EDUCATION OF THE HANDICAPPED
PRESENT SITUATION 1. Out of 12 million disabled persons 2.6 million (1.2 LH,0.74 Million SH, 0.53 million HH and 0.12 million VH, 10% have more than one handicap) fall in the age group 4-15 years. To this should be added 1.7 million MH children not covered in the survey of the disabled persons carried out by NSSO in 1986. The total disabled children failing in the UPE age group comes to 4.3 million.
2. Out 1.4 million children fall in the age group 0-4 years which is relevant for identification, diagnosis, assessment, early stimulation and preparation for education. The disabled needing education and vocational rehabilitation subsequently are also to be considered (Figures given in Annexure).
3. The National Commission on Teachers - I reports that "not more than 5 per cent of the blind and deaf children and, perhaps, 0.50 per cent of the mentally retarted" are estimated to be "in about 800-1000 special schools". Most of these schools are located in the metropolitan cities and other urban centres. Rural areas where about 80 per cent of these children are located remain practically unserved by educational facilities. Even coverage in common schools under the IED scheme is pal try 7000 children. Obviously, the coverage is negligibly small.
4. Apart from the quantitative gap in educational coverage of this group the qualitative aspect also needs improvement. Most of the institutions are run by voluntary organisations. While there are some very good institutions, many do not have trained staff, adequate accommodation and the necessary equipment and material. Some of these institutions are like homes for destitutes rather than educational institutions.
IMPLICATIONS OF NPE STATEMENT 5. The NPE stipulates that wherever possible education of children with locomotor handicap and other mild handicaps will be common with that of others. The children with severe handicaps are proposed to be enrolled in special schools with hostels at district headquarters. Appropriate arrangements for pre-school preparation for the handicapped children and vocational preparation in common with others as well as in special vocational centres have also been envisaged.
6. The implication is that there will be a system for identi- fication, diagnosis and assessment of the handicapped for placement in schools. The handicapped children will be prepared for
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education under the ECCE. It involves definition of the degree of handicap under different areas. For this purpose definitions formulated by the Health Ministry will be used. Further, the children will be prepared for education in the pre-school years under the ECCE and pre-school education.
PROCESS FORMULATION 7. Assuming that about 2 million disabled children will require education in special institutions and with the improvement of health services, nutrition standards, mother care and effective measures to prevent disability, the incidence of disability will fall. As a consequence, the absolute number of disabled children will not show significant increase. To cater to the needs of about 2 million severely handicapped children, 10,000 special schools with 150 to 200 children each will be needed. As education in special schools is very costly it will be ensured that only those children whose needs cannot be met in common schools are enrolled in these schools. As soon as the disabled children enrolled in special schools acquire the communication skills and study skills, they will be integrated into common schools. It is further assumed that with the improved efficiency of the common school system as a consequence of the implementation of National Policy on Education 1986, the capacity of the common schools to cater to the needs of the disabled children will also improve.
8. The ideal scenario for education of the handicapped is universalisation of primary education alongwith other children by 1990 (6-11 years) and 1995 (6 to 14 years). It will, however, require a warfooting effort because the coverage at present is not more than 5 per cent and the process of providing educational facilities, particularly in special schools, require large resources and is more time consuming because of the requirements of special educators and other specialists. The preparation of the specialists takes time. However, with concerted efforts LH children and children with mild handicaps can be covered within this time frame if the programmes are taken on warfooting, since large number of children do enter the common school system but drop out because of lack of sensitivity in the system to their needs. It will be a contribution to the goal of UPE. The alternative scenario refers to universalisation of primary education for children with severe handicap synchronised with the goal of health for all by 2000 AD and the UPE for the LH and other mildly handicapped children to be covered by 1990 and 1995.
9. The geoscatter of the handicapped and the fluctuations in the incidence of disability make the task of planning educational facilities very complex. The enrolment of LH and other mildly handicapped children and their retention in common schools will be increased by 25 per cent each year during the current plan through:
(a) Organising advocacy programme for administrators and
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teachers in the common school system;
(b) Including training component on the management of this group of children in the massive in-service training programme of teachers;
(c) Orientation programme for the administrators and supplementing the same through distance learning channel;
(d) development of expertise at the SCERT, DIET, Sub- Divisional and Block levels for providing supervisory services to the teachers managing this group of children;
(e) development of alternative learning material, teacher's handbook and guidance in managing these children;
(f) supply of additional equipment/adaptation for pre- vocational and vocational courses in the common schools;
(g) development of psychological services at the district level for the assessment of disability; and
(h) mobilisation of support from the Health and Welfare Ministry wherever necessary.
