REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Transcription

1 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE The Review of related literature is a must for the successful completion of research. A careful review of literature is one of the major stages or steps in any research study. The research must try to become familiar with his problem by going through the studies. It helps the researcher to lay a sound foundation for his investigation. Though, it is time consuming, it is a fruitful phase as it helps the research worker to find out what is already known. According to Best (1991) Extensive use of library through investigation of related literature is essential in preparing graduate term papers, seminars, reports and planning and carrying all kinds of researches involving special field problems, thesis and dissertation. Review of the previous research will yield clues to the techniques of research. The researchers would hope to gain help in deciding how to do his own project by seeing how others have studied in the area, and the success they have achieved with different research approaches, methods and techniques (Fox, 1969). The summary of related literature promotes an understanding of the problem and avoids unnecessary duplication. It helps the researcher to make a chance to gain an insight into methods, measures, subjects and approaches employed by other research worker which in turn will lead to significant improvements of his own research design.

2 39 In this chapter the investigator has attempted to note down some points which are relevant to the study on previous literature and a theoretical overview of the study. As it is revealed from the title of the problem, the present investigation is an attempt to study the Attitude of teachers, heads of schools, hearing impaired children and normal children towards integrated education programme and challenges encountered by the groups regarding the implementation of the programme. This chapter is divided into two sections as follows: Section I Section II An Overview of the Integrated Education Programme for the Disabled Children in Kerala. Review of Related literature SECTION I AN OVERVIEW OF THE INTEGRATED EDUCATION FOR THE DISABLED CHILDREN IN KERALA The country has witnessed a phenomenal expansion of educational opportunities in the post-independence period. The disabled children, however, have not benefited substantially from this growth in educational facilities. The government of India, therefore, has brought the education of this group of children for special attention to achieve the goal of education for all. The objective is to integrate the handicapped with general community at all levels as equal partners, to prepare them for normal growth and enable them to face life with courage and confidence.

3 40 The Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IEDC) in Kerala is a programme initiated under the District Primary Education Programme focus on educational needs of children with disabilities and now it is under the control of Sarva Sikdha Abhiyan (SSA). Education for all means that the system brings all categories of children in the age group of 6-14 years in the regular schooling. To facilitate this, the educational environment in the schools must be so designed to cater to the needs of all children. Disabled children as the name itself indicate may have certain behavioral or other innate problems in their social, intellectual and physical abilities, which makes them distinct from other normal children. This naturally justifies the need for a special scheme of teaching to meet their requirements in academic works, communication, social and mobilisation of skills. Hence, IEDC is an in built programme in the main stream of General Education. Aims and Objectives The centrally sponsored scheme of Integrated Education for the disabled Children (IEDC) purports to provide educational opportunities for the disabled children in common schools, to facilitate their retention in the school system. The disabled children who are placed in special schools should also integrated in common schools once they acquire the communication and living skills at the functional level. The main objectives of the programme is listed below: 1. Integrate the disabled children with the general community as equal partners;

4 41 2. Identify the type, degree, and extent of disabilities amongst children of the age group between 3-10; 3. Provide technical resource support with adequate personal and equipment at block level with a view to give proper guidance and technical assistance not only to primary school teachers but also to the community, the parents and children of that area; 4. Establish Resource Centres, properly equipped at districts and block levels so as to tackle the problems, if any, at the local level itself; and 5. Finally to improve in general the achievement of disabled children undergoing this education. Type of Scheme This is a centrally sponsored scheme under which the Central Government assists the States/Union Territories in its implementation on the basis of criteria laid down. Assistance for all the items covered in the scheme will be on 100 percent basis but assistance for the programme would be conditional on provision of professionally qualified staff. Implementing Agencies The scheme shall be implemented through the State Governments/UT Administrations/Autonomous Organizations of stature having experience in the field of education and/or rehabilitation of the disabled. Because this scheme has to be implemented in schools, the Education Department would be the

5 42 implementing agency. The State Governments may take the assistance of voluntary organizations also for this purpose as may be feasible. Scope It is proposed to provide educational facilities under this scheme for children with disabilities who can be integrated in general schools. While rehabilitation assistance will be made available to all children with disabilities, the Assessment Team will extend student benefits on the recommendation. The scope of the scheme includes pre-school training for the disabled children and counselling for the parents. This would be an activity preparatory to the child coming into the regular school system. It would include, among other things, special training for the hearing handicapped children, mobility and orientation training for the visually handicapped, daily living and communication skills training required by children with other disabilities, parent counselling and training in home management of these children. The education of the disabled children under this scheme will continue up to the senior secondary school level and includes vocational courses equivalent to the senior secondary stage. A disabled child in receipt of any scholarship/assistance under other scheme relating to disability from the State/Central Government will not be eligible for any of the benefits under this scheme unless she is willing to forego the other sources of assistance.

6 43 Procedure for Implementation The implementing agency should set up an administrative cell under officer not below the rank of Deputy Director to implement, monitor evaluate the programme. These officials will be chosen for their qualifications in this field, or if they are not so qualified, will be trained in a course conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) or some other designated organisation. This will identify the areas and institutions for implementing the scheme. It is preferable that in order to properly plan and supervise implementation of the scheme a number of development blocks should be selected for operation of the scheme, rather than scattering schools under this scheme all over the State. Within the area of selected block all the desired inputs should be provided to the school covered. To identify desired children in the blocks/districts where the scheme yet to be implemented, the first task should be to provide suitable orientation to all school teachers in the area for conducting a survey to identify disabled children in general schools. Teachers may be provided a small honorarium for conducting the survey. Each primary school may be provided Rs. 100 (to be shared by teachers) for conducting this survey. The IEDC cell should provide printed survey forms for identification of these children. Assistance up to Rs. 10,000 may be provided to the IEDC cell for this purpose. These efforts should be supplemented by publicity through mass media.

7 44 The State-level cell will make arrangements for equipment, learning materials, staff, etc., in order to provide education to disabled children. The cell will also set up the machinery for assessment of the disabled children. Wherever survey has been conducted by any other agency it would be utilized and augmented with the survey of disabilities not covered by the earliest survey. The cell will carry out monitoring and evaluation of the scheme at the state level. The cell will ensure that the information regarding the scheme is widely known. Administrative Cell The Administrative Cell to be set by the State Education Department will have a Deputy Director (in the scale of pay applicable in the State Government), a co-ordinator who will be a psychologist in the scale applicable to a university lecture, a Special Educator in the pay scale applicable to a university lecturer, a Stenographer and a Lower Division Clerk in the pay scales applicable in the State/UT. Assessment of the Disabled Children The Co-ordinator of the programme will be responsible for arranging for the assessment of the children and monitoring their progress on ongoing basis. A three-member assessment team, comprising a doctor, a psychologist and a special educator will be formed. The State/UT assessment team would function under the Administrative Cell. Specialists will be drawn upon in consultation with the State Health Department. Wherever district rehabilitation centres have been established, its resources for assessment may be

8 45 used. The non-government organizations (NGOs) with infrastructural facilities may also be used for assessment purpose. The average cost of an assessment should not exceed Rs per disabled child. It will be necessary to examine a large number of children to select those considered suitable for placement in an integrated programme. Members of the assessment team would be given TA and DA as per State Government/UT Administrative rules. The assessment report should be comprehensive enough educational programming; a profile of what a particular child can or cannot do during testing situations should be adequately reported. The report should specifically indicate whether the child can be put directly into school or should receive preparation in special school/ special preparatory class in the Early Childhood Education Centre specially equipped for this purpose. Functional assessment can be carried out by the teacher if formal assessment is to take a long time so that the educational programme can be started for these children. Linkages Integrated education of disabled children requires inputs from different Departments like Education, Health, Labour, Welfare, etc. For effective linkages between these Departments and NGO s, working in this area, co-ordination committees will be formed at State, regional district and block levels. Facilities for Disabled children (i) A disabled child may be given the following kinds of facilities at the rates prevalent in the States/UT concerned. The facilities

9 46 should, as far as possible, be given in kind. In case similar incentives are not being offered by the State Government/UT Administration under any other scheme, the following rates could be adopted. a) Actual expenses on books and stationery up to Rs. 400 per annum. b) Actual expenses on uniform up to Rs.200 per annum. c) Transport allowance up to Rs. 50 per month. If disabled child admitted under the scheme resides in the school hostel within the school premises, no transportation charges would be admissible. d) Reader allowance of Rs. 50 per month in case of blind children after class V. e) Escort allowance for severely handicapped with lower extremity disability at the rate of Rs. 75 per month. f) Actual cost of equipment subject to a maximum of Rs. 2,000 per year for a period of five years. (ii) In the case of severely orthopaedically handicapped children, it may be necessary to allow one attendant for 10 children in a school. The attendant may be given the standard scale of pay prescribed for Class IV employees in the State/UT concerned. (iii) Disabled children residing in school hostels within the same institution where they are studying may also be paid boarding and lodging charges as admissible under the State Government rules/schemes. Where there is no State scheme of scholarships to hostellers, the disabled children whose parental income does not exceed Rs. 5,000 per month may be paid actual boarding and lodging charges subject to a maximum of Rs. 200 per month.

