About the Partnership

The Georgian / American Partnership for Rehabilitation and Special Education is a three year, academic, faculty partnership and exchange between professionals in the fields of Rehabilitation and Special Education at the University of Scranton and their counterparts in Georgia. The partnership fosters an exchange of high quality "best practices" information and nurtures growth of academic professions needed by Georgian citizens with disabilities. It brings together dedicated US and Georgian academics and professionals in the fields of Special Education, Rehabilitation, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Health Education and Management.

Partnership Goals

Partners focus their activities towards meeting the following four broad goals.

Goal 1. Initiate curriculum development and adaptations regarding training of Special Educators and Rehabilitation Professionals in Georgia.
Goal 2. Promote the development of independent professions and academic development in the fields of Special Education and Rehabilitation of persons with disabilities in the Republic of Georgia.
Goal 3. Foster advocacy, civic activity, and faculty-citizen partnerships regarding integration of persons with disabilities into mainstream Georgian society.
Goal 4. Establish and maintain long term linkages and ongoing personal, academic and professional exchanges between Georgian and University of Scranton partners.

Partnership activities

Typical partnership activities include

visits to identify training and curriculum needs, establish work plans, and conduct cultural orientation,
extended co-teaching and cross cultural curriculum development,
observation of "best practic"' sites that model current, inclusive services for children and adults with disabilities,
co-presentation at national and international conferences,
development of a Georgian / English professional journal in the fields of Rehabilitation and Special Education,
initiating a Georgian conference regarding persons with disabilities,
Georgian memberships in a chapter of an international professional practice organization,
and observations of local and national advocacy activities by U. S. citizens with disabilities and their families.

Benefits and outcomes of the partnership

Both U.S. and Georgian partners benefit from cross cultural research and professional connections and the challenges of international instruction and collaboration. Partners engaged in faculty exchange and other project activities benefit from the complex challenge of cross cultural instruction and co-teaching with Georgian peers. They and their students benefit from the unique multicultural perspectives provided by Georgian professionals who strive to improve educational and rehabilitation services for Georgian citizens with disabilities. They also benefit from access to new peers with a commitment to international research and experience expanded opportunities for presentation and publication of research outcomes through project activities.

Georgian partners benefit from the challenges of teaching and working in a different, and highly diverse, multicultural environment characterized by the inclusion of persons with differences and disabilities in the educational and social mainstream.

Anticipated results of project activities are: high quality information regarding "best practices' associated with the education and rehabilitation of children and adults with disabilities infused into Georgian university curriculum and a peer reviewed Georgian / English professional journal for publication of research related to disability. Some long term benefits are; improved services by trained professionals in Special Education and Rehabilitation; increased access to information and services; healthy professional and civic activity regarding inclusive social actions and systemic change in the Georgian service system for children and adults with disabilities and their families.

Program partners

The University of Scranton
The University of Scranton, in Scranton Pennsylvania, founded in 1888, is the oldest Catholic institution of higher education in Northeast Pennsylvania and one of a family of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. From 1548 to the present, Jesuit education has grown with decisive motivation, clear vision and an international presence. A cornerstone of Jesuit education is a holistic vision of life involving a strong community identity that focuses on learning, personal growth and development, the search for truth, social justice, freedom of inquiry, and preserving the respect for the dignity and rights of all people. In fulfillment of its mission, the University of Scranton embraces diversity and actively fosters respect for other cultures.

The University of Scranton is fully accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States, the Association of Collegiate schools of Business, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Education/ APTA, the National League for Nursing, and the Computer Science Accreditation Commission.

The location of Scranton is within 2.5 hours of by car of the major metropolitan areas of new York city and Philadelphia and 4.5 hours to Washington DC. The University of Scranton offers coursework, supervised internships and degree, licensing and credential granting programs in professional areas associated with high quality, interdisciplinary, services for children and adults with disabilities. This includes programs in Occupational and Physical Therapy, Special Education, Rehabilitation Counseling, Nursing, and Health and Education Administration. Faculty members in these areas offer their classes and consulting assistance for exchange activities with Georgian counterparts. The University of Scranton has all the necessary facilities, such as state of the art computer labs, internet connections, "wired" classrooms and video conferencing equipment, needed to support international exchanges and activities.

National Health Management Center
The National Health Management Center (NMHC) embodies the key medical and intellectual potential of Georgia for promoting change and reform within health and rehabilitation service systems. Through its subsidiary, the Center for Continuing Medical Education, the NMHC organizes short and long term courses, develops comprehensive methodological materials and conducts extensive training for Georgian health care professions. This provides the NMHC with a national reach that has influence throughout Georgia.

Tbilisi State Medical University
The Tbilisi State Medical University is the premier medical teaching institution in Tbilisi Georgia. It offers programs in all areas of medicine and rehabilitation associated with services for children and adults with disabilities. The university, through the office of Dr. Otari Gezmava, helps to identify key faculty and others for partnership activities.

Participating US Faculty

The following persons serve on a steering committee for the project. In this capacity they advise, direct and assess project activities and host faculty counterparts. Their courses, syllabi and curriculum are made available to Georgian participants. They are available, based on the interests of Georgian partners, for exchange activities such as co-teaching, lectures, consultation and international travel leading to improved services for Georgian children and adults with disabilities. Committee members were selected based on the highly diverse nature of the educational and rehabilitation needs of children and adults with disabilities. The committee constitutes a correspondingly diverse interdisciplinary team of professionals capable of a transdisciplinary response to those needs. Most committee have a prior history of successful international collaboration and cooperation.

