Abstract

In the article artistic education of the disabled is analyzed. Turkish and Lithuanian teachers’ and family members opinion on artistic activities and education of the disabled are analyzed and compared with the healing effect.In order to determine what activities are most popular in a family we questioned the families that took part in the survey. In what way does the communication between the disabled and their family members take place, how much time and attention is paid to certain artistic activities, what arts prevail? The answers of Lithuanian respondents show that Lithuanian families pay bigger attention to music than Turkish families. However, all pay enough attention to listening. It can be explained by the fact that music has become a background of our everyday life: it is heard in streets, cars, cafeterias, at home. Singing is more popular in Lithuania than in Turkey (in Lithuanian families sing each forth, and in Turkish – each twelfth respondent). For example, Lithuania since the ancient times has preferred singing. People used to sing while working at fields and other occasions. These songs are glees, solo, two-part or even three-part pieces. The human voice is the most natural musical instrument.Throughout history musical activities have been changing. Modern young people prefer listening to music which is very different and remote from the folk music. However, ethnic songs prevail in school textbooks, while the traditions have been transferred from generation to generation. The survey revealed new opportunities for finding advantages of ethnic music, applying them in artistic education of the disabled and supplementing. The survey results showed us differences and similarities between Turkey and Lithuania. These differences are based on ethnicity (culture, religion, traditions), but through the adjustment of cultural differences we find human similarities.