10 47 However, disabled children should generally not be placed in hostels unless the required educational facilities are not available in the nearby schools. (iv) Severely orthopaedically children residing in school hostels may need the assistance of a helper or an ayah. A special pay of Rs. 50 per month is admissible to nay employee of the hostel willing to extend such help to children, in addition to his/ her duties. Resource Teacher Support Except for children with locomotor disabilities, special education teachers may be appointed in schools where the scheme is in operation to provide specific attention to the disabled children. Appointment of Resource teachers The teacher-pupil ratio for special education teachers envisaged this scheme is 1:8. This ratio will be the same for normal classes as for preparatory pre-school classes. The same teachers will provide counselling to the parents. In accordance with this ratio this requisite number of special teachers may be appointed in schools (or for a of schools) for children requiring special teacher support. Qualifications Special teachers so appointed should possess the following qualifications. (a) Primary: Academic qualifications as prevalent in the States Union Territories with one year course, preferably multicategory, special education or with specialisation in teaching any type of

11 48 disabled children depending upon the category of children in the IEDC Such teachers can be oriented subsequently in the education of categories of disability. (b) Secondary: Graduates with B.Ed (Special Education) or any other equivalent professional training in special education. Prescribed qualifications should be adhered in. In case qualified special teachers are not available, teachers with short training course may be appointed with the condition that they will complete the full course within three years of appointment. Special allowance for these teachers will be admissible only after completion of the full course. Teachers with single disability professional courses will be encouraged to take courses in other disabilities to improve viability in rural areas. Since teachers with experience in Non-Formal Education (NFE) and Adult Education (AE) are likely to have a better understanding of local environment and need, they could also be identified for training under the scheme and appointed as special teachers. Scales of Pay The same scales of pay as available to the teachers of the corresponding category in the State/UT will be given to special teachers. Considering the special type of duties, these teachers will be given a special pay of Rs. 150 per month in urban areas and Rs. 200 per month in rural areas. The State Education Department may recruit such teachers for this purpose following the normal recruitment procedures.

12 49 Training of Special Teachers The facilities for the training of special teachers are readily available in the Regional Colleges of Education (RCEs), Regional Training Centres being run by the National Institute for the Handicapped, Special Education Departments in the universities and selected Colleges for Education. The training facilities are being further expanded. The State Government may prepare an estimate of the requirements of teachers under each category of disability and send it to the Regional Colleges of Education/District Institutions of Education and Training (DIET s), National Institutes for the Handicapped and the University Grant Commission under intimation to the NCERT. Since the appointment fully trained, full time resource teachers is an essential input for the successfully implementation of the scheme, the State-Government/U Administration must cause appointment of such teachers on priority basis. Under the scheme, grant is available through UGC for instituting full-time training courses for special teachers. The university/training institutes are expected to utilise the existing infrastructural facilities and other resources to the extent possible. The cost of the additional aids/equipments/space and the additional faculty members will be from the funds under this scheme. DIETs should organise in-service training courses for general teachers and refresher courses for resource teachers.

13 50 Training of Other Staff The successful implementation of the led depends upon the responsiveness of the administrators and general teachers in the school. Short orientation courses for administrators, heads of the institutions and general teachers associated with the implementation of the scheme may be organised. Training of administrators/key persons will be organised the NCERT. State Government/UT Administrations may organise orientation programmes of three days duration for heads of the institutions and of five days duration for general teachers of the institutions implementing the led scheme with the help of RCE s, Regional Training Centres and DIET s for the handicapped. The modules for these orientation programmes will be provided by the NCERT. Expenditure on TA/DA of the participants will be borne by the State Governments/UT Administrations concerned. The cost of honorarium and TA/DA of resource persons and contingencies, etc. will be met under this scheme. Resource Room A resource room having all the essential equipment, learning aids and materials may be provided for a cluster of schools implementing the scheme of integrated education. The NCERT has prepared a handbook, which also indicated the type of facilities, which may be provided in the resource room. The list of equipments is estimated at Rs. 30,000. The need for equipment would depend upon the disability types of the students enrolled in the associated schools. The resource room may be set up preferably in an existing room in the school a new room may be built only where no accommodation is

14 51 available to the satisfaction of the State Government. Grant shall be available for construction of a resource room in a school in such circumstances subject to a maximum of Rs. 50,000. NGOs/special schools wherever available should be used as resource centres for the led programme in general schools. Removal of Architectural Barriers It may be necessary to remove architectural barriers or to modify existing architectural facilities, so as to provide easier access to orthopaedically disabled children to the school premises. Grant shall be available for this purpose for the schools where such handicapped children in are enrolled. Instructional Materials At present sufficient facilities for production of instructional material for children with different disabilities do not exist in the country. Availability of requisite teaching/learning material for the disabled is vital for successful implementation of the scheme. The requirement of such materials is bound to increase with the increased coverage of disabled children. Financial assistance under this scheme will be available material may be translated and produced in regional languages. Visually and hearing impaired should be allowed to take only one language as already recommended. Provision for alternative modes of examination for blind and other children with physical disabilities coming in the way writing should be considered and provided by the Boards of Examination.

15 52 Regulations for Relaxation of Rules State Governments/UT Administrations/other implementing agencies should also frame regulations for relaxation of rules relating admissions, minimum or maximum age limit for admissions, promotions examination procedures, etc., for improving access of the disabled children to education. Provision of admission of disabled children education. Provision for admission of disabled children older than normal eligibility (up to 8-9 years instead of 6 years) is essential in transitional phase at least till the target of universal primary education (UPE) is achieved. Pre-school and ECCE Facilities Preparation of disabled children for education being essential, preference should be given to the blocks where the schemes of Integrated Child Development (lcd) and Early Childhood Centres of Education (ECCE) exist while selecting blocks for implementation of the scheme. Support for services for disabled children will be available instructional materials for disabled children will be available for instructional materials and training teachers. Procedure for Grants to State Governments/UT Administrations The State Government/UT Administrations should formulate their programmes, make assessment of their financial requirements and submit detailed proposals for the next financial year to the Ministry of Human Resource Development (Department of Education, Government of India) by the end of December every year. The proposals should be accompanied by utilisation certificates for grants

16 53 released in the previous year and implementation report in respect of the previous year indicating, interalia, detailed information regarding areas covered, the number of disabled children covered school-wise, teachers training programmes conducted etc. The proposal should specify clearly whether for the purpose of various allowances to the disabled children the State Government rates have been adopted. The proposals will be examined in the Ministry and 50 per cent of the approved grant for the year will be released as the first installment. The remaining and 50 per cent of the grant will be sanctioned as soon as the State/UT Administration reports utilisation of at least 75 percent of the grant sanctioned earlier. The request for the release of the second installment should be accompanied by an implementation report and a detailed of expenditure. Procedure for Grant to Voluntary Organisations The voluntary organisations desirous of implementing the scheme should sent their applications through the concerned State Government/UT Administration (with a copy endorsed directly to the Ministry). The State Government should give its views within a period of three months regarding the organisation eligibility, suitability, relevance of the proposal and the capacity of the agency to implement it. Comments should be sent by the State Government even if the proposal is not recommended giving reasons therefore. In order to be eligible for financial assistance under these scheme voluntary organisations, public trusts and non-profit making

17 54 companies should (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (vi) Have proper constitution of articles of association; Have a properly constituted managing body with its powers and duties clearly defined in the constitutions; Be in a position to secure the involvement, on voluntary basis, of knowledgeable persons for furtherance of their programmes; Not discriminate against any person or group of persons ground of sex, religion, caste or creed; Not be run for the profit of any individual or a body of individuals: Not directly function for the furtherance of the interests of political party and (vii) Not in any manner incite communal disharmony. Only those eligible agencies which have been in existence for three years would be considered for assistance under this scheme. This requirement may be waived in respect of agencies with specially qualified workers or which can otherwise justify a special consideration. If any agency receiving or expecting to receive grant from some other official source for a project for which application is made under this scheme, assistance under this scheme will be made after taking into consideration the grant received, or likely to be received from such other official source. It should also be ensured that an agency

18 55 already in receipt of a grant from any other official source, Central or a State, should not transfer any part of that liability to a grant to be sanctioned under this scheme. Conditions of Grant to Voluntary Organisations (i) The grant-receiving agency will be required to execute a bond on a prescribed form. The bound should be supported by two sureties if the agency is not a legal entity. (ii) An agency in receipt of financial assistance shall be open to inspection by an officer deputed by the Government of India or the State Government. They shall also be open to test-check by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India at this discretion. (iii) The accounts of the project shall be maintained properly and separately and submitted as and when required. They should be open to check by an officer deputed by the Government of India or the State Government. They shall also be open to a test-check by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India at his discretion. (iv) The audited accounts together with the utilisation certificate in the prescribed form duly countersigned by the Chartered Accountant are required to be furnished within six months in respect of a preceding year or after expiry of the duration for with grant is approved. (v) The agency shall maintain a record of all assets acquired wholly or partially out of government grant and maintain a register of such assets in the prescribed proforma. Such assets shall not be disposed of, encumbered or utilised for the purposes other than those for which the grant was given, without prior sanction of the

19 56 Government of India. Should the agency cease to exist at any time, such properties shall revert to the Government of India. (vi) When the State Government of India has reasons to believe that the sanctioned money is not being utilised for the approved purpose or the payment of rant may be stopped and the earlier grants recovered. (vii) The institution must exercise reasonable economy in the working of the approved project. (viii) The grantee agency shall furnish to the Ministry of Human Resource Development reports as may be prescribed. (ix) The decisions of the Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Education, on the question whether there has been breach of violation of any of the terns and conditions mentioned in the sanction letter shall be final, and binding on the grantee. Evaluation and Monitoring State Governments/UT Administrations may identify institutions/agencies to make up concurrent evaluations of the programme in selected areas/schools. The cost of such evaluation studies would be reimbursable to the State Government under the scheme. The Central Government may also undertake a summative evaluation of implementation of the scheme through the NCERT (or other institutions) at the end of the plan period.

