Educating Russia's disabled

Every year on September 1, Sergiyev Posad Home for Blind and Deaf Children welcomes about 200 students. The school opened in 1962 and is the only centre in the country for both blind and deaf children.

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© RIA Novosti . Diana Markosian

Every year on September 1, Sergiyev Posad Home for Blind and Deaf Children welcomes about 200 students. The school opened in 1962 and is the only centre in the country for both blind and deaf children.

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© RIA Novosti . Diana Markosian

A blind girl cautiously makes her way to her adaptive reading class on the first day of school.

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© RIA Novosti . Diana Markosian

Students doze off as soft pale autumn light filters through the grated classroom window. There are an average 4 students per class.

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© RIA Novosti . Diana Markosian

A student in class steers her head forward as she focuses on her notebook.

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© RIA Novosti . Diana Markosian

Michael Gelman, 14, spends an hour every day bouncing on his space hopper during fitness class. Gelman was diagnosed with autism at the age of 4.

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© RIA Novosti . Diana Markosian

In a separate room, a small group of new students, classified as having "multiple disabilities" are assessed before they can join others in class.

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© RIA Novosti . Diana Markosian

Students wait impatiently for supper after their third class of the day.

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© RIA Novosti . Diana Markosian

A teacher helps guide a blind girl as she eats supper.

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© RIA Novosti . Diana Markosian

Many of the children who join the school don’t have parents, so their classmates become a surrogate family.

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© RIA Novosti . Diana Markosian

Occupied much of the time in his own inner world, a blind boy runs down stairs, ignoring the call of his name.