INTERNATIONALBANK FOR WORLD BANK R E T C N O E N STRUCTION PM AND DEVELO April 2003 No. 23 A regular series of notes highlighting recent lessons emerging from the operational and analytical program of the World Bank`s Latin America and Caribbean Region INCLUDING THE DISABLED THE CHIMINIKE INTERACTIVE LEARNING CENTER IN HONDURAS Maria Valéria Pena and Barbara Brakarz Background: the Profuturo Project Chiminike Interactive Learning Center In the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch in 1998, the Honduras In 1999, 66 per cent of Honduras' 6.5 million inhabitants Interactive Environmental Learning and Science Promotion were extremely or moderately poor. Chiminike is located in Project ­ Profuturo ­ was launched as a multi-sectoral effort the Honduran capital, Tegucigalpa, a city that accounts for designed to encourage and ex- nearly 25 per cent of urban pand scientific, environmental, poverty in the country. The and cultural knowledge and man- Interactive Learning Center in agement in the context of Hon- Tegucigalpa aims at improv- duras' sustainable development ing the quality of the educa- needs and ethnic diversity. tion system by creating more Profuturo benefits Hondurans effective and concrete learn- by providing higher quality sci- ing, and raising achievement entific education, improved envi- levels. Through visits by ronmental management, human schoolchildren, teachers, and capital development, and poverty parents, it will promote learn- reduction through a better quali- ing about the social, scientific, fied labor force. Specifically, and environmental elements of Profuturo is a pro-poor effort to sustainable development. It is address some of the long-term The Chiminike Interactive Learning Center, Tegucigalpa expected to receive over needs of Honduras' education 200,000 children and youth sector, the concern for sustainable environmental develop- yearly and to be incorporated into 75 per cent of schools' ment, and archeological site rehabilitation in order to expand lesson plans by 2006. the country's tourism potential, especially in the Copán Region. Chiminike's interactive learning environment nurtures fun- damental educational skills in a format that stimulates Within these objectives, the project supports the planning, children's intellectual curiosity, enhances self-esteem, coop- design, and construction of a US$ 4.9 million Interactive eration, independence and interdependence, and celebrates Learning Center ­ Chiminike ­ to be inaugurated in Septem- diversity. It has a multimedia center, a multi-purpose room, ber 2003, when it will become autonomous (from the Gov- outdoor recreation areas and four thematic rooms containing ernment), functioning under the private Profuturo Founda- a variety of displays and interactive activities carefully de- tion. Chiminike was conceived as an unconventional and signed to serve specific pedagogical purposes. Box 1 (back non-formal educational facility dedicated to sustainable de- page) explains more about the assessment process that velopment. Among other components, the project supports helped shape Chiminike. staff and volunteer capacity building and the development of environmental managements plans. The four exhibit rooms are: (a)"The Human Body" Room, which uses interaction and participation to educate children 1 about DNA, the human body, hygiene and health, touch and Chiminike setting became part of a strategy to sensitize non- memory, the respiratory and digestive systems, and illnesses disabled children and parents and increase awareness of the to which Honduran children are most vulnerable; (b) the issue, by underpinning the daily challenges they face. "City" Room introduces visitors to the main institutions in an urban area such as Tegucigalpa, teaching about the func- The strategy to make Chiminike friendly to the disabled tioning of a supermarket, a Bank, television and radio sta- consists of four parts: tions, and provides children with a sense of citizenship and an understanding of their surroundings; (c) the "Honduras Training of Guides. A manual was developed that trains and its People" Room, in which gender and the social and guides in appropriate teaching techniques and provides them cultural diversity of the country and its heritage are illumi- with the confidence they need to deal with children with nated; and (d) the "Environment" Room, focused on sustain- special needs and promote a natural learning environment. able development and how citizens can better interact with The manual offers guides a functional description of differ- their surroundings in a safe and eco-friendly manner. For in- ent disabilities, methodological suggestions for easy interac- stance, the Rain Exhibit is an interactive activity that teaches tion, practical communication strategies (including sign lan- children about the consequences of deforestation, the effect guage), and child assistance techniques that stress the im- on the environment of dams and other infrastructure, and the portance of independence. Once inaugurated, the guides of impact of rain on homes constructed in high-risk areas such Chiminike will offer services such as guidance, translation, as too close to a river. instruction, and assistance in all exhibits and activities, whenever requested by a visitor. Braille Texts. Chiminike will supply material and have signs, displays and activities with explanations in Braille. These materials contains brief descriptions of each room. Each interactive display and activity will be accompanied by posted instructions in Braille. The Braille signs have been made using dymo tape, a hard adhesive tape that marks and embosses Braille writing, the most cost-effective way to adapt the signs that had already been produced. Activities have been adapted to take into consideration the special needs of the visually impaired. For instance, in the The Rain Exhibit: Environment Room supermarket