It is suggested that a team of at 1 east 3 persons at the SCERT level, 3 at DIET level and at least one each at the subdivisional and block levels will be provided adequate training. It involves training of about 6000 Education officers at the subdistrict. An outreach programme covering all the teachers during the remaining 3 years as a part of massive teacher training programme will be undertaken. Ministry of Human Resource Development through its agencies like NCERT, NIEPA and Regional Colleges of Education may undertake the task of training through the SCERTs. The NCERT should also undertake development of handbook for teachers and other education officers for the management of this group of children within the common education system. The Labour Ministry is to undertake addition/modification of facilities for the personnel training in ITIs for the handicapped. The Welfare Ministry and Health Department are to provide prosthetics and the services for the diagnosis and asses- sment alongwith the District Rehabilitation Centres.
10. The following provisions including incentives are proposed:
i) Provision of aids and appliances in the area to be covered.
ii) Adequate, provision for the payment of transportation allowance (Rs.50/- per month).
iii) Provision for capital cost for the purchase of school rickshaw in rural area to an institution which has atleast 10 handicapped children.
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iv) Removal of architectural barriers in school building where atleast 10 handicapped children are enrolled.
v) Supply of text books and uniforms free of cost as given to scheduled caste and scheduled tribe students.
vi) Attendance incentives like other special groups like girls and ST children.
vii) Arrangements for the preparation of these children in Early Childhood Centres for education in schools.
viii) Provision for admission of children older than the eligibility (upto 8-9 years instead of 6 years). it is essential in the transitional phase of the provision. Extended preparation from schooling also necessitates this provision.
11. The response of the State Governments to the centrally sponsored scheme of Integrated Education for the Disabled has not been very encouraging. Ministry of Human Resource Development is to take up with the States to accelerate the pace of implementing the scheme to achieve the goal of UPE for this special group alongwith others.
12. The current IED scheme needs revision in view of the NPE. The Ministry of Human Resource Development may immediately appoint a committee to review the scheme and revise the same. During the interim period the present scheme should continue.
13. Provision for vocational education of these children may be made alongwith others in the common school with +2 stage or in the ITIs. Additional machines with modifications and safety system wherever necessary will have to be provided for this purpose.
14. The tools for the Psycho-Educational assessment and diagnostic tools for identification of learning problems are conspicuously missing. For the development of educational plan effectively these need to be developed in regional languages. The group suggests that the NCERT should undertake this work on priority basis. It should not only develop such tools, but should also encourage other organisations to translate and adapt in regional languages. It will be worthwhile to develop Psycho-Educational Resource Centre at NCERT. This should procure the available tests, identify areas in which new tests are required and promote development. The National institutes for Handicap may also be associated with this work.
15. Documentation of innovative and successful experiments relating to educational provision for these children should be undertaken by the NCERT. NCERT should also disseminate these innovative practices to the educational institutions.
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16. Education of children with motor handicaps and other mild handicaps in common schools needs to be augmented.
EDUCATION IN SPECIAL SCHOOLS 17. Special schools will be established at the district and sub- district levels. It was felt that composite special schools may be established to start with. This decision is based on the geoscatter of the population of disabled children, reluctance of the parents to send children to schools located at distant places, sharing of specialist staff like therapists and psychologist to support the educational efforts, utilisation of vocational centres for pre- vocational and vocational courses of the children in school as well as for post education rehabilitation courses, meeting the needs of multiple handicapped children, and the economic viability criteria. It was, however, felt that in a particular district if the number of children in a particular disability becomes large enough (60-70), separate special schools for that area of handicap can be carved out at later stage., In the composite special schools the children with different handicaps will be educated in different departments/ groups/classrooms.
18. In each of the districts where a special school is set up, a vocational training centre either as a part of the school or as an adjunct to it will also be developed. This institution will provide vocational training to the students from the special schools and other severely handicapped persons for job. The emphasis will be on training craftsmen for locally available jobs. The Rehabilitation Council should be requested to give recognition to this training programme so that the incumbents can get job throughout the country. Wherever necessary recognition from the NCTVT and NCTE may be obtained.
19. Separate hostels will be provided for boys and girls. The capacity for the boys hostel should be 40 and that of the girls about 20. These hostels will cater to the students in the school as well as in vocational training centres.
20. In the Eighth Five Year Plan another 5000 special schools at sub- district level will be opened to bring the total number of schools to about 7500. The number of these schools will have to be increased to 10000 during the Ninth Five Year Plan.
