If special children are unable to move towards education, the education should go towards them - Swami Vivekananda

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1 INCLUSIVE EDUCATION If special children are unable to move towards education, the education should go towards them - Swami Vivekananda Inclusion in education is an approach to educate students with special educational needs. Under the inclusion model, students with special needs spend most or all of their time with normal students. Implementation of these practices includes interventions in Schools, Home Based and school readiness camps. Education of Children with Special Needs A group that forms a very important part of equity issues under SSA is Children with Special Needs (CWSN). The key thrust of SSA will be on providing inclusive education to all children with special needs in general schools. The scheme ensures that every child with special needs is provided quality inclusive education irrespective of the kind, category and degree of disability. It supports a wide range of approaches, options and strategies for education of children with special needs. This includes special training, in the form of school readiness programmes for CWSN, education through special schools, Home Based training. The ultimate aim is to mainstream all CWSN in neighborhood schools. For effective planning, management and implementation of the IE programme, resource groups have been constituted at State and district level. These groups have representation from civil societies. Technical persons are appointed at both state and district level. Inclusive education for CWSN under SSA seeks to develop full potentiality of each child emphasizing on eradicating all forms of discrimination and promoting effective participation of those CWSN in all activities like normal children. In short, inclusion of CWSN focuses on education in terms of physical access, social access and quality of access. Objectives: To provide school access to all the children with special needs. To provide necessary supporting services to the children with special needs in the context of education is the fundamental right and universalisation of elementary education. To reduce the gaps between the normal children and children with special needs in the context of universalisation of education. To empower the teachers and parents to manage the CWSN in the process of education. Establishment of resource centers and provision of resource persons at block level to handle the children with special needs. 1

2 To impart quality education to CWSN. Physical Access: The following activities could be a part of physical access: i. A Special Survey: Identification and assessment of children with special needs are the integral part of the micro-planning and household surveys. A concerted drive to detect children with special needs at an early age is undertaken through PHCs, ICDS, ECCE centres and other school readiness programmes. ii. Assessment of CWSN for mapping of needs: Assessment of each identified child is carried out after identification. A team is constituted at the block/ cluster level to carry out this assessment. The assessment team will ascertain the extent and type of the disability, the developmental level of the child and the nature of support services required, assistive devices required by the child and the most appropriate form of special training to be given to the child. iii. Educational Placement: Every child with special needs is enrolled in the nearby schools, with needed support services. Children with special needs need to be facilitated to acquire certain skills that will enable them to access elementary education as envisaged in the Act. For instance, they may need mobility training, training in Braille, sign language, postural training, etc. Thus, school preparedness of children with special needs must be ensured by providing special training as envisaged in the RTE Act. This training may be residential, non residential or even home based, as per their specific requirements. The existing non formal and alternate schooling (including home based education) options for children with disabilities can be recast as special training. This means that (a) all children with special needs who are not enrolled in schools or have dropped out will first be enrolled in a nearby school (b) they will be entitled to special training through regular teachers or teachers exclusively appointed for the purpose (c) and then mainstreamed in general schools along with their peers in the age-appropriate class. iv. Aids and Appliances: All children requiring assistive devices are provided with aids and appliances, obtained as far as possible through various convergence like the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, State Welfare Departments, National Institutions, ALIMCO, voluntary organizations or NGOs. If aids and appliances cannot be obtained through convergence, then SSA funds could be used for this purpose too. v. Removal of architectural barriers: Architectural barriers in schools would have to be removed for easy access and to promote inclusion of CWSN. Efforts will be taken to provide all kinds of disabled-friendly facilities in schools and educational institutions. Development of innovative designs for schools to provide an enabling environment for children with special needs should also be a part of the programme. Schools must be designed using an inclusive lens to create barrier-free environments and addressing equity issues in elementary education framework for 2

