EDUCATION FOR SPECIAL NEEDS

1. POSITION PAPER NATIONAL FOCUS GROUP ON
EDUCATION OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
By
Yasmeen Fatima, Farhana Khatoon, Shoban Babu

2. INTRODUCTION
• Education is a powerful instrument of social change, and often initiates upward movement in the social structure.
• Thereby, helping to bridge the gap between the different sections of society.
• The educational scene in the country has undergone major change over the years, resulting in better provision of
education and better educational practices.
• Inclusive education (IE) is a new approach towards educating the children with and without disability under the
same roof. It requires to take care of learning needs of all children with a specific focus on those who are vulnerable
to marginalization and exclusion. It helps all learners to learn together through access to common educational set-
up (pre-school, schools and community education) with proper support services.
• The flexible education system which takes care of various types of learners and their needs can fulfill these
requirements. In inclusion, value is the main point to be taken care of rather than the experiment. All the children
(disabled or non disabled) are the future citizens of the country, so they have equal right to education

3. The international movement towards inclusive
education
• Inclusive education has its roots in the disability movement. Following
table is a summary of some key declarations and conventions that
recognize the right to education for all and, as such, form key
milestones in the journey towards inclusive education

4. Historical developments of special and inclusive
education for students with disabilities in India
• Initiated late 1800s
• Special schools for the Deaf in Bombay in 1883
• Schools for the Blind in Amritsar in 1887
• The tradition of special schools was initiated in India and till the
1970s, this was the dominant mode of service delivery for Children
with Special Needs (CSN

6. Inclusive Education: Policies and Practices
• Constitution of India: Policies
• Article 45: Free and compulsory education for all children up to 14 years ,
replaced with ECCE 0-6 years.
• Article 21 A: Right to Education Act, 2009- Fundamental right of all
children aged 6-14 to get equitable, free and quality education.
• Article 14: The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or
the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India
• Article 15 (2): No citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex,
place of birth or any of them, be subject to any disability, liability, restriction or
condition.
• Article 15(4): Empowers the State to make special provisions for the
advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes or for SCs.
• Article 17: The Constitution of India states categorically that untouchability is
abolished and its practice in any form is forbidden

7. Historical developments of special and inclusive
education for students with disabilities in India
• In 1944, the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) published a comprehensive
report called the Sergeant Report on the post-war educational development of the
country.
• As per the report, provisions for the education of the handicapped, were to form an
essential part of the national system of education, which was to be administered by the
Education Department.
• According to this report, handicapped children were to be sent to special schools only
when the nature and extent of their defects made this necessary.
• In 1951 Central Advisory Board of Education advised the central government to appoint
secondary education commission. The government appointed secondary education
commission on 23rd sept, 1952. Under chairmanship of Dr. Lakshamanswami Mudaliar,
the then Vice Chancellor of Madras University. On the name of its chairman this
commission is termed as Mudaliar Commission. Special schools for handicapped
children.
• The Kothari Commission (1964–66), the first education commission of independent India,
observed: “the education of the handicapped children should be an inseparable part of
the education system.” The commission recommended experimentation with integrated
programmes in order to bring as many children as possible into these programmes.

8. • In 1968, the National Education Policy followed the commission’s recommendations
and suggested the expansion of educational facilities for physically and mentally
handicapped children, and the development of an ‘integrated programme’ enabling
handicapped children to study in regular schools
• National Policy on Education (1986) brought the fundamental issue of equality for CSN
to the forefront. Stressed the ‘removal of disparities’ in education
• The NEP contained the essentials of an integrated schooling system for children with
and without disabilities, it did not get translated into a detailed set of strategies for
implementation.
• The POA suggested a pragmatic placement principle for CWDs. It postulated that a child
with a special need who can be educated in a general school should be educated in a
general school only and not in a special school. Even those children who are initially
admitted to special schools for training in plus curriculum skills should be transferred to
general schools once they acquire daily living skills, communication skills and basic
academic skills.
• Besides, the POA also emphasized in-service teacher training, curriculum flexibility and
use of special TLM to meet their special educational needs. The main target was to
achieve equalization of educational opportunities by providing CWDs access to quality
education comparable to other children.

