Educational Facilities

CBSE Relaxation for Disabled Children

The facilities extended by the Board to the disabled candidates (Dyslexic, Blind, Spastic and Candidate with Visual Impairment) are as under:

The persons with disabilities (Dyslexic, Blind, Spastic and Candidate with Visual Impairment) have the option of studying one compulsory language as against two. The language opted by them should be in consonance with the overall spirit of the Three Language Formula prescribed by the Board. Besides one language they can offer any four of the following subjects: Mathematics, Science and Technology, Social Science, Another Language, Music, Painting, Home Science and Introductory Information Technology.

From the 2002 Examination, alternate questions in lieu of questions requiring special skills based on visual inputs have been provided in Mathematics and Science for Sec. School Examination (Class X).

Blind, Physically Handicapped and Dyslexic Students are permitted to use and amanuensis. The amanuensis must be a student of a class lower than the one for which the candidate is taking the examination.

The visually handicapped students appearing from Delhi were provided Questions Papers with enlarged print for 2003 Examination;.

Disabled candidates are allowed additional one hour (60 minutes ) for each paper of external examination.

Board does not give relaxation in minimum marks prescribed by it.

Exemption from Examination in the Third Language.

The Board considers the Physiotherapic exercises as equivalent to Physical and Health Education course of the Board.

Centre Superintendents have been instructed to make arrangements for the conduct of the examination of such candidates on the Ground Floor as far as possible.

Physically challenged children will specifically indicate their category and also state whether they have been provided with a Writer in the columns provided in the Main Answer Book.

Answer books of such candidates are evaluated by the Regional Officers at one Nodal Centre.

The Centre Superintendents have been requested to send the Answer books of such candidates in the separate envelope to the Regional Officer concerned.

Separate question papers in Science & Mathematics at Secondary ( Class X) level have been provided for blind students w.e.f. 2003 Examinations.

Assistant Superintendents for the blinds are teachers from the schools where the blinds are studying. As far as possible, teachers of the same subject are not allowed to be appointed on the day of examination. One invigilator is from outside the school.

Assistant Superintendents supervising the physically challenged children who have been granted 60 minutes extra time are paid remuneration @ Rs. 50/-+ Rs. 20/

Amanuensis are paid @ Rs. 100/- per day/paper daily by the Centre Superintendent from the centre charges amount.

Source:

http://www.education.nic.in/htmlweb/iedc_sch_detail.htm

Integrated Education Scheme for the Disabled

While the disabled children may attend the regular schools there are also special schools for the disabled children. Most of these special schools are located in Urban areas. Voluntary Organizations are taking major initiative in opening special schools in the country. The Ministry of Welfare provides financial assistance to these organizations to establish special schools. A few special schools offer vocational training in trades like tailoring, carpentry, book binding etc. There are four national institutes in the area of visual, hearing, mental and locomotor disability which organize regular programmes for the training of teachers for the training of teachers for the handicapped. The Scheme has been transferred to the Department of Education since 1982.

Under the Integrated Education Scheme for Disabled operated by the Department of Education, handicapped children are sought to be integrated in the normal school system. Hundred per cent assistance is provided to states and UTs for education of the children suffering from certain mild handicap in common schools with the help of necessary aids, incentives and specially trained teachers.

The following types of disabled children are covered under this Scheme:

1. Children with loco-motor handicaps ( Orthopedic Handicapped )
2. Mildly and moderately hearing impaired.
3. Partially sighted Children.
4. Mentally handicapped – educable group ( with IQ 50 – 70 ).
5. Children with multiple handicaps ( Blind and Orthopedic ) hearing impaired and orthopedic, educable mentally retarded and orthopedic,visual impaired and mild hearing handicapped.
6. Children with learning disabilities.

