Presented at ISEC 2000

Reaching The Unreached in The State of Kerala

Amma B. Sreekumari - SCERT Kerala, India

Abstract

Attention is to be focussed on the disadvantaged section of children and an approach to include them into the main stream of education may be given appropriate priority in Educational Planning. The National Policy of Education (1986) in India and POA (1992) envisage the approach to the education of the handicapped to reach the goal off " Education for All " and to obtain the objective of UEE.

Inclusive Education is a means to provide equal educational opportunity to disabled children irrespective of handicap.

Target Group - Hearing impaired children in Kerala
The present study is based on survey conducted in three (3) districts of Kerala covering parents , teachers, educational administrators and hearing impaired children under the IED scheme.

Tools
1. Questionnaire for teachers, parents, administers
2. Unstructured interview for hearing impaired children

Statistical Techniques
1. Computation of Percentage
2. Computation of (Chi-square) value

Major Findings
1. Hearing impaired children must stay with their parents and have their education in normal schools.
2. H.M's must be given orientation so that they can effectively administer and implement inclusive education in their schools.
3. The Vernacular and audio-visual media must be involved to a greater extent.
4. Community and N.G.0 participation should be strengthened.
5. Financial Support should reach the students at the beginning of the year.
6. One language formula should be used.
7. Remedial classes should be conducted.
8. Resources facilities must be made available.
9. All general school teachers must be trained.

Suggestions

• Increase the access.
• Empower them through enrolment, retention and education.
• Set the ground for Pre-primary and primary education.
• Build confidence in them and in their parents.
• Ensure Community involvement.
• Effective convergence of resources.
• Effective Co-ordination between agencies.
• Political support.
• Support from press, media etc.
• Maximise the effort of N.G.0s.
• Concentration in District specific planning.
• Awareness among the rural masses.
• Vigorous sensitisation among parents, teachers, administration etc.
• Maximum opportunity for peer group interaction.
• Bring out attitudal change towards the disabled.
• Adapt the general curriculum, and provide aids to facilitate learning.
• Take into consideration the non-educational facilities.
• Utilise the facilities in special schools.
• Change the role of special school as a resource centre.
• Provide barrier free environment.
• Give periodic training to all school teachers.
• Appoint teacher aid and resource teachers.

Attention is focused on the disadvantaged section of children and an approach to include them into the mainstream of education is given appropriate priority. India is committed to the welfare and the uplift of its less privileged citizens. The National Policy on Education (1986) and the Programme of Action envisaged the goal of "Education for All" aimed at achieving objectives of Universal Elementary Education. This can be achieved only through enrolment and retention. Various Commissions, Declarations and Policies on Education in India, laid emphasis on making education accessible to each and every child including the disabled.

Indian Education commission 1964-66. The education of the handicapped children should be an inseparable part of the general education system.

National Policy on Education 1967. Every effort should be made to develop integrated programs enabling handicapped children to study in regular schools.

Draft National Policy on Education 1979. Every effort should be made for wider expansion of education of all handicapped children.

Working group report on Education of the Disabled, May 1980. Special aids and equipment should be provided for each category of disabled children for their placement in regular school. Celebration of the International year for Disabled Persons IYDP (1981) NPE 1986 Wherever it is feasible, the education of children with other mild handicaps will be common with that of others.

POA 1992 A child with disability, who can be educated in regular school, should be educated there only. The Persons with Disabilities Act (PWD Act) 1995 - India's firm commitment towards Equal Opportunities, Protection of rights and full Participation. The Act among many other things deals with education of the Disabled rather comprehensively in chapter V section 26. The Act lays down that appropriate Government and local authorities shall-

Ø ensure that every child with disability has access to free education in an appropriate environment till he attains the age of eighteen years.

Ø endeavour to promote the integration of students with disabilities in the normal school.

Ø equip the Special Schools for children with disabilities with vocational training facilities.

Ø conduct part time classes for children with disabilities who have completed primary education

Ø conduct special part time classes for providing functional literacy for children in the age group of sixteen and above.

Ø impart education through Open schools and Open Universities.

Target Group

Hearing Impaired Children in Kerala Three systems of education are prevalent in the state of Kerala for the education of children with hearing impairment.

• Special school system
• Integrated system of education
• Inclusive system of education Children with profound disabilities are admitted in special schools.