9. • In 1974, the Ministry of Welfare, now Social Justice and Empowerment, implemented
the Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IEDC) scheme
• That broke new ground by stressing the need for educating children with mild to
moderate disabilities in regular school settings However, the tensions between the role
of special and general schools for CSN continues today, even after the widespread
recognition that inclusion is seen as a more effective educational and social strategy in
most cases
Project on Integrated Education for Disabled (PIED)
• In 1987, UNICEF and NCERT launched the Project on Integrated Education for Disabled (PIED) in 10
blocks (the administrative level between district and village (Thomas, 2005b)), that focused on
teacher training in order to encourage integration. PIED was later amalgamated with the DPEP and SSA
• By the mid-1990s, IEDC was replaced by the Integrated Education for the Disabled (IED) as
component of the DPEP
• The main aim of DPEP: universalize primary education, including ensuring that CSN do not get
sideline (marginal) in the process of expansion
• It supports community mobilization and early detection, in-service teacher training, architectural
design in schools , the establishment of resource centres, teacher training, identification and
assessment of children with disabilities, and the supply of specialist aids and appliances

10. PWD ACT, 1995
• The Persons With Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection Of Rights And Full Participation) Act,
1995
• received the assent of the President on the 1st January, 1996
 Janshala
 A community schools programme, started in 1998 and replaced by SSA, was a collaboration between the
Government of India and the UNDP, UNICEF, UNESCO, the ILO, and UNFPA, and supported the government
drive towards universal primary education.
 The Janshala programme, which has a component designed to improve the attendance of difficult to
reach groups of children, including children with disabilities.
• The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has set up 11 District Rehabilitation Centres in 10 states
(Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, West Bengal,
Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka)
• A similar scheme called the National Programme for Rehabilitation for Persons with Disability (NPRPD)
was launched in 1999.
• community-based rehabilitation as a strategy to scale up basic rehabilitation services, and to create a
process for empowering people with disabilities, their families and communities.

11. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Movement to Educate All) 2001
• SSA programme aims to achieve UEE for all.
• by effective decentralization, sustainable financing, cost-effective strategies for
universalization, community-owned planning and implementation, and focus on girls,
marginalized caste groups and ethnic minorities.
• Inclusive education is an integral component of SSA, and success will largely depend on
the extent of enrolment, retention and achievement rates of children with specials
needs.
• 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

13. • The National Action Plan for Inclusion in Education of Children and Youth with Disabilities (IECYD)-2005
• Inclusion of children and young persons with disability in all general
educational settings from Early Childhood to Higher Education.
• The goal of the Action Plan is –“to ensure the inclusion of children and youth
with disabilities in all available general educational settings, by providing them
with a learning environment that is available, accessible, affordable and
appropriate
• In the year 2009, Inclusive Education of the Disabled at the Secondary Stage
(IEDSS) came. This was a reformed of IEDC for secondary stage education.
• In the same year Rastriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan(RMSA) was introduced by
the Government of India, for the Universalization of Secondary Education
• 2009 was a major year in education for India. The Right to Education act was
passed in the same year and enforced from 1st April 2010. RTE 2009 under the
article 21 A, makes the education a fundamental right of every children in India.
• The Rights of Person with Disability Act 2016, replaced the PwD Act of 1995. This
act was in line with the UNCRPD. It includes 21 conditions as disable. The central
and state government will be established advisory board on disability

14. • Inclusive Education for CWSN has been one of the major interventions of the
erstwhile Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan(SSA) RTE and RMSA schemes.
• From the year 2018-19, Samagra Shiksha lays emphasis on improving quality of
education for all students, including CWSN.
• Thus, this intervention is an essential component under Samagra Shiksha. The
component provides support for various student oriented activities which include
identification and assessment of CWSN, provision of aids, appliances, corrective
surgeries,
• Braille books, large print books and uniforms, therapeutic services, development of
teaching-learning material (TLM), assistive devices & equipments, environment
building and orientation programme to create positive attitude and awareness
about nature and needs of CWSN, purchase/development of instructional materials,
in-service training of special educators and general teachers on curriculum
adaptation, stipend for girls with special needs etc.
• The component also emphasizes the implementation of the Right to Free and
Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 for children with special needs (within the
age group of 6-14 years). In addition, separate resource support (financial assistance
towards salary of special educators) is also made available in order to appropriately
address the needs of CWSN within the school.

15. Inclusive Education in NEP 2020
• Based on the recommendation given by the Kasturirangan Committee (2019), the
National Education Policy has been brought out after 34 years. This is a very
comprehensive policy covering all the level of education. The policy spread into
four parts. Equitable and inclusive education is cover under school education
(NEP,2020)
• a) Schooling
• NEP 2020 affirm all the recommendation given by RPwD Act 2016, regarding
school education. The policy has given highest priority to enabling regular
schooling process from foundational stage to the higher education, for the
children with disability. Children with moderate to severe disabilities will have the
option of regular or special schooling (NEP 2020, Part-I, Section 6.10).
• b) School Complex School complex will be provided with a resource centre inside
the complex itself and other resources. School also must ensure the recruitment
of special educators with cross-disability training. The school will be supported to
provide individualized accommodations and support mechanism in order to fulfil
the need of the child with disabilities and to ensure barrier free access (NEP
2020, Part-I, Section 6.11).