20 57 Important Government Orders relating to IEDC Programme in Kerala: 1. Circular No /98/ DPI. dt The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Integrated Educational for the Disalised children (IEDC) intends to provide Educational opportunities for the Disabled children in regular schools. It is recommended in the Disability Act 1995 that the Integrated Education is to be encouraged among the children with special needs. The disabled children who are placed in special schools should also be Integrated in general schools, Once they will acquire the communication and daily living skills at functional level or they can directly integrated in general schools by providing all facilities. In the above circumstances the Heads or regular schools are hereby directed not to refuse admission to pupils with special needs (Visually Impaired, Hearing, Hearing Impaired, Orthopaedically Handicapped, Mentally Retarded, Learning disabled, Multi-category etc.) on any account. Necessary instructions in this regard, may be issued to all the schools. 2. Order No. Go. (Rt) No. 1697/83/G.Edn.dt As per this order this order it has been brought to the notice of the Govt. of India that Deaf Children Experience enormous difficulties in learning three languages at the Secondary stage under the three language formula and as a result only a very small percentage of Deaf

21 58 children are successful at the secondary examination. Therefore the state Govt. examined question with a view to adopting one language policy so far as the Deaf Children are concerned. That is exemption from study of English and Hindi for Deaf students in the state. 3. Order No. Go.(MS) No.135/88/G.Edn As per this order the deaf students in the states are exempted from the study of second and third languages; but they have the option to study all the languages, if they want to so or only the mother tongue. There are deaf students migrated from other stages who have not got facility to study regional language outside the State. In the letter read as second paper the Director of Public Instruction has proposed that such students may be allowed to study one language, i.e. second language (English). Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IEDC) in District Primary Education Programme (DPEP): The DPEP which was launched in1994, aims at Universalisation of Primary Education (UPE) and is operational in 271 districts in the country. Its aim cannot be achieved until and unless 10percent of children with special needs are integrated in the education system. With this aim, since 1998, IEDC programme has been receiving special emphasis under DPEP and endeavouring to integrate children with disabilities in DPEP primary schools. DPEP supports for the activities like community mobilization and early detection, in-service teacher training, resource support, educational aids and appliances, architectural designs in schools, etc. Children with learning disabilities

22 59 also get special care in primary schools in DPEP. In the other non- DPEP districts the same IEDC activities will be supported under the programme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). Earlier, there were no activities for children with learning disabilities under the programme of IEDC. Since, estimates of prevalence rate of children with learning disabilities seem to be very high, i.e., ranging from 1-30 percent of the school population depending on the criteria used to determine the disability. Some studies estimate the prevalence of learning disabilities to be 7-8 percent whereas others indicate a prevalence rate of 15 percent. Now under SSA and DPEP such children are being specially taken care of strategies of teaching such children have been developed. The key objective of SSA is Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE). Three important aspects of UEE are access, enrolment and retention of all children in 6-14 years of age. This goal of UEE, has further been facilitated by the Constitutional (86th Amendment) Act, making free and compulsory elementary education a Fundamental Right, for all the children in the age group of 6-14 years. This Amendment has given a new thrust to the education of Children With Special Needs (CWSN), as without their inclusion, the objective of UEE cannot be achieved. In-fact inclusion of one of the groups, which is extremely crucial for UEE, is perhaps that of the CWSN. Hence, education of CWSN is an important component of SSA. Integrated education of disabled children in Kerala The IEDC scheme has been implemented since 1992 throughout Kerala. About 8000 schools cater to 27,350 children with special needs

23 60 (visual handicap: 1700; hearing handicap: 5650; orthopedic handicap: 13,000; mental retardation: 4000). The Ministry of Human Resource Development supports the Integrated Education of the Disabled Cell under the Directorate of Public Instruction. Rs 33 million have been provided. About 56 resource rooms and one vocational rehabilitation centre are functional. Over 200 special teachers are working under this scheme. The IEDC component of the DPEP programme was initiated in 1994, and has been implemented in six districts. Malappuram District was chosen for this study because it is largest district. This district has 22,000 teachers, 800,000 children in Classes A series of resource books and teachers aids were developed in the first three years. Since 1998, identification has been carried out in all blocks, and aids and appliances have been distributed to needy children. There is no provision for surgery or other treatments. Orientation-cum-training programmes of varying duration were conducted for resource teachers, general teachers, administrative personnel, parents and the public. There are 15 resource centres, and 40 resource teachers under the DPEP and 17 resource teachers under the IEDC scheme, who work jointly as a team. Multi-grade learning centres, also called alternate schools, with a single teacher were started to give support to children. In Malappuram, 14,146 children with special needs have been identified and enrolled in normal schools. About 522 children have received aids and appliances. The programme has been mostly effective. Classmates of children with special needs enjoyed their company, and helped them in many ways. More learning aids would

24 61 help children with special needs. Teachers are happy that children with special needs learn well. The curriculum could be more childfriendly. General teachers would like more training on handling children with special needs. The supply of resource teachers is limited. in Malappuram District, a lot of convergence is taking place between IEDC and DPEP. The programmes have mobilized manpower, money and materials for identifying and enrolling children with special needs in general schools. The parent teacher association of each school as well as local committees plays a major role in mobilizing resources. However, this kind of convergence is not taking place in other districts. Children with visual and hearing impairment are still studying in special schools; they will eventually be enrolled in mainstream middle or high schools. Sarva Siksha Abhiyan s (SSA) Policy on Inclusion Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) ensures that every child with special needs, irrespective of the kind, category and degree of disability, is provided meaningful and quality education. Hence, SSA has adopted a zero rejection policy. This means that no child having special needs should be deprived of the right to education and taught in an environment, which is best, suited to his/her learning needs. These include special schools, EGS, AIE or even home-based education. The major thrust of SSA is on inclusion or mainstreaming CWSN into the fabric of formal elementary schooling. Experiences of programmes like DPEP and various research findings have shown that inclusion is best determined by the individual needs of the child. Most

25 62 children with special needs can be enrolled and retained in regular schools if adequate resource support is provided to them, whereas there are others who might have to be provided some kind of preintegration programmes, before they can be mainstreamed in a classroom. There might also be still some CWSN with severe profound disabilities, who would require an educational programme and intensive specialized support completely beyond the purview and scope of a formal school in the current situation. Thus, SSA has adopted a more expansive and a broad-based understanding of the concept of inclusion, wherein a multi-option model of educating CWSN is being implemented. The dual objective of embracing this model is to bring more CWSN under the umbrella of SSA and to provide to CWSN appropriate need based skills, vocational, functional literacy or simply activities of daily living. Further, an attempt is being made to provide these skills in the most appropriate learning environment. Approaches and Options: The thrust of SSA will be on providing integrated and inclusive education to all children with special needs in general schools. It will also support a wide range of approaches, options and strategies for education of children with special needs. This includes education through open learning system and open schools, non formal and alternative schooling, distance education and learning, special schools, wherever necessary, home based education, itinerant teacher model, remedial teaching, part time classes, community based rehabilitations (CBR) and vocational education and cooperative programmes.

26 63 Components: The following activities could form components of he programme: a) Identification: A concerted drive to detect children with special needs at an early age should be undertaken through PHCs, ICDS, ECCE centres and other school readiness programmes. Identification children with special needs should become an integral part of the micro-planning and household surveys. b) Functional and formal assessment of each identified child should be carried out. A team should be constituted at every lock to carry out this assessment and recommend most appropriate placement for every child wit special needs. c) Educational Placement: As far as possible, every child with special needs should be placed in regular schools, with needed support services. d) Aids and appliances: All children requiring assistive devices should be provided with aids and appliances, obtained as far as possible through convergence with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, State Welfare Departments, National Institutions or NGOs. e) Support services: Support services like physical access, resource rooms at cluster level, special equipment reading material, special educational techniques, remedial teaching, curricular adaptation or adapted teaching strategies could be provided f) Teacher training: Intensive teacher training should be undertaken to sensitize regular teachers on effective classroom management of children with special needs. This training should be recurrent at

27 64 block/cluster levels and integrated with the ongoing in-service teacher training schedules in SSA. All training modules at SCERT, DIET and BRC level should include a suitable component on education of children with special needs. g) Resource support: Resource support could be given by teachers working in special schools. Where necessary, specially trained resource teachers should be appointed, particularly for teaching special skills to children with special needs. Wherever this option is not feasible, long term training of regular teachers should be undertaken. h) Individualised Educational Plan (IEP): An IEP should be prepared by the teacher for every child with special needs in consultation with parents and experts. Its implementation should be monitored from time to time. The programme should test the effectiveness of various strategies and models by measuring the learning achievement of children with special needs periodically, after developing indicators. 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. j) Planning and management: Resource groups should be constituted at State, district levels to undertake effective planning and management of he programmes in collaboration with PRIs and NGOs. An apex level resource group at the national level to provide guidance,

28 65 technical and academic support to children with special needs under SSA may be constituted. k) Strengthening of special schools: Wherever necessary, special schools may be strengthened to obtain their resource support, in convergence with departments and agencies working in that area. l) Removal of architectural barriers: Architectural barriers in schools will be removed for easy access. Efforts will be taken to provide disable-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. m) 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. n) Monitoring and evaluation: On-going monitoring and evaluation should be carried out to refine the programme from time to time. For this, appropriate monitoring mechanisms should be devised at every level and field tested at regular intervals. o) Girls with disabilities: Special emphasis must be given to education of girls with disabilities.

