The Practice of Teaching Volunteers with Skills of Deaf Communication to Participate in the XVIII Deaflympics Winter Games: Research and Results

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Objectives: 2015 XVIII Winter Deaflympics in Khanty-Mansiysk provided a unique opportunity to use the world’s leading experience in the integration of people with disabilities in the full life of Russian society through the implementation of a special program that teaches the deaf communication skills to volunteers. The following article is based on the practical experience of the Russian State Social University Volunteer Center which attracted volunteers to a variety of events and activities for people with disabilities and contains the results of the research of the Games personnel training using the examples from center activity. Methods/Statistical Analysis: The paper presents the modern methods of teaching volunteers the deaf communication skills, allowing us to obtain knowledge and practical experience of interaction with the target group of the Games; reveal the basic properties and principles of deaf commentary; gain practical experience through direct interaction and barrier-free communication. Findings: Additionally, this article analyzes the results of empirical studies of personal characteristics of volunteers with deaf communication skills as well practical recommendations aimed at improving the efficiency of the selection process in volunteer practice for this kind of major sports events. Such integrated approach to the training of deaf communication-skilled volunteers was used for the first time and it showed good results. Application/ Improvement: The practical significance of the study is displayed in the fact that its conclusions and recommendations can be successfully used in the organization of professional selection and psycho-pedagogical support for training, retraining, training and analyzing the activities of the deaf communication volunteers.