U.S. SPEAKER AND EXPERT ON SPECIAL EDUCATION, DR. CLAYTON

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000146 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARP (JSAWYER),NEA/PPD (DBENZE, PAGNEW), IIP/NEA/SCA STACEY ROSE-BLASS AND AMANDA BATT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OEXC OIIP SCUL KPAO ZR SUBJECT: U.S. SPEAKER AND EXPERT ON SPECIAL EDUCATION, DR. CLAYTON KELLER, SPEAKS TO CONSERVATIVE AUDIENCES IN KUWAIT ¶1. (U) Summary: Dr. Clayton Keller, U.S. Speaker and a leading expert in the field of special education, conducted a series of very successful, well received lectures during his two-day program in Kuwait from January 25-28, 2010. His visit generated enormous interest and good will for the Embassy in the community, especially amongst socially and religiously conservative elements of the society who are sometimes reluctant to attend Embassy events. Through his visit, the Embassy was able to reach out to several organizations and their employees, volunteers and members for the first time. End summary. ¶2. (U) Dr. Keller's visit coincided with a movement by various Kuwaiti societies for the handicapped, parents of children with disabilities and the Government of Kuwait to pass a law on special education, giving the handicapped generous financial benefits and special school facilities, but failing to include measures to fully include or integrate them in the public educational system or society in general. Dr. Keller conducted two lectures at the Center for Child Evaluation and Teaching (CCET): one for approximately 100 teachers on "Dealing with disruptive Behavior in the Classroom" and a public lecture for 90 parents and public school teachers on "What Can I do: Ways of Meeting Learning and Behavioral Needs in the Classroom and at Home." Dr. Clay Keller intends to continue his cooperation with the Center's director, Dr. Gad Elbeheri, and to establish institutional linkages between CCET and the College of Education, University of St. Thomas, Minnesota. ¶3. (U) Dr. Keller conducted a one hour lecture arranged by Mr. Hashem Taqi, Director of the Kuwait Society for the Handicapped at the Ahmadi Day Care Center (a remote area in Kuwait with a conservative population) on the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the society and the public educational system. The lecture was attended by more than 120 Kuwaiti counselors and teachers who work in different disabilities' centers. Prominent patrons of the special needs' cause in Kuwait such as Ms. Muneera Al-Mutawa, founder of the Kuwait Society for the Handicapped, and Ms. Sabeekah Al-Jasser, the wife of the Speaker of the Parliament Jassem Al-Kharafi, also attended. ¶4. (U) Dr. Clay Keller delivered a fourth lecture at the Kuwait Society of Guardians for the Disabled Children, arranged by Ms. Rehab Bourisly, Chairperson of the Society, on the topic of "Parents' Advocacy." Over 80 parents and disabled children attended the lectures. Dr. Keller stressed that the laws in the U.S. governing the rights of the disabled were in large part the result of efforts on the part of the parents of the disabled and the disabled themselves. The lecture was again attended by Ms. Sabeekah Al-Jasser. At the conclusion of the presentation, one mother remarked, "I am deeply touched that the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait cares or even has the time to address non-political issues such as special education and the integration of children with disabilities in the public educational system. You are doing us parents of children with disabilities a great service and you are furthering our cause with the Government of Kuwait." The Society filmed the entire presentation in order to make it available to parents who were not able to attend. Dr. Keller will work with the Society to arrange a DVC between U.S. and Kuwaiti parents of children with disabilities. ¶5. (U) Press: Dr. Clay Keller met with many academics, training consultants and school principals dealing with special needs education and disabilities during the course of his intensive two-day visit. All of the host institutions arranged for publicity announcing Dr. Keller's lectures and invited the media to cover the presentations. His visit received positive press, television and radio coverage on several local channels. The Embassy arranged for an exclusive interview by "Al-Watan" local daily newspaper, which has a large circulation amongst conservative audiences. ¶6. (U) Post would like to express our sincere thanks to IIP, Ms. Stacey Rose-Blass and Ms. Amanda Batt for the unique opportunity to program Dr. Clay Keller as a U.S. Speaker in Kuwait following his conference in Doha. Dr. Clayton Keller was an excellent and flexible speaker and interlocutor with a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the Gulf region on the topic of special education. We highly recommend him for other posts in the region and worldwide. We also hope to see him in Kuwait again. JONES