29 Important Milestones in the Education of learners with Disabilities Inclusion of IED in DPEP 1999 National Trust for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities 1995 The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation ) Act 1994 The Salamanca Statement and Framework for Action 1992 The Rehabilitation Council of India Act 1974 Formulation of Centrally Sponsored Scheme of IEDC 1880s Establishment of Special Schools

30 67 Inclusive, Integrated and Special Education: Over the years the term Inclusive Education has come to replace the term Integrated Education. Many people working in the field of education consider these two terms to be meaning the same thing. They understand it as only a change in terminology and nothing else. In their words inclusive education means including children with disabilities in regular class rooms that have been designed for children without disabilities. Inclusive Education: We must understand that the term inclusive education means much more than this. It refers to an education system that accommodates all children regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, emotional, linguistic or other conditions. The range of challenges confronting the school system while including children with diverse abilities and from diverse backgrounds have to be met by creating a child centered pedagogy capable of successfully educating all children. An inclusive class may have amongst others, children who are disabled or gifted, street or working children, children from remote or nomadic population(national Curriculum Frame work 2005). Inclusive Education is about all children learning together even if they differ from each other in styles and pace of learning. It is a dynamic process because it addresses all aspects of child development emotional, physical, intellectual, creative, social etc. It is about celebrating diversity and changing the rigid school system in order to

31 68 meet the needs of all children. In an inclusive class all children appear to be happy and participating. Inclusion is about school change to improve the educational system for all students. It means changes in the curriculum, changes in how teachers teach and how students learn, as well as changes in how students with and without special needs interact with and relate to one another. Benefits of Inclusive Education: Inclusive Education can break the cycle of poverty and exclusion. Enables disabled children to stay with their families and communities. It can improve the quality of Education for All. It can help to overcome discrimination. Special Education: Special Education as a separate system of education for disabled children outside the mainstream education evolved way back in 1880 s in India. It was based on the assumption that disabled children had some special needs that could not be met in mainstream schools and therefore they need to study in a separate school with other children having similar needs. The special schools are generally organized according to different disability categories. We have schools for children with visual impairments, for the intellectually challenged and for those with hearing impairments. The major disadvantages of separate education in separate environment are that children may find it hard

32 69 to readjust to their families, peers and communities and children usually have to leave their families and communities to stay in a residential setting because these schools are usually not available in their immediate encironment. Integrated Education: We already know that Integrated Education is not the same as Inclusive Education. There is a vast difference between the two approaches. Integrated Education emphasizes placement of children with disabilities in mainstream school. The major thrust is on attendance, The school system remains rigid and as a result very few children with disabilities are able to cope with the demands of such rigid system. This is a system that would not accept many of our children with disabilities on the basis of not being prepared enough. In other words, in Integrated Education, the chidle is seen as a problem and not the system. She/He is considered to be different from others and if she/he cannot learn it is her/his problem. Hence Integrated Education based on the medical model of disability and views a child with disability with clinical blinders needing remedy. Inclusive Education, on the other hand is all about effective learning by all children including children with disabilities. It is based on the social model of disability and considers that if the child is not learning then the system needs to be blamed. Integrated Education can be a stepping stone for Inclusive Education. The difference between the three approaches is given in the form of a diagram below.

33 Diagramatic representation of the scope of Inclusive Education 70

34 71 The Salamanca Statement (1994) More than 300 participants representing 92 governments and 25 international organizations met in Salamanca, Spain, from 7 to 10 June in 1994 to further the objectives of Education for All (EFA) by considering the fundamental policy shift required to promote the approach of Inclusive Education mainly to enable schools to serve all children, particularly those with special educational needs. The Conference adopted the Salamanca Statement on Principles, Policy and Practice in Special Needs Education and a Framework for Action. The Salamanca Conference marked a new point for millions of children who had long been deprived of education. It provided a unique opportunity to place special education within the wider framework of the Education for All (EFA) movement. The goal is nothing less than the inclusion of the world s children in schools and the reform of the school system. This has led to the concept of Inclusive School The challenge confronting the concept of Inclusive School is that of developing a child-centred pedagogy capable of successfully educating all children, including those who have serious disadvantages and disabilities. To provide quality basic education to all children is now a globally accepted reality (World Declaration on Education for All, 1990; Delhi Declaration, 1993). In developing countries, the focus is on access and participation with a reasonable level of achievement, while developed countries are concentrating on enhancing standards of achievement. A second trend is also discernible. School systems in developed countries have historically operated a parallel system of

35 72 ordinary and special schools and now they are moving from mainstreaming and integration towards the development of Inclusive Schools (Ainscow, 1993). For school system in developing countries, inclusive schooling is not an alternative choice but an inevitability. The goal for both is to organize effective schools for all children, including those with special needs. Planning and implementing this qualitative change to the system is a challenging task (Jangira, 1995). Although the goal of organizing effective schools for all is common to all countries, the magnitude and nature of the task would vary according to whether it is a developed or developing country. The school system must be changed to enable it to respond to the educational needs of all children, including those with special needs. Each school has to accept that it must cater to all the children in its community. This fundamental shift in school policy is to be accompanied by: curriculum reform ensuring it accessibility to all children; teacher education reform to equip mainstream teachers with appropriate knowledge and skills; and the building of a support system (Jangira, 1995). From Special Education to Inclusive Education PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES, PROTECTION OF WRITES AND FULL PARTICIPATION) ACT 1995 The act of parliament received the assent of the president of India on the 1 st January, 1996 and is year by published for general information. The pertinent parts of this act is detailed below:

36 73 An act to give effect to the Proclamation on the full Participation and Equality of the People with Disabilities in the Asian and Pacific Region. Where as the Meeting to Launch the Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled persons convened by the Economic and Social commission for Asia and Pacific held at Beijing on 1st to 5th December, 1992, adopted the Proclamation on the Full Participation and Equality of People with Disabilities in the Asian and Pacific regions: AND WHERE India is a signatory to the said Proclamation AND WHERE it is considered necessary to implement the proclamation aforesaid PRELIMINARY 1 (1) This Act may be called the persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities. Protection of Rights and full participation) Act (2) It extend to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir (3) It shall come into force on such dates as the Central government by notification appoint 2. In this act, unless the context otherwise requires:- 1. Appropriate Government means:- i. In relation to the Central Governments or any establishment wholly or substantially financed by that Government or a

37 74 cantonment Board constituted under the cantonment act The Central Government ii. In relation to the Central Government or any establishments wholly or substantiality financed by that Government or nay local authority other than a cantonment Board the State Governments. iii. In respects of the central coordination committee and the central executive committee the central government; iv. In respects of the central coordination committee and the state executive committee the state government; 2. blindness refers to a condition where a person suffers from any of the following conditions namely:- i. total absence of sight; or ii. visual acuity not exceeding 6/60 or 20/20 (snellen) in the better eye with correcting lenses; or iii. (iii) limitation of the field of vision subtending an angle of 20 degree or worse; 2. Central Coordination committee means the central coordination committee constituted under sub section (i) of section 3; 3. Central Executive Committee means the central Executive Committee constituted under sub section (i) of sections Cerebral palsy means a group of non-progressive conditions of a person characterised by abnormal motor control posture resulting from brain insult or injuries occurring in the pre-natal pen-natal or infante period of development. 5. Chief commissioner means the Chief Commissioner appointed under sub section (i) of section 57;

38 75 6. Commissioner means the commissioner appointed under section sub-section (1) of section 60; 7. Commissioner authority means the authority appointed under section 50; 8. Disability means i) Blindness ii) Low vision iii) Leprosy cured iv) Hearing impairment ; v) Locomotor disability vi) Mental retarding vii) Mental illness 9. Employer means:- i. In relation to a Government the authority notified by the Head of the Department in this behalf of where no such authority is notified the Head of the department and, ii. In relation to an establishment the chief executive officer of that establishment k) Establishment means a corporation established by or under a central provincial or state act or an authority or a body owned or controlled or aided by the government or a local authority or a Government company as defined is section 617 of the companies Act, 1956 and includes Departments of agovernment. l) hearing impairment means loss of sixty decibels or more the better year in the conversational range of frequencies

39 76 m) institution for persons with disabilities means an institution for the e reception care protections, education training rehabilitation or only other service of persons with disabilities n) Leprosy cured person means any person who has been cured of leprosy but is suffering from (i) Loss of sensation in hands or feet as well as lost of sensation and paresis in the eye and eye lid but with no manifest deformity. (ii) Manifest deformity and paresis but having sufficient mobility in their hands and feet to enable them to engage in normal economic activity (iii) Extreme physical deformity as well as advanced age which prevents him from undertaking any gainful occupation and the expression leprosy cured shall be construed accordingly o) Locomotive disability means disability of the bones joints or muscles leading to substantial restrictions of the movement of the limbs or any form of cerebral palsy p) Medical authority means any hospital or institution specified or the purposes of this Act by notification by the appropriate Government; q) Mental retardation means a condition of arrested or incomplete development or mind of person which is specially characterized by sub normality or intelligences r) Notification means a notification published in the Officers Gazette

40 77 s) Person with disability means a person suffering from not less than forty per cent of any disability as certified by a medical authority t) Person with low vision means a person with impairment of visual function even after treatment of standard refractive correction but who uses or is potentially capable of using vision for the planning execution of task with appropriate assistive device; u) Prescribed means prescribed by rules made under this act rehabilitation refers to a process aimed at enabling persons with disabilities to reach and maintain their optimal physical sensory intellectual psychiatric or social functional levels v) Special employment exchange means any office or place established and maintained by the Government for the collection and furnishing of information either by keeping or registers or otherwise respecting i. Persons who seek to engage employees from amongst the persons suffering from disabilities ii. Persons with disability who seek employment iii. Vacancies to which person with disability seeking employment may be appointed; w) State Coordination committee means the State Coordination Committee constituted under sub section (i) of section 13. x) State Coordination Committee means the State Executive Committee constituted under sub section (i) of section 19.