3 Implementation 48 accessible buildings must incorporate not only through ramps, but also through accessible classrooms, toilets, playgrounds, laboratories etc Quality of Access to CWSN RTE stresses the importance of preparing and strengthening schools to address all kinds of diversities arising from inequalities of gender, caste, language, culture, religion or disabilities. Hence, to retain CWSN, schools would have to be prepared in terms of support services required by the child, availability of a trained/ sensitized teacher, support from a resource teacher, acceptance by peers and inclusive teaching practices. Elements like classroom space, building, furniture, equipments, seating arrangement, classroom organization, etc would have to be adapted to meet the varied and diverse educational needs of CWSN. For example, space norms would have to be altered for a child with a special need using an assistive device like wheelchair. The components under quality would include the following: (i) Support services: A continuum of core essential support services is required by CWSN. These services would be category specific and should be made available as per the needs of the child. These support services are essential for the access and retention of CWSN. This would include specific accommodations like availability and upgrading of aids and assistive devices according to individual needs, technological support in the form of augmentative and alternative communication tools, audio-visual material, communication board, computer access, universal design for school buildings, classrooms, transport/ escort facility, furniture and fixtures, resource room support, therapeutical support, text-books in accessible format, ICT support, vocational education and training, etc. (ii) Teacher training: Intensive teacher training should be undertaken to sensitise regular teachers on effective classroom management of children with special needs. This training should be recurrent at block/cluster levels and integrated with the on-going in-service teacher training schedules in SSA. All training modules prepared at SCERT level should include a suitable component on education of children with special needs. (iii) Resource support: For resource support to CWSN, especially trained special educators should be appointed, particularly for teaching special skills to children with special needs. The resource teacher may be posted at the block or cluster level and can operate in an itinerant mode, covering a group of schools where children with special needs are enrolled. As far as possible one resource teacher from each category of disability should be appointed at the block level and multi-category training should be provided to all resource teachers to strengthen academic support to CWSN. In case qualified special teachers as per prescribed qualifications are not available, teachers with short training courses recognized by the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) may be appointed with the condition that they will complete the full course within three years of appointment or long term training of regular teachers should be undertaken. 3

4 (iv) Curricular access: The curriculum must be inclusive as envisioned in NCF It should be ensured that the same curriculum be followed for children with and without special needs, but with minor adaptations like small changes in learning content, learning friendly environment, appropriate learning approach, adaptation in learning aids, flexibility in evaluation, etc. It would be important to provide text books and curriculum in accessible formats for CWSN. (v) Individualized Educational Plan (IEP): An IEP should be prepared for every child with special needs in consultation with parents and experts. Its implementation should be monitored from time to time. The IEP should review the effectiveness of various strategies and support services used by children with special needs periodically, after developing indicators. (vi) Building synergy with special schools: Special schools will have to become resource centres for inclusive education and provide support to IE. The nature of this resource support can cover aspects like teacher training, development of material and appropriate TLMs, providing support services to CWSN, etc. In some cases, special schools can also impart special training to CWSN for a specified period of time and then mainstream into regular schools. (vii) Research: SSA will encourage research in all areas of education of children with special needs including research for designing and developing new assistive devices, teaching aids special teaching material and other items necessary to give a child with disability equal opportunities in education. Social Access to CWSN Ensuring social access to CWSN is a greater challenge as addressing equity issues in elementary education compared to providing physical access as it requires an in-depth understanding of the various educational needs of CWSN and bringing about attitudinal changes at various levels and providing institutional support to sustain those attitudinal changes. A very important dimension of social access is discrimination. CWSN are subjected to many forms of discrimination. In this context,teachers and peers have a very important role to play. Special emphasis must be given to education of girls with disabilities. Social access could include the following: (i) Parental training and community mobilization: Parents of children with disabilities should receive counseling and training on how to bring them up and teach them basic survival skills. Strong advocacy and awareness programmes should form a part of strategy to educate every child with special needs. A component on disability should be included in all the modules for parents, VEC and community. School development plans must be developed keeping in mind the needs of CWSN. (ii) Peer sensitisation: Another group that plays a very crucial role in the context of CWSN is the peer group. Various programmes and curricular and co curricular activities could be designed 4