Committee Member	Area(s) of Service and Expertise

Dr. Tim Hobbs (570) 941-6244	Assistant Professor of Special Education, 29 years teaching and applied experience with children and adults with disabilities, (including persons with severe and multiple disabilities and institutional populations), experience in human rights and advocacy activities for persons with disabilities, multiple research presentations and publications in special and inclusive education, teacher preparation, and collaboration. Recent grant related travel and consultation in Tbilisi.

Dr. Daniel West (570) 941-4126	Associate Professor of Health Administration and Human Resources at UofS, 27 years teaching and applied experiences in healthcare management, multiple national and international presentations and publications with emphasis on health management in Eastern Europe, recipient and coordinator of multiple grants specific to health management and disability issues in Eastern Europe and newly independent states of the Former Soviet Union including Georgia. Recent travel and current consultation and grant activities in Tbilisi, coordinator of Scranton-Republic of Georgia health management partnership.

Dr. Tata Mbugua (570) 941-5884	Assistant Professor of Education at UofS from Kenya with extensive applied international experiences in cross cultural education; academic and research interests are in international education models, cross cultural curriculum development and adaptation, and multicultural issues.

Dr. Debra Lo (570) 941-7579	Director of Research Services at the UofS, expertise in grant development and supervision, coordination of multidisciplinary project development, identification of funding sources and multiple experiences facilitating successful grants with activity regarding Eastern Europe and the newly independent states of the Former Soviet Union including Georgia.

Ms. Eileen Callahan (570) 941-6180	Director of Research Services at the UofS, expertise in grant development and supervision, coordination of multidisciplinary project development, identification of funding sources and multiple experiences facilitating successful grants with activity regarding Eastern Europe and the newly independent states of the Former Soviet Union including Georgia.

Ms. Carol Reinson (570) 941-6255	Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy at UofS, multiple, international, academic and professional experiences teaching and occupational therapy regarding children with disabilities (including children with severe and multiple disabilities), research and grant activity in the area of early and family based intervention.

Dr. John Sanko (570) 941-7934	Professor of Physical Therapy at UofS, over 20 years applied and academic experience in the field of physical therapy, member of the UofS Physical Therapy Department, member of the Interdisciplinary Practice Task Force, academic and research interests in the area of older persons with disabilities.

Dr. Lori Bruch (570) 941-4308	Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation Counseling at UofS, over 20 years academic and applied experience regarding rehabilitation counseling and administration for persons with disabilities, multiple related professional and research activities with emphasis in job development, school to work transition, supported employment, advocacy and empowerment for persons with disabilities.

Dr. Hal Baillie (570) 941- 6128	Professor of Philosophy at UofS, teaches health care ethics and consultant to health care ethics committees, multiple international publications, recent teaching experience in Slovakia and other countries, recent travel, consultation and grant related activities in Tbilisi.

Project Directors

Dr. Tim Hobbs, co-coordinates the partnership project with Dr. Dan West in conjunction with Georgian counterparts and the University of Scranton steering committee. Dr. Hobbs' has many years of academic and applied experience in the field of disability education. This includes experience teaching persons with severe and multiple disabilities, staff and faculty training, and multiple related publications and presentations. His experience is complimented by Dr. West's extensive and current activities in Eastern European and Georgian Health Management. Dr. West currently manages multiple grant activities in that region and is an established and respected researcher and speaker in his field.

Continuing Support and Sustained Efforts

The activities of the partnership have a high likelihood of sustained effort and generalization of outcomes. A major factor regarding generalization of outcomes is the nature of the Georgian partner organizations. They are the premier Georgian national facilities for such efforts and have established histories of commitment to professional education and development consistent with the project goals. They are established organizations with a track record of success.

In addition, the key components of the project are mutually supportive and interface in a manner that encourages ongoing participation and support for project activities. Factors in this process are:

Faculty exchange and curriculum development is a voluntary process involving a multidisciplinary team of professionals. All participants have longstanding personal and professional commitments in their respective fields and have established histories of commitment to improving services for persons with disabilities. In particular, the Georgian partners are acutely aware of the needs of Georgian citizens, especially Georgian children, with disabilities. This commitment can be expected to continue and thrive in the context of the project.
The Georgian / English professional journal is a logical and needed forum for professional publication by Georgian and other researchers and academics. Faculty in Georgia, the region, and in the U. S. have an ongoing need for such outlets and can be expected to use the journal as an opportunity to showcase their work.
Georgian professional development is linked to membership in an international parent organization, The Council for Exceptional Children. This results in benefits inherent in international professional organizations, such as ongoing professional contact, access to international conference activities, consultation and access to multiple print and electronic publications.
The Georgian conferences provide a needed forum for professional connection and exchange. Such activities offer personal and professional sustenance for participants and have historically thrived locally, nationally and internationally in the fields of Special Education and Rehabilitation. It is reasonable to expect continued outcomes in a Georgian context.

The University of Scranton faculty and staff have made a commitment to the facilitation of project activities and to the support of their peers in Georgia. They have established strong personal and professional bonds with their counterparts. They have invited them into their university, their college, their classrooms and their homes. They can reasonably be expected to support and maintain these relationships beyond the limitations of the project. The nature of the benefits derived from these relationships are self sustaining.