The Scheme provides the following facilities:-

1. The Handicapped Children are provided certain allowances as indicated below:-
   1. Books and stationery allowances of Rs. 400 per annum.
   2. Actual expenses on uniform up to Rs. 200 per annum.
   3. Transport allowances of Rs. 50 per month.
   4. Reader allowance of Rs. 50 per month in case of blind children after Class V.
   5. Escort allowance for severely handicapped children with lower extremely disabilities @ 75 per month.
   6. Actual cost of equipment subject to a maximum of Rs. 2000 per student for a period of five years.
2. The severely orthographically handicapped children to bring one attendant is allowed for 10 children to bring one attendant is allowed for 10 children in a school. The attendant is given the standard scale of pay prescribed for Group ‘D’ employees in the States/U.T. concerned.
3. Disabled Children residing in school hostel within the same institution where they are studying may also be paid boarding and lodging charges as admissible under the State Govt.Rules/Schemes. where there is no state of Scheme of Scholarship to hostlers the disabled children, income of whose parents does not exceed Rs. 5000 per month may be paid actual boarding and lodging charges subject to a maximum of Rs. 200 p.m.
4. Severely orthographically handicapped children residing in school hostels may need the assistance of a helper or ayah. A special pay of Rs. 50 p.m. is admissible to any employee of the hostel willing to extend such help to Children in addition to his/ her duties.
5. In a school in rural areas where at least 10 handicapped children are enrolled, capital cost for purchase of school rickshaw for free use of these children and expenses for Rickshaw Puller @ Rs. 300 p.m. will be provided under the scheme. In such cases, no transport allowances will be payable to the Students.

Fellowships

Junior and post-Doctoral fellowships are awarded by the U. G. C. A Post-Doctoral fellowships is of Rs. 2100 per month While Junior Fellowship is Rs. 1800 per month. The duration of a Post-Doctoral (Fellowship (P.D.F.) is two years and that of a Junior Fellowship (J.R.F.) is four years. In the third years of the ( J.R.F.) the scholar jis entitled to Rs. 2100 per month on the basis of his work done in the first two years. In addition to the monthly payment an annual contingent grant of Rs.4000 or Rs. 300 is paid to Post- Doctoral or Junior Fellow respectively .

In the case of blind scholars, U.G.C. Provides a special grant to cover the appointment of a reader. The University Grant Commission has reserved 1% of the fellowships allocated to the universities or at least one award per year to the handicapped persons.

Courses for Parents

Parents are child’s first and natural teachers and all children almost always learn language from their parents. Correspondence courses are therefore designed for parents to assist them in handling the difficulties that they may encounter in developing communication and language skills in their children. Parents are provided with a Home Study Plan for input in language development, so that they could provide a language stimulating environment at home during their child's early life i.e. 0–5 years, as it is critical period for language acquisition.

At present such correspondence courses are available at many organizations in various languages. A few addresses are given here:

Kanmantra, M.D.D. AYJNIHH, K.C. Marg, Bandra Reclamation, Bandra (W), Mumbai – 400050 (For Marathi)

Central Institute for the Teachers of Deaf Municipal School Building, 3rd Floor, Opposite YMCA Swimming Pool, Farook Umarbhoy Path, Agripada, Mumbai – 400011 (For Marathi)

John Tracy Clinic 806, West Adams Boulevard, Las Angeles, California – 90007 (For English)

Shravan Vani Sudhar Kendra All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi – 1

Most of such correspondence courses are free of charge for the parents.

Contact Training Programmes for Parents:

Upholding the parent teacher partnership in education of the hearing impaired contact training programmes for parent of hearing impaired are organized periodically in most of the special schools in India. Depending upon the age group of the children the programmes are chalked out so that appropriate training could be imparted to the parents to carry out follow up and supplement the class–room teaching.