41 78 PREVENTION AND EARLY DETECTION OF DISABILITIES 25. Within the limits of their economic capacity and development, the appropriate Governments and the local authorities, with a view to preventing the occurrence of disabilities, shall i. Undertake or cause to he undertaken surveys, investigations and research concerning the cause of occurrence of disabilities: ii. iii. iv. Promote various methods of preventing disabilities: Screen all the children at least once in a year for the purpose of identifying at-risk cases; Provide facilities for training to the staff at the primary health centres: v. Sponsor or cause to be sponsored awareness campaigns and disseminate or cause to be disseminated information for general hygiene, health and sanitation; vi. vii. viii. Take measures for pre-natal, perinatal and post-natal of mother and child; Educate the public through the pre-schools, schools, primary health centres, village level workers and anganwadi workers; Create awareness amongst the masses through television, radio and other mass media on the causes of disabilities and the preventive measures to be adopted.

42 79 EDUCATION 26. The appropriate Governments and the local authorities shall i. Ensure that every child with a disability has access to free education in an appropriate environments till he attains the age of eighteen years; ii. iii. iv. Endeavour to promote the integration of students with disabilities in the normal schools; Promote setting up of special schools in government and private and sector for those in need of special education, in such a manner that children with disabilities living in any part of the country have access to such schools; Endeavour to equip the special schools for children with disabilities with vocational training facilities. 27. The appropriate Governments and the local authority shall by notification make schems for - i. Conducting part-time classes in respect of children with disabilities who having completed education up to class fifth and could not continue their studies on a whole-time basis; ii. iii. Conducting special part-time classes for providing functional literavy for children in the age group of sixteen and above; Imparting non-formal education by utilizing the available manpower in rural areas after giving them appropriate orientation;

43 80 iv. Imparting education through open schools or open universities; v. Conducting class and discussions through interative electronic or other media; vi. Providing every child with disability free of cost special books and equipments needed for his education. 28. The appropriate Governments shall initiate or cause to be initiated research by official and non-governmental agencies for the purpose of designing and developing new assistive devices, teaching aids, special teaching materials or such other items as are necessary to give a child with disability equal opportunities in education. 29. The appropriate Governments shall set up adequate number of teachers training institutions and assist the national institutes and other voluntary organisations to develop teachers training programmes specialising in disabilities so that requisite trained manpower is available for special schools and integrated schools for children with disabilities. 30. Without prejudice to the foregoing provisions, the appropriate Governments shall by notification prepare a comprehensive education scheme which shall make provision for - i. Transport facilities to the children with disabilities or in the alternative financial incentives to parents or guardians to enable their children with disabilities to attend schools; ii. The removal of architectural barriers from schools, colleges or other institutions imparting vocational and professional training;

44 81 iii. iv. The supply of books, uniforms and other materials to children with disabilities attending school; The grant of scholarship to students with disabilities; v. Setting up of appropriate for a for the redressal of grievances of parents regarding the placement of their children with disabilities; vi. vii. Suitable modification in the examination system to eliminate purely mathematical questions for the benefit of blind students and students with low vision; Restructuring the curriculum for benefit of students with hearing impairment to facilitate them to take only one language as part of their curriculum. 31. All educational institutions shall provide or cause to be provided amanuensis to blind students and students with or low vision. Inclusive Education Policy regarding students with a disability (Ministerial Committee on Inclusive Education (MCIE)15/07/2000) 1. The Individualised Education Programme (IEP) The IEP is a concise and practical written plan, developed for a student with a disability, that describes the modifications and adaptations for a student s educational programme and the services necessary to ensure full access to educational entitlements according to the National Minimum Curriculum. The IEP is a primary tool for ensuring equal opportunities, as regards the National Minimum Curriculum, for students with special educational needs because of disability. Some students with a disability require small adaptations and minimum levels of support while other students with more

45 82 complex needs may require detailed planning for educational modifications, adaptive technologies, or health care plans. a) Main Purposes of an IEP i. It serves as a tool for collaborative planning between the school, the parents, the student (where appropriate), personnel of the education division, and other community services necessary or involved in a student s life. ii. It summarises those aspects of a student s education programme that are modified or adapted, and identifies the support services to be provided, and who is responsible for their provision b) Main characteristics of an IEP i. Planning decisions and processes are formalized, linking assessment with ii. iii. iv. Programming; Students, parents, teachers, and other support personnel will be provided with a record of the educational programme for an individual student with special needs that serves as a benchmark for evaluating and reporting progress registered by a student in terms of agreed-upon goals and objectives; A clear relationship is established between any support services being provided and the student s educational programme; v. It provides accountability for ensuring individualised planning; vi. In its development, it provides parents and students with a mechanism for input into the individualized planning process.

46 83 c) Eligibility for an IEP All students with an impairment that interferes with their educational progress are eligible for an IEP. d) Development of an IEP i. An IEP may be developed through an informal approach facilitated by the school, or a formal statementing process moderated by a panel appointed for the purpose by the Minister of Education. ii. iii. iv. When a student requires minor adaptations to education materials, or instructional, or assessment methods, or when the adaptations and extra support needed can be provided within the available resources of the school, the development of an IEP takes place within the school setting and is not considered as a formal statementing process. When a student requires adaptations and supports outside what can be provided by the school itself, the development of an IEP is preceded by a referral for extended external assessment, known as the Statementing Process. In this case, the IEP is equivalent to a Statutory Assessment or a Statement. In this case, the statementing process is moderated by a panel know as the Statementing Moderating Panel. Parents must be given the opportunity and supported to actively participate in the planning process and the IEP should serve as a tool for the ongoing collaboration between the school and the student s home. In addition, to the maximum extent

47 84 possible, the student should also be actively supported to participate in the planning process. v. The goals established for any student will approximate the expected learning outcomes for the age or grade of the student, and set at an appropriate and attainable level to encourage parents, students, and staff to hold high but attainable expectations. Each goal is accompanied by measurable objectives to enable IEP review and evaluation. vi. vii. The level of detail of an IEP depends on the complexity of the student s needs. For example, one student may require support personal assistance and the IEP will be relatively simple. In contrast, another student may have complex needs resulting from multiple disabilities, requiring the involvement of a variety of services and supports, adaptive technologies and major curricular modifications, and therefore a complex and extensive IEP. In situations when the different parties involved do not reach full agreement on the IEP or the Formal Statement, an Appeals Board set up for the purpose by the Minister of Education will have the final decision. e) Contents of an IEP The level of detail included in an IEP will reflect the complexity of the student s need. The IEP document will contain the following: i. A description of the present levels of educational performance of the student;

48 85 ii. iii. iv. The learning outcomes set for that student for a particular school year where these outcomes have been modified from the applicable age-equivalent learning objectives; Details of all the required adaptations to educational materials, and instructional and assessment methods; A description and quantification of all the support services to be provided; v. A description of the place where modified educational programmes are to be vi. vii. viii. ix. Provided; The names of all personnel who will be involved in providing the educational programme and the support services for the student during the school year; When applicable, plans for the next transition point in the student s education, including transitions beyond compulsory schooling; and The period of time and process for review of the IEP. f) Time-scale An IEP for eligible students will be developed: i. Before being admitted to a formal education; ii. iii. Before being admitted to a secondary school; or In preparation for adult services including post-secondary and vocational

49 86 iv. Education and training; or v. If the need so arises any time during a scholastic year. B. An iep is to be developed within a reasonable time, following a request, and as early as possible before the commencement of the scholastic year. g) Implementation The development of an IEP is a collaborative process and involves a significant number of people. It is the responsibility of the Head of School to ensure the coordination, development, documentation and implementation of a student s IEP. SECTION II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A limited number of studies have been undertaken in connection with integrated education programme. So, the investigator viewed the studies, which one directly or indirectly related to the problem area and has presented them in the chronological order. A study on the school attainments the school attainments of 7 year old from 1958 cohort of 11,276 children by Catherine et al., (1972), found out that, three groups were distinguished - moderate bilateral, severe unilateral and severe bilateral hearing loss. Even in the first group scholastic attainment was reduced, with speech difficulty and poor oral ability and clumsiness. In the severe group there did the teachers rate greater maladjustment on.