Children with profound disabilities are admitted in special schools. Children whose education is possible along with the normal children are brought under the integrated system and inclusive system in general schools. Most of the special schools for the Hearing-Impaired are residential schools.

PRESENT STATUS

Student population in Kerala - 55 lakhs

(Std I - X)

Children with special needs - 40,000

studying in special schools

Children with special needs - 45,000

studying in general schools

It is assumed that 5-10% of the population is disabled. Thus a major section of disabled children are left unattended. An approach to "include the excluded" be adopted so that all categories of children with special needs are identified, given education and rehabilitated

Govt. of India has envisaged the scheme of Integrated Education for the Disabled children (IEDC) in 1974 aiming that every child with a disability has access to free education in an appropriate environment. The Govt. of Kerala implemented the scheme in 1974 with a view to providing the least restrictive environment to children with special needs so that they may grow and develop like other children. Integrated education, promotes healthy social relationship between the normal and disabled children at all levels and reduces the physical distance between them through equal participation in social activities. It provides an equal educational opportunity and prepares them for life, like other members of society. It also advocates that the differently abled children are as important for the healthy growth and development of society as their normal peers. Therefore it is imperative that their needs should be taken care of in all academic and non-academic activities of the society.

Let us have a look at the way in which the State of Kerala have implemented the scheme for reaching the unreached The Govt. of Kerala has set up an Administrative cell with the following setup.

STATISTICS UNDER IED - KERALA SITUATION

The different inputs in IED are

FACILITIES

The strategy for reaching the unreached in Kerala has been evolved after under taking a thorough study of ground realities, which involved collecting information from selected Districts.

The data obtained are statistically analysed under five section

1. Enrolment of hearing impaired children in IED scheme.

2. Nature of attention provided to hearing impaired children by teacher.

Attention provided by teachers

3. Facilities offered to hearing impaired children in integrated schools.

Facilities offered

4. Study of training received by teachers in dealing with hearing impaired children.

Opinions of teachers on training

5. Opinion of teachers with respect to curriculum and social interaction.

Opinions of teachers on curriculum and social interaction

The Major findings of the study

1. Enrolment of H.I. children is comparable to that of V.I. and M.R children.

2. The maximum number of children who are integrated belong to the O.H. category.

3. The percentage of H.I in the I.E.D scheme is 14.79.

4. Teachers lack co-ordination with parents and doctors.

5. Supply and use of individual hearing aids are inadequate.

6. The flexibility in examination allowed doesn't reach the hearing impaired.

Towards the goal in Kerala

1. Curriculum has been adapted to suit the special needs of H.I children.

2. Topics in special education is a component of Teacher Education Courses.

3. The concept of joyful learning is introduced through ABCC approach

4. Inorder to retain and minimise dropouts "all promotion" is allowed up to standard IV

5. National Institute of Speech and Hearing is set up to facilitate research, training and quality in learning of HI children.

6. Lessons on life of persons with disability incorporated in general school curriculum.

7. Co-existence camps are arranged. 8. Posting of Resource teachers and setting up of resource rooms.

9. Developed Finger spelling in Malayalam so as to facilitate development of language.

10. Training of teachers on low-cost/no cost learning aids. 11. Conduct of parents awareness and guidance programmes.

12. Observation of world Disabled Day. 13. Voluntary organisations are encouraged to participate in a big way.

14. Project in collaboration with UNESCO and MHRD to promote whole school approach.

15. In service training to Teachers and community awareness programmes.

We must be able to remove all barriers, be it educational, attitudinal financial or social to enable children with special needs to live with honour, dignity and provide equality of opportunities to groom them as equal partners in society. Let us put our collective wisdom to practice, so that the dream of ISTE can be achieved.

Conclusion

The right of every child to education is proclaimed in Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Schools should accommodate all children, regardless of their physical, intellectual, social, and linguistic conditions. Many children experience learning difficulties and thus have special educational needs at some time during their schooling. Schools are to include these children and have to find ways of successfully educating them through Activity Based Child Centered (ABCC) approach. This has led to the concept of inclusive education where the attempt is to provide quality education to all children, which leads to an inclusive society where the potential of each child is to be identified and nurtured.

Thank you

Jai Hind

B. Sreekumari Amma Asst. Prof. (Special Education) SCERT, Poojappura Trivandrum - 695 012 Kerala, India

E-mail : sreekumariamma@rediff.com

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