Such programmes are routinely conducted by:

A.Y.J.N.I.H.H. K.C.Marg, Bandra Reclamation, Mumbai – 400050

K.D.N. Shruti School for the Deaf Juhukar Marg, Behind Chandan Cinema, J.V.P.D.Scheme, Mumbai - 49

Central Institute for the Teachers of Deaf Municipal School Building, 3rd Floor, Opp. YMCA Swimming Pool, Farook Umarbhoy Path, Agripada, Mumbai – 400011

Balvidyalay School for Young Deaf Children 14, 1st Cross Street, Shastri Nagar, Chennai – 600020 Tamil Nadu

Little Flower Convent Higher Secondary School for Deaf 127, G.N. Road, Cathedral P.O., Chennai – 600006 Tamil Nadu

Awareness-cum-Training Program For Parents

As a smallest segment of the society, the parent and the family members have a crucial role to play. To fulfill this, parents and family members need to be equipped with information regarding the nature, early identification and prevention of disabilities strategies and methods of stimulating social language, mental, physical and motor development, teaching principles and methodologies aids and appliances and the variety of educational and economic options available so that persons with disabilities can be an integral part of community life. Keeping in view, "Awareness-cum-Training Package for Parents" through distance mode is a nation wide programme, is being launched very shortly on a massive scale by RCI in collaboration with IGNOU. The objective of the programme is as follows: To develop an understanding about disability and an attitude of sensitivity and empathy towards the disabled. To be able to identify children with mental, visual, locomotor, hearing and speech disability and those with cerebral palsy. To know how to prevent disabilities. To bring about an attitudinal change regarding the disabled that despite the disability, the disabled person is like other non-disabled people in most areas. To instill the conviction that the disabled child/person can learn and benefit from instruction and training. To provide orientation to the basics of assessment with respect to various disability areas. To suggest strategies and methods for early stimulation, training and education of the disabled child/person at home/ community so as to foster development in all areas - physical, motor, cognitive, social and language. To help the child develop basic self-help skills with respect to activities of daily living and mobility. To suggest strategies for managing difficult behaviours in children. To help the parents identify the best possible and feasible educational setting for the child and to help them prepare the child for the same. To suggest methods of integrating the child in the pre-school and primary school through individualized educational programme, adaptation of teaching learning material. To suggest leisure time and co-curricular activities. To suggest strategies for developing pre-vocational skills in the child and identify suitable avenues for economic rehabilitation. To address concerns related to issues of sexuality. Source:Rehabilitation Council of India

New Courses Launched by IGNOU

New Courses Launched at IGNOU Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) has announced the launching of new programmes for the disabled students. These new programme would focus on providing special education to people with hearing, visual and mental disability.

These include post-graduate diploma and certificate programmes in special education in mental retardation, visual and hearing impairment. In addition, IGNOU has also launched a new sign language programme - BA degree in applied sign linguistics, which is likely to be offered from this year only.

IGNOU has an impressive 2.5 million students, a national network of 61 regional centres, over 3,000 learner support centres and a presence in 36 countries. There are over 636,000 students have enrolled with IGNOU (this academic year), which is a record for the university, making IGNOU a living testimony to social inclusion and democratization of education.

The programmes include post–graduate professional diploma in special education in the area of mental retardation, visual impairment and hearing impairment, post–graduate professional certificate in special education programme in the areas of mental retardation, visual impairment and hearing impairment, M.Ed. in special education, M.Sc. in counselling and family therapy and certificate in early childhood special education enabling inclusion.

IGNOU has launched a large number of programmes in the on–campus mode. These include programmes in journalism, electronic media production and management, social anthropology, chemistry, gender and development studies, extension and development studies, labour and development, actuarial science, social work and translation studies among others.

Source: http://thehindu.com

Education Loans to Physically Challenged

The National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC) is now providing education loans to handicapped students at concessional rates for pursuing higher studies in both India and abroad, provided that they fulfill the eligibility criteria. The maximum loan amount provided for education in India is Rs.7.50 lakhs and for abroad, Rs.15 lakhs. The interest rates for loans upto Rs. 50,000 is 5%, from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 5 lakh is 6% and above Rs. 5 lakh is 8%. A rebate of 1% is also being given to women beneficiaries. NHFDC functions as an apex corporation and channelizes its funds through State Channelizing Agencies (SCAs) for the welfare ofPersons with Disabilities (PWDs). The proposal for education loans above Rs.1.50 lakhs received from SCAs are sanctioned at NHFDC level and the proposals upto Rs.1.50 lakhs are sanctioned by the SCA under delegated authority.