50 87 In a study named the application of democratic theoretical model in a classroom for the hearing impaired, by James and Marian (1974) revealed that teacher gained confidence and experienced fewer conflicts. The children began assuming more responsibility for themselves and their classmates and began to use more spontaneous language. A case study undertaken by Terry and Rath (1974) on an investigator group of ten, year old hard-of hearing children integrated into a normal public school for a year and found that they exhibit similar personal space to that of normal children. Another group of 10 hard-of hearing children who attended a special institutional school for the deaf exhibited greater interaction distances under varying dyadic interactions with a normal person. Genevieve et al., (1976) identified and compared hearing children with deaf children were retarded in psychosocial and emotional development, living in day school or boarding school did not make much difference except for emotional maturity which was more advanced when deaf children returned home at night. An investigation was carried out in 1976 by Criffin on the difference in cognitive styles between deaf and hearing students. The study revealed that deaf students tend to receive theoretical information more readily if presented and/or interpreted in an auditory quantitative format. Deaf students are more associate oriented than hearing students, while hearing students are more individual oriented than deaf students and that hearing students tend

51 88 to be appraisers in making inferences while deaf students infer more from relationships. And this affected the teaching-learning process. Linda and Shtomac conducted a study in 1978 revealed those students in two integrative school settings; group and individual had higher self concepts than students in special schools. However, there were, differences in the adjustment profiles of students in all three settings A study conducted by Lang (1978) that discussed the use of self paced study programmes to teach physics to deaf students through lip movement, sign language and finger spelling. This study described several instructional problems encountered the teaching learning process in the integrated education programme. Meadow (1980) found that self image scores are positively related with family climate, school achievement and communication scores. This relation being more significant for these children whose deaf parents were particularly active in the deaf community. Howard and Wood (1981) conducted a study concerned with a detailed analysis of the reading lesson for the deaf and the normal. They found out the important link between the reading achievements of pre-lingual profoundly deaf children and the experiences that they have and the problem they face in the reading lessons. A study on the use of creative movement, dramatics and dance to teach learning objectives to the hearing impaired child was conducted by Rickard (1982) revealed that, a creative movement and

52 89 dance programme enables multi sensory creative activities to help to meet language and arts objectives. In another survey conducted by Whitaker (1984) on experiential learning as a teaching strategy for the career education of hearing impaired college students. This study examined the career development needs of students entering in the National technical Institute for the Deaf. This study revealed the advantages and disadvantages of experiential learning. This study gave emphasis on learning of transferable skills and knowledge. At the final section this study addressed application of experiential learning of the hearing impaired and a model is proposed for diagnosing the defeiciencies. In a study on motivation in integrated educational settings: implication for hearing impaired students, Stinson (1984) found out those normally hearing students in classroom with different motivational orientations. In this study, advantages and disadvantages of classroom with autonomous, competitive, cooperative and intrinsic motivational orientations are identified. Problems facing hearing impaired students in each of the classroom types are noted. He found that low self-esteem, less developed senses of personal responsibility, and fear of rejections by peers in competitive situations are cited as potential reasons for the difficulties of hearing impaired students under different orientations. The lack of data on hearing impaired students in co-operation oriented classrooms is also noted in this study. Another investigation made by Blake (1984) on Discovery versus expository instructional strategies and their implications for

53 90 instruction for hearing impaired post secondary students. This study examined implication of discovery and expository learning for hearing impaired students. Differences are considered between the discovery method, which centers student s learning processes rather than outcomes and the expository methods. This study also explained the relationship of instructional methods to the learner characteristic and content characteristic, and it concludes with sets of general and specific recommendations for career education at National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). The study of Belenky (1984) on the processes of moral developments in persons with hearing impairment. In this study the work of J. Piaget is first reviewed and a discussion of L. Kohlberg s six hierarchical stages of moral reasoning later. From this study he found out that there is a delay in psychological development among the hearing impaired. Studies are then reviewed in terms of the effect of three factors of moral growth, cognitive development, and liberation from the coercive constraint of adult authority and social interaction. This study concluded that special effort should be made to provide opportunities for dialogue within two broad types of social experience. Abha (1985) pointed out that the crippled children differ significantly in normal children in adjustment problem, level of aspiration and self esteem. But there is no significant difference in academic achievement. Researches have reported widespread incidences of personal and social adjustment problems among the society to the hearing impaired children.

54 91 Arnold and Atkins (1991) studied about the social and emotional adjustment of hearing impaired children integrated during primary schools and the differences suggests that the tests measure different behaviours and those students problems were broadly social rather than emotional. A study conducted by Reddy and Murthi (1991) on factors influencing language development of 8+, 9+, 10+ children, revealed that hearing impaired children were differ with orthopaedically handicapped children in the area of personality and self concept. Hill (1991) prepared a handbook for teachers named accommodating a student with disability suggestions for faculty. The handbook assists the faculty to accommodate students with disabilities in the classrooms and laboratories. Using this handbook the instructors can modify the learning environment to facilitate learning for the disabled groups that is, the physically handicapped, hearing impaired, visually impaired and the mentally retarded. Sally (1992), Department of Health and Social Welfare, Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, United Kingdom conducted a study of Simulation Exercises in Disability Awareness Training. This study described a critical look at simulation exercises. Little evidence exists that these exercises have a positive effect on either attitudes or behavior but, despite this, they are used extensively in disability awareness training, both for children and adults. It is suggested that simulation exercises fail to simulate impairment correctly, and address neither the coping strategies nor skills disabled people develop in living with impairment, nor the cumulative social

55 92 and psychological effect of encountering social and physical barriers over a lifetime. Bindu (1993) used a representative sample of 323 hearing impaired and 322 normal students. She found that there is a significant difference in the mean scores of social adjustment, personal adjustment and socio-personal adjustment between hearing impaired and normal students were noticed for the total sample and in the sub sample. The result of Mattson s (1994) study on Disabled students' experience of dependence and autonomy in integrated/segregated environments revealed that students with motor handicaps, their choice of upper secondary school and how they looked upon their educational and social situation in school. The studies were accomplished by questionnaires and interviews and were made as a comparison of disabled and control students. The students with disabilities all expressed disappointment concerning the possibilities of making their own decisions (being autonomous). The study claimed that the students with disabilities were subjected to a sort of passivity from the general environment. In an upper secondary school with special resources, they were taken care of by professional 'helpers' and in the general upper secondary school the school influence did not differ much from that experienced by the control group. Perkins (1995) presents an example section from a computer science integrated curriculum for the hearing impaired, that was originally based on the association of computing machinery (ACM) 1978 curriculum. The curriculum was designed to allow both

56 93 instructors and students to move away from teaching and learning facts. In a study named Classrooms, Communication, and Social Competence Barbara (1995) analysed Problems faced by deaf students developing social skills are discussed, and suggestions are provided for what teachers can do to specifically cultivate these skills. Teacher modeling, cooperative learning, and the integration of social skills lessons into other class lessons and activities are recommended, with sample activities and references to recent research provided. A study on the Hearing loss and other ear problems among the school boys in Abha, Saudi Arabia conducted by Abolfotouh, Ghieth, and Badawi, (1995). The main aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hearing loss (HL) and its association with different ear problems among schoolboys in Abha City, Asir Region, Saudi Arabia. A representative sample of 974 schoolboys ages six to 12 years were subjected to both audiometric and otoscopic examinations. Otoscopic examination revealed ear problems among 26.9% of schoolboys with the following prevalences: wax (21.3%), acute otitis media (1.9%), chronic otitis media (1.0%), foreign body (0.7%), otitis externa (0.7%), and congenital anomaly of the auricle (0.4%). According to the prevalence of ear problems, more than one-quarter (26.6%) of the study sample had signs of external or middle ear problems (23.2% and 3.5% respectively). Among boys with external ear problems, the majority (207/225 or 92.0%) had wax. A case study undertaken by Martin (1995) on Mediated Learning Experience and Deaf Learners. This study gives us a

57 94 classroom cognitive intervention model for adolescents and adults who are deaf is described. The model provided mediated learning experiences whereby a person assists the learner in interpreting experience and learning problem-solving strategies. Nine studies on the use of instrumental enrichment (IE) with learners who are deaf/hearing impaired are discussed in this study, indicates that students measurably improved in skills of reading comprehension, mathematical computation, problem-solving, and abstract thinking. The relationship of Classroom Acoustics for Children With Normal Hearing and With Hearing Impairment was studied by Crandell and Falls (1995). They studied, (a) the acoustical variables that can influence speech perception in classrooms (noise, reverberation, and distance) and (b) the effects of these acoustical variables on the speech perception of children with SNHL(sensory neural hearing loss) and children with normal hearing. They examined the relationship between the level of the teacher s voice, the background noise, and the distance from the teacher to the child. They found out that speech perception ability in a classroom setting can often be deleteriously affected by the acoustical characteristics of that environment. Another investigation made by Carol (1996) on social adjustment of partially integrated and main streamed hearing impaired students, revealed that partially integrated students reported better adjustment than mainstreamed students with deafness, mainstreamed students reported better adjustment than partially integrated students with hearing persons.

