Within the framework of Work-Study Programs, introduced some years ago by the education reform known as the Good School, a particularly noteworthy project has begun. The UICI Outreach Center (Italian Union of the Blind and Visually Impaired) in Sant'Anastasia and the Vesuvian Towns, near Naples, has partnered with the Liceo Scientifico Torricelli in Somma Vesuviana. The collaboration, formalized by agreement a few weeks ago, has now launched a range of activities.
«We were enthusiastic about taking on this path,» says Giuseppe Fornaro, director of the UICI Center. «It allows us to highlight something crucial: the need to educate young people about disability — a topic schools often overlook. By the end of the program, fourth-year students will have foundational knowledge about visual disability. We've designed a structured curriculum mixing theory and hands-on work with disabled people. Topics range from the difference between blindness and low vision to Braille, mobility, architectural barriers, and sports. Our hope is to build a generation of young people open to embracing difference.»
The first meeting explored haptic perception — learning through touch — and Braille. Blindfolded students were shown a raised-relief drawing and asked to recognize it by feel. The exercise demonstrated not only how much longer tactile perception takes, but also how complex the analysis and synthesis processes can be.
In recent weeks, students participated in the first of four days devoted to mapping architectural barriers across the town. The effort will span roughly two months. Before the fieldwork, students met at the Municipal Council chamber with Giuseppe Fornaro, Bruno Beneduce (the education assessor), Sandra Minichini (teacher and project coordinator), and architect Ciro Di Costanzo. They explained what architectural barriers are — and made clear that such barriers result from human carelessness.
The students divided into two groups, each assigned a different zone to survey and photograph. Their findings will form a map to present to the Municipality's PEBA Committee (Plan for the Elimination of Architectural Barriers), supporting future renovation and removal efforts.
«Within each group,» Fornaro explains, «we included people with different disabilities — physical and sensory. This let students see firsthand how a barrier that blocks one person may not block another. They threw themselves into the work with real enthusiasm and care. Their eagerness to understand genuinely surprised us. They were diligent and disciplined throughout.»
Source: Superando