activity, where fake money will be used, spe- Including the Disabled cial bills written in Braille will be distributed to the blind. This will allow them to participate in the activities without the feeling of being excluded, and will also sensitize others The Profuturo Project was awarded a Norwegian Trust Fund about the daily difficulties they face and the need for more for Disability and Development to ensure that it benefits inclusive measures. Honduran children with special needs. The Disability Trust Fund allowed the Profuturo Project to integrate a compre- Multimedia Center. Chiminike will include a multimedia hensive disability dimension in the Chiminike Interactive center fully adapted to the disabled, donated by CNN and Learning Center. The trust fund made it possible to hire a UNICEF. Appropriate materials were recommended and re- consultant with experience in education, disabled access op- sources for disabled children and adults, such as audio tions, and the philosophy of interactive learning. The con- tapes, videos, books, and recorded books, will be made sultant conducted an extensive study on the most effective available. The multimedia center will also have computers and feasible methods to make the facility and all its exhibits, with software designed for use by the blind, such as Jaws signs, displays and workshops accessible to disabled chil- and Zoom text, and a special Braille printer. dren, including the hearing, sight, motor, and mentally im- paired. Other Exhibits and Building Adaptations. Children with disabilities will be able to take full advantage of all exhibits The Disability Component of Chiminike consists of facility given the adaptations introduced. The "Exploring the Nose" accessibility and display adaptation to fit disabled children's exhibit, for instance, consists of a giant nose that children needs. The adaptations were based on the special pedagogi- can walk into and get to grips with its physical attributes. cal, psychological and physical needs of disabled children. The nose sneezes periodically, making a loud noise. Chil- The goal was to produce an environment that is entirely in- dren with hearing impairments will be able to go barefoot clusive, non-discriminatory, accessible, and that provides so that they can feel the ground vibrating instead. In certain learning opportunities for all visitors. Such strategies stimu- cases, where displays do not allow for participation by chil- late respect for and solidarity with the disabled, and enable dren with some type of disability, there are small replicas the maximum possible independence and normality for the that imitate the shapes and dimensions and achieve the same children. Furthermore, interaction among children in the objectives so that they can also enjoy the full benefits. Also, 2 disabled, including the hearing, sight, motor, and mentally impaired. In order to accurately and successfully main- stream concerns for the disabled in a project, a specialist ex- perienced in education, disabled access options, and the phi- losophy of interactive learning is required. Outlook While the Norwegian Trust Fund for Disability and Devel- opment allowed the addition of the disability dimension to the Chiminike Interactive Learning Center, this element rap- Exploring the Nose Exhibit, Human Body Room idly became a core part of the Center's strategy and the project's development objectives as a whole. The lessons that the Center teaches concerning science, environmental adaptations were made to the building layout and activities, management and cultural diversity will be greatly enhanced so as to take into consideration the ease of accessibility and by the sense of respect that it now entails. Beyond teaching mobility of physically handicapped children. about how to treat the human body with esteem, the envi- ronment with care, the city with respect, and the country's diversity with pride, Chiminike will become a lesson on liv- ing together and including everyone in society. The disability component of Chiminike offers the following challenges: Room for improvement. Chiminike aims to improve the quality of the education system by creating more effective and concrete learning and raising achievement levels. The effectiveness of these strategies and the complementarities with school curricula will need constant review and re- alignment. Stairs and Ramp: City Room Scaling up. Chiminike is expected to receive over 200,000 children and youth yearly and be incorporated into 75 per Lessons Learned cent of schools' lesson plans by 2006. Assessing how these goals are being met and the practical implications of these numbers on educational objectives and facilities mainte- The following lessons have been learned at this stage of the nance will be interesting and require close monitoring. project's implementation: Building local ownership. Chiminike is to be inaugurated Increased Awareness. The Disability component of the in June 2003, when its management will move under the Profuturo Project has promoted social awareness of the private Profuturo Foundation. Building partnerships with challenges faced by disabled people within the project and local NGOs and universities will be crucial for assuring its among the population. It has provided a the basis of better long-term sustainability, in both financial and managerial understanding of this multi-facted issue and will hopefully terms. It is hoped that local ownership will ensure the pres- promote change and eliminate discrimination founded on ervation and continuing expansion of the disability element. common misconceptions. Feasibility. This experience taught us that disabled-friendly About the Authors adaptations can be simple and cost-effective, and do not necessarily require a complex or lengthy process. Crucial to Maria Valéria Pena is a Lead Sociologist and head of the the successful implementation of the disability component Gender Team