GREFSE is a dynamic, scientific foundation that was established in 1999. It has extensive experience in the systematic follow-up, promotion and resolution of issues of Special Education. Specifically, GREFSE supports the quantitative and qualitative terms of education for pupils with special educational needs. It is appropriate body to enrich programs with valuable experience and contribute to the dissemination of results due to its experience in training activities and to its collaboration with the National Confederation of Persons with Disabilities and Ministry of Education.
Members of GREFSE include mostly teachers of primary and secondary education, working at any type of Special Education Unit in Public School or at the Educational and Counselling Support Centres (K.E.S.Y.) for SEN pupils but also any employee to specialties of Special Education (psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists or other relevant special scientific personnel).
GREFSE accomplishes its purposes with a 3 month Newsletter, “Issues of Special Education” that is distributed to its members through its web page (https://www.pesea.gr) which offers news and useful online services for visitors, members and registered users, with organizing seminars, symposiums, conferences, lectures, discussions and workshops and with the organization and function of a library.
Founder and president of GREFSE is Mr. Minas Efstathiou, a Special Education Teacher, School Counselor in Special education since many years and author of books related to special education issues in Greece.
Minas A. Efstathiou
Minas A. Efstathiou is the President of the Greek Scientific Federation of Special Education (GREFSE), editor and director of the magazine “Issues in Special Education” and member of the Editorial Committee of the magazine “Educational Indicators". He was a School Advisor of Special Education in the Primary and Secondary Education of the Regional Directorate of Epirus in the period 2012-2018. With graduate and postgraduate studies in Pedagogical Psychology, Legal and Political Sciences, Special Pedagogy - Education and Training of people with disabilities, Cultural Differences and Educational Imbalances etc., he offered his services to schools of general and special education. As President of the Interdisciplinary Team of the Piraeus Evaluation and Support Center, contributed to the fight against school and social exclusion. Dozens of articles, studies and research have been published in journals of scientific, educational and socio-political content such as: "Modern Education", “Special Education”, “The School of the Future", “Disability Issues», «Indicators of Education», the newspaper “Eleftherotypia", "Education and Society": periodical publication of the newspaper “Kyriakatiki Avgi” and other newspapers (between the period 1990 up to the present). The author's work includes the writing of two major books: 1. Efstathiou, M., (2018), 2nd Edition, "Educational Policies and Analytical Programs for People with Special Educational Needs", Thessaloniki: Graphima. ISBN: 978-618-5271-42-8. 2. Efstathiou, M., (2018), 2nd Edition, "Diagnosis, Evaluation, Education of Disabled People in Greece and the Struggle for Inclusive Education" Thessaloniki: Graphima. ISBN: 978-618-5271-31-2.
Elena I. Chanioti
Elena I. Chanioti has graduated from the Department of Primary Education (University of Alexandroupolis), M.Sc. in Special Education (Department of Primary Education, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens), PhD candidate in Special Education (University of Macedonia). Teacher in the field of Public Education, specifically in mainstream classes, integration classes and in K.E.S.Y. (Educational and Counselling Support Centres). Instructor in seminars (Epsype/APHCA) on assessment and development of individualized programs for children with specific learning difficulties in mathematics. Scientific Counselor in the Institute for Language and Speech Processing (ILSP/ Athena Research Center) on the development of an educational application “Evglotton” with main purpose the assessment of reading ability of children with dyslexia aged 8 – 13 through a system of speech recognition. Her research interests include the development of mathematical ability in relation to practical issues of everyday life of children with intellectual disabilities. Participation in many conferences and publications in special education issues (https://uom-gr.academia.edu/EleniChanioti). Member of the audit Committee of GREFSE since 2017.