16. c) Curriculum, Supportive Devices and Assistive Devices
• NCERT will work with expert bodies like DEPwD to make national curriculum framework (NEP 2020, Part-I,
Section 6.10). NIOS is responsible for developing high-quality modules to teach Indian Sign Language and
through this to teach other basic subjects. The curriculum will be flexible according to child strength, which
will allow the children to work on their own pace.To integrate and engage the child in the classroom
activities, appropriate technologybased toolsand other assistive devices, as well as teaching-learning
materials which are adequate and language-appropriate such as large print textbooks and Braille will be
made available in school (NEP 2020, Part-I, Section 6.11).
d) Teacher NEP 2020
talks about reform of teacher education programmes. Sensitization, early intervention, support and special
pedagogy to teach children with disability, to be an integral part of teacher education programmes (NEP
2020, Part-I, Section 6.14)
e) Assessment
National Assessment Centre, PARAKH, will formulate the guidelines and recommend tools for the assessment
of the child with disability. This will be for all the exams including the entrance test from the foundational
stage to higher education (NEP 2020, Part-I, Section 6.13).
f) Home Schooling
The home-schooling option will be available like before for children with severe and profound disabilities. The
resource centres and special educators will provide support for homeschooling. For home-schooling all the
guidelines and standards will be developed as recommended in the RPwD Act 2016. Theorientation of the
parents will be done though the technology-based solution for enabling the parents to meet the diverse
educational need of their child (NEP 2020, Part-I, Section 6.12)

17. • The New Education Policy is a comprehensive plan. It includes all
those aspects that will lead to full inclusion of the children with
disability in the education system. The following five aspects are an
attempt to give a structure to all the points included in NEP 2020.

18. National/apex-level institutes set up
1. National Institute for the Visually Handicapped (1982), an
autonomous body in Dehradun
2. National Institute for the Orthopedically Handicapped (1982), Kolkata
3. Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped (1983),
Mumbai
4. National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped (1984), Hyderabad
5. National Institute of Rehabilitation, Training and Research (1984),Odisha
6. Institute for the Physically Handicapped (1976), Delhi
7. Rehabilitation Council of India (1986), Delhi.
• Converted into a statutory body under the Rehabilitation Council of
India Act 1992. One objective is to prescribe minimum standards for
education and training of various categories of professionals dealing
with people with disabilities.

19. Components of this paper
• Shifting models of disability
• Educational provisions for children with special needs
• Curriculum issues and concerns
• Recommedations
• The task ahead

20. SHIFTING MODELS OF
DISABILITIES

21. Models of Disability
• Models of Disability are tools for defining impairment and, ultimately, for
providing a basis upon which government and society can devise strategies
for meeting the needs of disabled people.
• For Models of Disability are essentially devised by people about other
people. They provide an insight into the attitudes, conceptions and
prejudices of the former and how they impact on the latter.
• From this, Models reveal the ways in which our society provides or limits
access to work, goods, services, economic influence and political power for
people with disabilities.
• We should not see the Models as a series of exclusive options with one
superior to or replacing previous sets. Their development and popularity
provides us with a continuum on changing social attitudes to disability and
where they are at a given time. Models change as society changes

22. MODELS OF DISABILITY
•BIOMEDICAL MODEL
•CHARITY MODEL
•HUMAN RIGHT MODEL

23. BIOMEDICALMODEL
• This model regards disability as medical or genetic condition and
suggest disabled person and their families should strive normalisation
through medical cure and miracles.
• It sees disabilities as a disease or a medical problem that reside in the
individual. Therefore focus is on curing the disability with the help pf
trained professional.
• Terms like invalid, incapacitated, cripple, handicapped, retarded etc
find roots in Medical Model.

24. Shortcomings of Medical Model
• This model relieves society of any responsibility to provide Civil Rights
and accommodation.
• This model has fragmented the disablity community into medical
diagnostic categories.
• This model looks at what is wrong with person and not want person
needs. It creates no expectation and lead people loosing
independence, choice and controlling in their lives.

