12-29-2008, 03:47 PM
What type of disabilities: learning disabilities or disabilities in general?Sadly enough, I'd have to agree that Russia rather behind on accommodating people with physical disabilities: there are wheelchair ramps in my town (which is in the Moscow region), but I suspect that only mothers with strollers use them. I can't remember the last time I saw a person in a wheelchair out on the street. The government does pay them, but probably just as badly as the pensioners (i.e. barely enough to survive). On public transport there are seats reserved for old people, pregnant women and disabled people, but it's almost impossible for someone in a wheelchair to get onto the bus/train/trolley.As for learning disabilities, children usually get placed in a sort of special education class (don't know about the teaching quality since I've never been in one). The can also choose to be home-schooled. As far as dropouts go, you can legally start working in Russia after 9th grade (as a janitor, railway worker or something else requiring no knowledge) or you can go to a college (as mark has already mentioned, in Russia college means vocational school - typically they're for hairstylists, seamstresses, etc.). There are also programs that let you finish the last 2 years of school in one and take the government test early.
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