21. Establishment of special schools should be a central scheme implemented through state either through the state machinery or through the voluntary sector. 400 special schools may be established during the Seventh Five Year Plan itself. The schools should be established first in the districts which do not have any special school. Each of these special schools may have atleast 60 handicapped children of all categories as the initial cohort.
22. Assuming that each special school will require 8-10
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special teachers, about 3500-4000 special teachers will be required during the current plan. Training of special teachers disability-wise has to be taken up immediately if the proposed special schools at district headquarters have to go functional at the suggested speed. This task may be undertaken by the Ministry of Human. Resource Development and Ministry of Welfare through UGC, NCERT, Regional Colleges of Education, National Institutes of Handicap and selected University Departments of Special Education. This task of training teachers is in addition to clearing the backlog of untrained teachers in special schools. The inservice training courses may be organised by the National Institute through its regional centres and the Regional Colleges of Education in collaboration with SCERTs.
23. It has been observed that the voluntary agencies do not depute untrained teachers for training. The grant may be made contingent on appointing trained teachers or getting them trained within three years of appointment. The delay in this may be accompanied by proportionate reduction in the grant. The grant-in-aid may be linked to the quality of the service provided.
24. Alongwith training, the group also considered the steps to retain trained teachers in special education, as the task is more exacting with these children. The group felt that the special teachers and vocational teachers for the handicapped children may be given additional special pay @ 20 per cent of the basic pay.
25. Besides teachers, 400 psychologists and at least 2 doctors in each district needs to be specially oriented to the task of assessment and rehabilitation of the handicapped children. It is suggested that the existing cadre of Counsellors, wherever available, maybe provided inservice training of 4-6 weeks for undertaking assessment of the handicapped children. Similarly, orientation programme for the medical staff for a period of two weeks may be undertaken. In addition other staff like physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, will be needed. Atleast 400 each will be required. The Health Ministry and Welfare Ministry may develop and coordinate the programme for the training of these professionals. The efforts may be coordinated through the Rehabilitation Council of India.
26. Orientation training for the vocational teachers may be organised by the National Institutes and Regional Colleges of Education on regional basis. 3000-4000 teachers will have to be oriented during the current plan period. The orientation training will be of two weeks duration.
27. The curriculum of these schools should be modified taking into account the specific learning problems arising out of a particular handicap. For example, limitation of the blind child for science practicals and limitation of the deaf child to study more than one language needs to be adjusted in the curriculum. Caution should, however, be exercised that these children should not miss the curriculum component that they can. The National
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Institutes of Handicap and NCERT should develop the curriculm and make available curriculum guides and teacher's handbook to special schools.
28. Flexibility in examinations is a must for severely disabled children. Evaluation guides and tools for educational assessment should be made available to these schools. NCERT which has the expertise in the technology of development of such tools and the National Institutes which have the expertise in disability may collaborate to produce this material.
29. The use of technology in special education should receive attention. It involves modification, adjustment and adaptation of the equipment and material in the learning resource centre. The Department of Electronics, MHRD and Ministry of Welfare may collaborate to produce such material for improving learning opportunity for the handicapped. For example, adaptation and add ons in the computers, scripted TV and Video for the deaf, etc. need to be taken up so that handicapped persons also utilise the opportunities available for other children.
30. The existing special schools will be strengthened for increasing enrolment (wherever possible) and for improving effectiveness (800- 1000 schools). The group agreed to the recommendation made by the National Commission on Teachers I that "grants to special schools should be given on the same basis as to regular schools with adequate provision to meet special needs of the disabled children."
31. The weakest link in education of the handicapped in special schools at present refers to the lack of supervision due to the absence of infrastructure for maintenance of standards of special education in the institutions. The Ministry of Welfare and Ministry of Human Resource Development may cooperatively develop an infrastructure for developing supervisory services to the special schools. A panel of supervision may be introduced. The three members of the staff at district level who are to be oriented to education of the handicapped may be provided the knowledge and competencies for carrying out such supervision. The members of staff from the District Rehabilitation Centres may also be associated with this work.
32. Research in education of the handicapped in the Indian socio-cultural milieu is to be taken up immediately. The NCERT, ICSSR, UGC and the National Institutes for Handicap should promote research. One of the reasons for lack of research in this area is very little involvement of the universities and dearth of persons who can carry out and supervise research in this area. Training of research workers, development design for funding and incentive from the National Institute will have to be mobilised for promoting this work.