58 95 While investigating some characteristic of mainstreamed hard-of hearing students in Sweden in 1996 by Berth et al. 26 hard-of hearing university students in Sweden answered a questionnaire about their socio-economic status, health, social support, well-being, and educational experiences. Students were typically from families of higher socio-economic status than peers; reported more frequent feelings of loneliness mild depression and anxiety but, indicated stronger commitment to their education and greater academic and classroom integration. An investigation was carried out in the year 1996 by Hano et al., conducted on the students psycho educational development by age and hearing loss, including syntactic comprehension and production, reading comprehension, social maturity, speech intelligibility etc. They were used a sample of 46 Colorado students (age 7-8) with deafness of partial hearing. A comparative study on the achievement of normal and bearing handicapped students at the end of the primary cycle, in an integrated school setting by Sandhya (1996), revealed that normal students performed significantly better than hearing handicapped students. Sex did not affect the achievement scores except in mathematics where normal boys performed better than their female counterparts and handicapped students from a special school obtained higher achievement scores than those who were directly admitted in to general schools. A study on demand augmentation in the employment market for persons with disabilities was conducted by Arora (1996). In this

59 96 study he argued that One of the most important components in the process of rehabilitation of persons with disabilities is productive and gainful employment. The present employment scenario for persons with disabilities is deplorable, with constraints both on the demand side and on the supply side. Policy planners should therefore clearly segregate factors that work on demand and supply. He suggested that Policy planners and implementers should, therefore, accord an equally high priority to employment generation for persons with disabilities in the Government sector, private sector and self-employment sectors. Burch, and Teller (1996) conducted a study concerned with Learning Sign Language: A Whole Language Approach. This study Applies principles of whole-language instruction to the teaching of sign language skills. Emphasis is on the holistic use of sign language in natural communicative situations. Some materials for this approach to sign language instruction are also suggested by them. Another investigation made by Jitendra; et.al (1996) on teaching sign language to Children with behavior disorders utilizing direct Instruction. This study described the planning and implementation of an instructional unit to teach the basics of American Sign Language to a class of nine elementary-aged male students with serious emotional disturbances (including one with a severe hearing impairment) in a laboratory school. The systematic instructional approach, direct instruction, was used. Livingston (1997) conducted a study named Rethinking the Education of Deaf Students: Theory and Practice from a Teacher's Perspective. This study asserts that deaf students should be treated no

60 97 differently from non-deaf students and that American Sign Language (ASL) and English can coexist in the classroom, embedded in the content being taught. It stressed that language acquisition, whether oral or manual, as well as the learning of reading and writing or subject content, are all motivated by meaning and urges the full use of American Sign Language (ASL). University of California, San Francisco published a Doctors guide in 1997 for Children with specific language impairment fall behind in language skills despite normal intelligence and apparently normal hearing. The source of the problem has been poorly understood, and standard speech therapy techniques used to treat the disorder have proved unsatisfactory. The researchers found that children with specific language impairment are affected much more profoundly than unimpaired children by a phenomenon known as "masking." Masking refers to a natural limitation in the human ability to detect any particular sound that is presented simultaneously or within a small fraction of a second of other "masking" sounds. The study specified more clearly the cause of the impairment, which in turn leads to slow progress in school. The study of Christopherson (1997) concerned with a detailed analysis of the Perspectives in Education and Deafness, discussed difficulties students with hearing impairments have in math computation and in solving problems with verbal cues. Programs and texts are described that teach math visually and kinesthetically and encourage students to find different approaches to the same problem.

61 98 An illustration of a mathematical concept is also included in this study. Coryell and Holcomb(1997) conducted a study named The use of sign language and sign systems in facilitating the language acquisition and communication of deaf students. In this study, Historical and current trends, practices, and perspectives regarding manual communication in educating deaf children are discussed, including Manually Coded English systems and American Sign Language. Issues concerning choice of sign language/systems and instructional strategies that support sign usage (such as Total Communication, Simultaneous Communication, and Bilingual Education) are also analysed in this study. Nozza, Sabo and Mandel(1997) conducted a study named A Role for Otoacoustic Emissions in Screening for Hearing Impairment and Middle Ear Disorders in School-Age Children.. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the potential role of transientevoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) for screening for hearing impairment and middle ear disorders in school-age children. Sixty-six children (ages 5 to 10 yr) participated. Fifty-six children passed the hearing and otoscopic screenings bilaterally, and five children did not pass either or both the hearing screenings or otoscopic examination in at least one ear. The results suggested that the TEOAE test has the potential to be incorporated successfully into hearing screening programs for school-age children and may have advantages over current screening protocols.

62 99 A study on Teaching Students who are hard of hearing was conducted by Battat (1998), examined the incidence of students with hearing impairments or deafness enrolled in postsecondary education institutions. It discussed the special needs of student with hearing impairments and warning signs of hearing loss. In this study he recommended 15 tips for instructors in the class rooms. A survey of conducted on administrators and faculty at schools for the deaf concerning changes in mathematics education by Claudia (1998), found that some aspect of reform (eg: problem solving use of concrete materials) have been incorporated into deaf education but many may traditional techniques remain in use. Another survey by Luckner and Denzin (1998) on Adaptations for Students who are deaf or hard of hearing in the mainstream, discussed the need to provide specific adaptations in instruction and assessments to students who are deaf or hard of hearing in general education classrooms. It provided a list of adaptations used in general education classrooms and includes adaptations for the environment. A study on working with students who are late-deafened by Clark (1998) provides 16 suggestions to help teachers work more effectively with students who are late-deafened, including learn the basics of CART (Computer-Aided Real time Translation) and other communication options, learn the basics of using interpreters and those interpreting methods that may be used by students with latedeafness etc.

63 100 Crandell and Smaldino (1999) conducted a study concerned with a detailed analysis of the Improving Classroom Acoustics: Utilizing Hearing-Assistive Technology and Communication Strategies in the Educational Setting. This study examined acoustical, technological, and rehabilitative solutions for improving classroom acoustics and speech perception in classroom settings. These procedures include: physical acoustical modifications of the room, personal hearing aids, hearing-assistive technologies, modifications in speaker-listener distance, optimizing visual communication, clear speech procedures, and strategies for improving listening. The problem of the deaf and hard-of hearing learners who have very low English literacy levels compared to their ability levels were studied by Anthony (1999). Participants in the study were deaf and hard of hearing adult learners in the adult basic education programme of the center of deafness in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This study showed that there is a growth in content organization and elaboration, but not in grammar use. So, learning clearly became student directed. Tips for Accommodating Hard-of-Hearing and Deaf Students in foreign language instruction were prepared by Davis (2000). This study presented information, both specific and general, about including postsecondary students with deafness and hearing impairments in foreign language classes. First, a variety of reasons for making sure that students with hearing impairments are not excluded from foreign languages are covered, including the need for improving attitudes toward language learning, improving English skills, and encouraging a heightened understanding of different cultures.

64 101 Jayachandran (2000) who is a pioneer in introducing successful integrated education in the State of Kerala, India states that Inclusive Education is an integral part of general education. Training regular classroom teachers in the area of integrated education, curriculum modification, parent education, appropriate technology and modification, awareness of parents and modification of positive attitude towards disability are the key points of successful integrated education. We have formed a state level and district level Resource Group to develop the manpower required in special education and it has become the back bone of the scheme recently. Preparation in the early stage is the major factor that makes our special schools become the pilot Resource Centres for training of teachers, peers and volunteers. An Evaluation on the attitude of community -based rehabilitation workers of south India by Paterson (2000) described the attitudes of community based rehabilitation (CBR) workers in southern India towards people with disabilities. It provided a clearer understanding of attitudes and the factors involved in the acquisition of attitudes. Educators and managers are given direction in their quest to design appropriate and effective CBR curricula for the CBR worker. This study focused on only one attitude referent, that is, people with disabilities. As CBR evolves from its medically-based roots to a more educational and community development focus, so too will the attitudes of CBR workers evolve. The results of the study on Disabled Students Perceptions about their Education by Soni, (2001) of NCERT New Delhi. This study was conducted in elementary schools or rural areas in Devas (DPEP) and

65 102 Ujjain (Non-DPEP) district of Madhya Pradesh to find out perceptions of disabled students about their education. The results of the study revealed that there is no significant differences between the perceptions of males and females in both districts and between two districts either. As there was no information about Sarva ShikshaAbhiyan (SSA) in schools and community, there is a need for creating awareness for facilities and assistance available for disabled students under this programme Bangladesh Protibondhi Foundation (Foundation for the Developmentally Disabled) compared Rights to education should be applied to both disabled and non-disabled children to reach the goal of "education for All. The study was conducted under the leadership of Sultana et.al.,(2001) describes the efforts made by inclusive school system has been experimented in Bangladesh. The effectiveness of the inclusive schools as a pilot scheme is also evaluated in this study. A study on Visual teaching strategies for students who are deaf or hard of hearing was conducted by Luckner, Bowen, and Carter in It described some general visual teaching strategies, discussed how to develop and use graphic organizers, provided a sample unit and lesson using graphic organizers, and offers examples of visual materials to use with all students. A detailed analysis of the Cultural and Moral Implications of Inclusive Education in India conducted by Alur (2001), revealed that although India addresses diversity in many ways it tends to exclude people with disability from national programmes. The study ends with the suggestion that moral and ethical considerations demand that

66 103 people engaged with inclusion need to work towards inclusion of all children wherever necessary and that each individual first of all needs to internalise the change within themselves. A study named International experience in including children with disabilities in ordinary schools Mittler (2002) revealed that the experience of a number of developing countries in moving towards more inclusive practice at the level of the classroom, the school and the education system as a whole. It is complementary to a parallel paper which discusses definitions of inclusion and sets developments in the global context of United Nations initiatives, such as Education for All and the Salamanca Declaration and Framework for Action. From this study he concluded that Each country has to determine its own starting point for inclusion, since each is unique in its history and culture and also in relation to the nature and quality of its educational provision for all children. Another investigation made by Arbeiter and Hartley (2002) on Teachers' and Pupils' Experiences of Integrated Education in Uganda. The aim of this study was to examine the views of teachers about their needs for training and support regarding the task of teaching children with disabilities in ordinary classrooms. A qualitative approach was chosen using individual interviews, focus group discussions with teachers, pupils and head teachers, and observations in classrooms. Despite these difficult conditions found in schools, many teachers had positive attitudes towards integrating children with disabilities, but only a few examples from the classroom observations showed good practice for meeting a diversity of needs.