5 for peer sensitisation like inclusive sports, tournaments, cultural programmes, inclusive exposure visits, etc. Expenditure upto ` 3000/- per disabled child could be incurred in a financial year to meet the special learning needs of such children. The ceiling on expenditure per disabled child will apply at the district level. On-going monitoring and evaluation should be carried out to refine the programme from time to time. For this, appropriate monitoring mechanisms and tools should be devised at every level and field tested at regular intervals. Inclusive education differs from previously held notions of integration and mainstreaming, which tended to be concerned principally with disability and special educational needs and implied learners changing or becoming ready for or deserving of accommodation by the mainstream. By contrast, inclusion is about the child s right to participate and the schools duty to accept the child. Inclusion rejects the use of special schools or classrooms to separate students with disabilities from students without disabilities. A premium is placed upon full participation by students with disabilities and upon respect for their social, civil, and educational rights. The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has admitted that a section of the Right to Education (RTE) Act pertaining to disadvantaged sections will have to be changed as it does not cover all disabled children. According to the proposed amendment, the Act will now include children covered under the National Trust Act and any other law that deals with those suffering from mental as well as physical disorders. The RTE Act proposes free and compulsory education to all children aged between 6 and 14 years, making it binding on all public and private schools to reserve 25% of their seats for children from disadvantaged sections. Dyslexia does not find mention in the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection or Rights and Full Participation) Act 1995, and the National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act 1999.The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development in its latest report on the Right to Education Bill has recommended necessary modifications in the definition of child with disability to accommodate children with dyslexia. Inclusive education for the disabled is the challenging area in the implementation of SSA programme. Identification, enrolment, special assistance, provision of assistive devices to overcome the difficulty of the disabled children are done regularly. Surgery to the needy children, residential life skill camps, and play parks are the various interventions implemented for the welfare of the challenged children. Above details provided clear cut data about various interventions for physically challenged children during the year Awareness 5

6 The world is not a problem; the problem is our unawareness Awareness without action is worthless - Phil McGraw It plays a vital role in all aspects of life. Every individual needs awareness to know things, gain knowledge and experience. Communities get aware about the early identification, intervention, special education and therapies through the awareness programs conducted in focusing the various concepts about the differently able. Awareness is needed: - to promote an understanding of issues surrounding disability - to encourage community to focus on the individual, not the disability - to develop an understanding of appropriate and effective methods of interaction with people with disabilities - to foster an understanding of the ways in which the information needs of people with disabilities can be met - To promote awareness, understanding and respect of disability i.e. to see beyond the disability, to see the person, enabling the person with a disability to participate fully in society on an equal basis with non-disabled persons. Assessment All assessment is a perpetual work in a progress Linda Suske Assessment means analysis of security, effectiveness and potential of an existing or planned intelligence activity. The aim of an assessment is to decide what health and education needs arise from disability and what services require to meet those needs. To whom Behaviour Abnormalities Feature difference Enrollment The students who were identified as children with special needs where enrolled in School Readiness camp, Regular schools, SRBC, HBT and HBTBC - Enrolled students are benefited by getting healthy food, Appliances, Uniforms, Travel Allowances and Therapy materials. In a specific period of time after the intervention the child is enrolled in regular school. 6

7 - CWSN are getting special education and training provided by Special Educators, Regular teachers, Care givers, Physiotherapist, Peers, Parents and Family members. Medical Camps The Camp was exclusively organized for the children with Special Needs between the age group of 6-14 in all the 10 Zones in the month of August. The team of doctors which includes Mental Health Specialist, Ophthalmologist, ENT Special, Orthopedic Surgeon, Audiometric and Vision technicians observed and assessed the level of impairment in the CWSN. The newly identified CWSN were provided with National Disability Identity Card through medical camps. The children were assessed by doctors like ortho surgeon, ophthalmologist, psychologist and ENT surgeon based on their needs and disabilities. After assessment they were referred for surgeries, assistive devices and support services by them. Counseling and guidance were also provided by special educators to reduce the stress of the family with CWSN. The aim of the medical camp is to: Provide medical services based on the individual needs of CWSN in free of cost. 7

8 Through this camp their requirements are noted and follow up services are provided to them. (Surgeries, Aids and appliances and therapeutic intervention) with the guidance of concern specialists. Medical camp plays a major role in providing services to the CWSN and their family with in their environment. Breaking the Barriers For many city-dwellers, today's modern cities and towns may be convenient and fascinating places for working and living, offering a great variety of opportunities and experiences. But for CWSN such built environments are full of uncertainties, anxieties and dangers. CWSN encounter many obstacles that prevent them from moving about freely and safely. For wheelchair users, steps and stairways are obstacles. Blind people are endangered by the absence of directional and safety features that they can hear and touch. The PWD Act makes provisions to create a barrier free environment for all persons with disability and to encourage them to be fully participating members of the society. Broadly, the term barrier free environment would mean removing obstacles and providing access to all. Modified toilets and Ramp constructions in schools, day care centres were provided for CWSN to make them feel comfortable and barrier free. Academic Resource Support Resource Support Special education teachers in their field visit focus on particular goals as mandated by an individualized education programme and remediate general education curriculum. Some programmes emphasize the development of executive skills including home work completion and behaviour. Support services like physical access, resource room at cluster level, special equipment, reading material, special educational techniques, remedial teaching, curricular adaptation or adapted teaching strategies is being provided. 8

