Research and international collaboration

Ruskis participates in various research initiatives in Finland and beyond to determine factors affecting the rehabilitation of disabled children and youths.

Mechanical reading and writing skills
We are committed to developing evaluation methods for mechanical reading and writing skills. Evaluations are used to pinpoint deficiencies in basic reading preparedness and help tailor reading rehabilitation for the individual student. These assessments also track how students’ reading skills develop over time.

Rehabilitation of Cerebral Palsy children
In 2011, Ruskis is launching a research and development initiative that aims to standardise evaluation methods used in assessing the capacity and rehabilitation of CP children and youths. The pediatric neurology units of the Kuopio and Oulu university hospitals are participating in the study.

Evaluating students’ abilities
The school’s rehabilitation working group is examining how the WHO’s framework for measuring health and disability (ICF International Classification of Functioning) can be applied to Ruskis’ current evaluation methods.

Compass
This project collects information on disabled youths’ experiences of independently moving around in both familiar and foreign environments.

A number of former Ruskis students are participating in a study examining the lives and services available to severely disabled youths in Finland.
The study, financed by Finland’s Social Insurance Institution (KELA), interviews 19–22 year-old wheelchair users across the country.

International collaboration
The staff and students at Ruskis are involved in school camps, staff exchange programmes, study visits and programmes abroad, friendship schools and classes, student apprenticeships as well as international research and development projects.