67 104 The relationships between language, hearing impairment and inclusion in the Kenyan context were studied by Gertrude and Rachael (2002). They found out that the use of signed exact English would enhance opportunities for inclusion for those with hearing impairments and that programmes of teacher training need to take account of persuasive research in this area. A research based on the findings of the study that attempted to investigate the current provisions and practices existing in ten States of India for the education of children with disabilities and how the particular development that have occurred in the recent years compare with the national goals was done by Julka (2003), faculty of NCERT, India. The data was collected from primary sources with the help of questionnaires and open ended interviews and from secondary sources. The results of the study showed that there were a number of diverse but effective practices for the education of children with disabilities. However, when analyzed with census figures it became clear that nearly half of the population was still not in any school and therefore deprived of any form of education. A case study under taken by Nicolaas and Maryna (2004) on an integrated approach to environmental education: a case study. This study described, in the form of a case study, the project embarked upon, which brings together the development and implementation of the curriculum, research and development, management processes for sustainability, community service and national and international cooperation. The paper discussed successes and failures, and the significant lessons that could be learnt from the experience.

68 105 A comparative study of the cost involved in the human development of persons with hearing impairment in India as against people without hearing impairment was done by Karthikeyan et. al., (2004). This study will indicate how families make use of its resources to help its members in terms of human development. This in turn will give empirical evidence to realistically address the issue of development of persons with hearing impairment. In another survey conducted by Hyde and Power (2004) on itinerant teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing in four Australian states was conducted to determine the personal and professional characteristics of these teachers and their work with students. Elements surveyed included professional training and backgrounds of the teachers, their experience inregular and special education, the basis of their workload determination, the roles they adopt to meet the perceived needs of their students, and factors which describe their effectiveness in service delivery. State differences in these factors were presented and possible causes of similarities and differences and their implications for policy development and service delivery discussed. Chatterjee and Mishra (2004) conducted a study named Parent Infant programmes and Pre school education of children with hearing impairment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a parent infant program (PIP) on academic performance and cooperativeness of children with hearing impairment attending preschool. Scores in academic performance and cooperativeness of 73 hearing impaired children attending preschool were obtained using

69 106 two sets of questionnaires. Statistical analysis revealed hearing impaired children who attended a formal PIP showed better preschool performance in academics and cooperativeness, as compared to their counterparts who did not attend. This study revealed that Parentinfant program specialists can help parents learn about hearing loss, guide them in learning their child's strengths and needs, and the educational options available. Once parents have this information, they will be able to make the best decision for their family. A study named issues in the school to work transition of hard of hearing adolescents and the implications of current labour market trends for young people, in particular for those with hearing loss, and reviews the data one employment outcomes for deaf and hard-ofhearing people examined by Punch, Hyde and Creed (2004). It discusses the environmental and attitudinal barriers that can influence the career outcomes and advancement of this population.it considers the impact of hearing loss on the career maturity and career decisionmaking of adolescents and reports on the studies on this topic in the literature. This overview has pointed out the vulnerable position of young hard-of-hearing people in today s challenging labor market and the environmental and attitudinal barriers they face in the world of work. Singal (2005) conducted a study on Mapping the field of inclusive education. This paper reviewed the literature in the field of inclusive education in the Indian context with an aim to elucidate the different perspectives in its understandings and various conflicts in its

70 107 conceptualization, while identifying significant gaps. Based on reflections gathered from the literature, it is noted that the field of inclusive education is driven by a rather narrow and limiting perspective. It is therefore argued that inclusive education must be regarded as an approach encompassing the broader education system. Only when understood as such, can we fulfill our goal of education for all. A comparative study of early intervention in Zimbabwe, Poland, China, India, and the United States of America was done by Pang and Richey (2005) and observed that Early Intervention (EI) issues in five countries including Zimbabwe, Poland, People s Republic of China (PRC), India, and the United States of America (USA). In the overview section the national background, including religious, socio-economic development, and political systems, its policies, laws and acts, are delineated, since all of these factors combine together to impact the EI development in each specific country. Next, different approaches used in these five countries are introduced and compared. Lastly, a matrix is used to contrast EI development in five countries. They pointed out strengths and weaknesses in each country and suggests ways in which countries might benefit from others practices and experiences. Hostler and Pont (2005) conducted a study to determine whether digital signal processing (DSP) hearing aids produce conducted radio frequency interference that can affect the use of personal FM systems, to quantify the nature of any such interference, and to discuss practical remedies. They found out that All but four of

71 108 the DSP hearing aids tested produced readily measurable interference, with some much worse than others. The listening tests suggested that when personal FM systems are in use with some DSP hearing aids, the interference would be audible, unpleasant, and detrimental to audio quality. They concluded that, DSP hearing aids without low electromagnetic interference processors should not be fitted to clients if personal FM systems are expected to be used. To examine the extent of parenting stress among mothers of children with hearing impairment and normal hearing, to investigate the emotional coping skills among mothers of children with hearing impairment and normal hearing, Krishnamurthy (2005) investigated the psychological stress among mothers of children with hearing impairment and normal hearing and to assess the psychological adjustment among mothers of children with hearing impairment and normal hearing. From this study he found out that mothers of children with hearing impairment felt significantly more parental stress in test areas such as adaptability to the child, demandingness, moody, acceptability, sense of competence, restrictions on the parental role, efforts taken towards their relationship with their spouse, problems with attachment, etc. and Early intervention programmes and family therapy for parents of children with hearing impairment are recommended to reduce the parental stress. Singal (2006) conducted a another study on Inclusive Education in India: International concept, national interpretation. This study examined education of children belonging to marginalised groups, with particular reference to children with disabilities, within the

72 109 Indian context. Based on an analysis of post-independence Government documents, various educational provisions made available for children with disabilities are discussed. It explored the Indian Government's focus on the development of special schools, its efforts towards integration, and the more recent emphasis on inclusive education. Furthermore, the study attempted to elucidate "inclusive education" as understood in various official documents. The study concluded by arguing for a need to develop a contextual understanding of inclusive education that is reflective of current educational concerns in India. Rangasayee and Anand (2006) conducted a study named Deafness in India: A network mission towards understanding the genes and mutations and their clinical outcomes. It is a service based study to initiate genetic screening programme in the country to bridge the gap between deafness gene discoveries and application of genetic information to improve diagnosis, rehabilitation, management and prevention of hearing impairment. They also conducted a study named Early Identification and Intervention towards Inclusive Education of Children with Hearing Impairment (0-5 years) in the year The relationship between language development and academic performance in children with hearing impairment was studied by Prakash and Shanti (2006). They also conducted research on the Language proficiency and academic performance in children with hearing impairment, studying in special schools in periodic

73 110 examinations namely quarterly and half yearly. This study pointed out the need of inclusive education. CONCLUSIONS Many studies points out the importance of Integrated education for the disabled children, especially hearing-impaired children. The trend shows that the importance of integrated education is beyond debate. The role of heads of schools, regular teachers and resource teachers, normal children and hearing impaired children in integrated education programme is agreed up on by almost all. But there are not many studies about the issues and challenges in implementing the programme. The studies mentioned clearly indicates that very few attempts have been made to study the challenges encounterd by the heads of schools, teachers, hearing impaired children and normal children in the primary schools of Kerala. This made the investigator to undertake a study of the Attitude of Heads of schools, regular teachers, resource teachers, hearing impaired children and normal children in the integrated education programme for hearing impaired and the challenges encounterd by the groups towards implementing the programme. A detailed description of the procedure followed by the investigator is described in Chapter III. Overview of the studies that are directly and indirectly related to the problem revealed that we must give much importance to the mainstreaming of the disabled students and integrated education programme. The conclusion of most of the studies revealed the fact

74 111 that the integrated education programme helps to equalize the educational opportunities of the disabled, especially hearing impaired children. There are so many challenges faced by the Heads of schools, regular teachers, resource teachers, hearing impaired children and normal children in the integrated setting. So, the investigator, by considering the conditions existing in Kerala, felt that the study on the attitude of the heads of schools, regular teachers, resource teachers, hearing impaired children and normal children in the integrated education programme and the challenges encountered by the groups in the primary schools of Kerala is a relevant one.