, in publications and within the conference dissemination activities. Scientific and research activities are linked to the existence of the doctoral study and the realization of doctoral dissertation examination. The knowledge gained by scientific research is implemented in the educational process. The only workplace in Slovakia has been granted the right to conduct habilitation and inauguration in the field of special education. In addition, preparing the future teachers is the working base for the development of the theory of scientific research and publication potential for creating special education. The core issue, which is focused on scientific research and publications, is to educate, educational rehabilitation and counselling for individuals with disabilities. It also includes education, correction, stimulation and therapeutic strategies for the disabled, rehabilitation strategy for people with disabilities and special didactic teaching of individual subjects and special primary schools for pupils with disabilities and disruptions.

Employees involved in solving international scientific tasks and grants, participate in the creation of literature and books in the field of special education. They are also members of many important Slovak and foreign professional organizations and committees in the field of special education and members of the editorial boards of scientific and technical journals.