in the Latin America and the Caribbean Re- was an extensive study conducted by the disability specialist gion of the World Bank. Barbara Brakarz is a consultant on the most effective and feasible methods to make the fa- who assists the Bank's Profuturo project team. cility and each of its exhibits, signs, displays, and work- shops, accessible to disabled children. More information Expertise Required. A disability specialist is essential for Learn more about the Profuturo project at comprehensive and proper integration of the needs of the http://www.profuturo.edu.hn 3 Box 1 - Designing Chiminike They view history as a series of unconnected heroic episodes, as Influences and Opportunities for Childern in Honduras it is presented in their textbooks. As part of the monitoring and evaluation system established for Honduran Identity. Children seem to draw their identity and pride the Profuturo project, an assessment among children was as Hondurans from a variety of sources. The most frequently carried out in April 1999. The assessment helped guide the mentioned sources of pride are the love of nature and specific design of the Interactive Learning Center (ILC), its exhibits, character traits, such as a work ethic and a sense of resiliency. training activities, and outreach programs. The main data source was a questionnaire filled out by 131 children (72 boys and 59 What Children Do Not Like. Children in the study do not like girls) in the sixth or seventh grades in five schools (both public symptoms of poverty and are concerned about the issue of corrup- and private) in the Tegucigalpa area, where the ILC is located. tion. However, their concern with these problems is matched by a The questionnaires were complemented by a focus group in sense of self-reliance and a desire to help their country. each school composed of about eight students, and by a focus group of 11 children in a sixth school. How did these findings influence design of the ILC? Main Findings from the Questionnaire The ILC will recognize the importance of family in children's lives and design exhibits, concessions, rooms, and Focus on the Family. Honduran children, particularly in this age other attractions for the entire family and which encourages group,areextremelyfocusedontheirfamily,enjoyingtheirdailylife their participation. and leisure activities with their immediate and extended families.A strong family orientation is the crucial component in their identity. The exhibits will consider including images that help children Attachment to their family and interdependency among family visualize equality between genders in the workplace and members are placed on a higher plane than individualistic fulfill- legitimize equality of responsibilities in the household. A ment and self-sufficiency. good example is guides. These will not adhere to traditioanl gender roles. For example, a male guide might teach cooking DefinedGenderRoles.Overall,boysandgirlsperceivetherolesof while a female would demonstrate construction techniques. menandwomenasbasedonthefunctionstheyareexpectedtocarry out in the family. Boys emphasize their role as the "strong sex" and Exhibits on the environment will establish a direct connection their"freedom."Girlsemphasizetheir"gifttoprocreate"and"moral between identifying problems and developing solutions superiority." These qualities are perceived as `natural' with their and cover topics such as biodiversity, traditional knowledge, complementarity determining different social functions in and and sustainable development. outside the family. Exhibits devoted to historical themes will show how histori- Equality of Educational Opportunities. There is a consensus cal processes have helped to shape the present reality of between boys and girls that both should have the same educational Honduras. opportunities. Some girls list the education of their children as the principal motivation for their own education, which suggests some The ILC will also emphasize the knowledge and practices of ambivalence in the meaning that they attribute to formal education. pre-Hispanic cultures and the linkages to the living culture Boys are less sensitive to the egalitarian perspective on genders. of the indigenous communities in Honduras. Although they are not immune to pressures for the equality of women, they vigorously adhere to the traditional division of labor Images and exhibits will be inclusive and avoid ethnic between genders, regardless of household composition or whether stereotypes. or not their own mothers participate in the family income. This assessment reinforced the justification for the ILC to Inequality on Value of Work. Most students have professional complement the formal educational system. Children in an aspirations, and with some exceptions, there are no clear ILC learn at their own pace and no child is "left behind" distinctions between genders in terms of career choices. Yet, since they can spend as much time as they want at each boys and girls differ on the meaning of professional work. For exhibit. boys, work is not a choice, it is immediately related to the __________ family's survival or well being. Girls attribute about four different meanings to women's work: (a) as a necessity; (b) to The full study, entitled, "Family, Gender and Identity" : be independent of men;(c) secondary as compared to her role in Influences and Opportunities for Childern in Honduras" the family; and (d) as a matter of personal choice. (Nov, 1999) is available under "Gender" at http:// www.worldbank.org/lac Inception of Honduras. For most children in the study, history begins with the Spanish conquest and they focus on three About "en breve" episodes: the conquest, independence, and the breakup of the Federation of Central American States. Students do not express Subscribe to "en breve" by sending an email to any sense of connection to the pre-Hispanic Maya civilization. en_breve@worldbank.org 4