9 IE HUB meeting is conducted monthly once in schools with CWSN, in this meeting regular school teachers, VEC members, SMC members, Anganwadi teachers, parents of CWSN, and public take part.this session is organised by BRTE S and Special teachers. In this session they give awareness about the causes and prevention of disability, and also they give information about the allowances provided to them regarding MR-MG, Scholarship, Aids and appliances, National differently abled identity card, Medical camp, Resource room facilities, School Readiness camp, Therapeutic intervention (physiotherapy), Home based training and Enrollment of CWSN in regular schools. IE HUB meeting at Nilgiris 9

10 IE Magazine Activities, achievements, students abilities and additional information about CWSN are documented in monthly magazines by every block in the name of Maatru Sinthanai. It brings out the individual talents and success of children with special needschers World Differently abled day World differently abled day was celebrated on in all day care centers. On this day, Pamphlets were issued to the public focusing on the welfare schemes provided by 10

11 sarva Shiksha Abiyan. Students and parents partici participated pated in these programs. The District collector took part in this function. Various sports competition and Cultural programmes were conducted. The students who participated in the events were issued prizes and certificates. Inclusive sports day Inclusive sports day Celebration at madurai Inclusive sports day celebrated in all the inclusive school which enhance the retention of CWSN in school Corrective surgeries : The students who cannot be treated with therapy are provided the facility of surgical corrections. It usually happens for students with orthopaedic problems. This academic year surgical corrections for cleft palate are carried out. The total number n of students benefitted with this surgical correction for Cleft Palate is

12 Picture of student affected With Cleft Palate (before surgery) Picture of student after surgery Training for Teacher All special teachers, regular teachers, BRTE s were provided with regular training to update their knowledge and skills regarding the development of CWSN. The teachers are also being exposed to the concept of inclusive need based pedagogy through training on principles of effective teaching such as classroom organization, seating arrangement, TLM, IEP, evaluation Process etc. District Level Low Vision Training for Special Educators at Dindugal State level training; As a State initiative training was given to primary and upper primary teachers regarding inclusion of CP and Autism. 120 teachers were benefitted.. State level Training by vidhya sagar CEREBERAL PALSY 12

13 Training to SMC Training for parents and SMC members was provided to reduce their stress about their CWSN, and make them aware of various conditions. To make them empower to manage the CWSN in the process of rehabilitation. The training is provided to educate them for their attitudinal change and to equip them with certain skill in handling the children after school hours. It is also proposed to extend the programme for the parents of severe CWSN who need more training. 13

14 Low vision assessment training for parents at Theni District Strategy tegy adapted to handle CWSN in S School chool Co-operative operative learning & peer tutoring in ABL 14

15 Evaluation CCE evaluation includes systematic acquisition and assessment of information to provide useful feedback. Evaluation are done for the CWSN Evaluation on memory, language, visual and perceptual skills, fine motor skills, attention and executive functioning. (Reading Skill) Evaluation of VI students in CCE This Component of the programme is perhaps one of the most commendable initiatives of the State In Tamil Nadu, Inclusive Education is being successfully implemented in all districts. The Differently-abled children have been identified through Household Survey and Village Education Register. Medical camps are conducted in all blocks to assess the nature and severity of the disability of the children in convergence with the Department of Rehabilitation for the disabled. This year, medical camps have been conducted in two phases in all districts to ensure near cent percent coverage. Assistive devices have been supplied to the needy children. During the current year ( ), 1, 49,214 Differently-abled children have been identified. Out of which,1,35,299 children have been enrolled in schools special teachers have been appointed to work in the current year also. 13, 915 children with severe disability are now under homebased care and training. Parents of disabled children have been oriented through School readiness camp regularly through IE-HUB. 15

16 412 Resource centers for the differently-abled children have been set up in Block Resource Centers. 151 Physiotherapists, 17 Occupational Therapists have been appointed for giving physiotherapy/ Occupational exercises. 392 School readiness camps are functioning in all the districts. One caretaker and one helper have been appointed in these supporting centre to take care of the disabled children. Transport allowance is given to parents of these children to bring their children to the day care centres and around 7237 CWSNs have been benefited. 404 Inclusive child-friendly Play parks established in all the districts during the year , continue to function this year also. This is an intervention to bring about positive change in the minds of peer group children and to instill confidence among the disabled. Primary and Secondary kits also provided by Govt. of Tamil Nadu to visually impaired child 917 enrolled in schools and also 404 free Braille Script were provided. 16