25. CHARITY MODEL
• In this model the people with disability are often treated as objects of
charity and pity.
• It suggest a custodial care for children with SEN causing extreme
isolation and marginalisation of people with disability.
• So, the Charity model recreates Medical model of disability begins in
body and extend it to create a moral impetus for non disabled person
to advance charity disabled person.

26. Shortcomings of Charity Model

27. HUMAN RIGHT MODEL
• This model position that all human beings are born with
certain rights. The relavant concept of this model are
• DIVERSITY 2) BREAKING DOWN BARRIER
• DIVERSITY: It says to respect individual differences and
accept disability as part of human diversity and consider
humanity as important.
• Disability is a universal feature of human condition

28. BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS:
• There should be equality and non discrimination
• Reasonable accommodation
• Equal participation and inclusion
• Private and public freedom

29. EDUCATIONAL PROVISIONS FOR SPECIAL
NEEDS
• Interated education
• Legislation
• Changing role of special school

30. INTEGRATED EDUCATION
• In 1970 government launched Integrated education for disabled
children.
• This scheme aimed to provide opportunities to learn with disabled
in regular school and to facilitate their achievement and retention.
• MAIN OBJECTIVE:
• To prepare normal development of children with special education
need and enable them to face life with confidence and courage.
• For this NCERT joined with UNICEF and launched project Integrated
education for disabled children (PIED) in 1987 to strengthen
integration into regular school.

31. • IEDS provided incentives intervention for education of children
with disability like preschool teaching, counselling parents,
allowances for books, stationery, uniform transport hostel
facilities.
• This scheme provide one special teacher for every 8 diasabled
children , resource room community involvement.
• Ex: NIOS offers courses to these children and see need of each
student .
• Giving child opportunity to progress at his own pace.
• Other examples are: Alternative schooling and community
based rehab programs.

32. LEGISLATION
• The right of every child to education is HUMAN RIGHT (1948) and this
was affirmed by WORLD DECLARATION OF EDUCATION FOR ALL(1990)
• In Indian constitution 3 forms of legislative act was there
• 1) The REHABILITION COUNCIL OF INDIA ACT( RCI -1992)
• 2) PWD ACT ( Person with disability act) 1995
• 3) National trust welfare of person with autism, cerebral palsy, mental
retardation and multiple disability act (1999)

33. • PWD act comprises 14 chapters to promote equality by eliminating all kinds
and discrimination
• Legislation emphasises need to prepare educational schemes that will make
various provisions for transport, supply of books, scholarships, modification
of exam system etc

34. CHANGING ROLES OF SPECIAL SCHOOL
• Special schools have step for integrated education in 1947.
• 32 schools- blind
• 30 schools – deaf
• 3 mental people
• By 2000 it increased to 3000
• Separate policies for segregation and integration were made.
1) Children with visual impairements , hearing impairements , locomotor
disability are streamline with general education
2)Children with mental retardation, reuires specialised school and
curriculum to meet their educational needs.

35. INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
• According to NCFSE, segregation or isolation is not good for both
disabled and general learners.
• Society requirement is special need children should be educated
along with other learners.
• Therefore inclusion means educating children with special needs
alongside with their peers in mainstream school.
• MHRD defined Inclusive education as “ All learners, young people
with or without disability being able to learn together in ordinary
schools, community with appropriate services.

36. Benefits of Inclusion for Students without SEN
The benefits of inclusion for students without SEN are as follows:
• • Students without SEN have a variety of opportunities for interacting with peers of their own age
who experience SEN, in inclusive school settings.
• • They may serve as peer tutors during instructional activities.
• • They may play the role of a special “buddy” for the children with SEN during lunch, in the bus,
or on the playground. • Children without SEN can learn a good deal about tolerance, individual
difference, and human exceptionality by interacting with those with SEN.
• • Children without SEN can learn that students with SEN have many positive characteristics and
abilities.
• • Children without SEN have the chance to learn about many of the human service professions,
such as, special education, speech therapy, physical therapy, recreational therapy, and vocational
rehabilitation. For some, exposure to these areas may lead their making a career in any of these
areas later on.
• • Inclusion offers the opportunity for students without SEN to learn to communicate, and deal
effectively with a wide range of individuals. This also prepares them to fully participate in a
pluralistic society when they are adults
• Inclusive education ensures that a school responds to the educational needs of children in the
neighbourhood. It brings a school closer to the community

37. Benefits of Inclusion for Students with Special Needs
• Spending the school day alongside classmates who do not have disabilities
provides many opportunities for social interaction that would not be available in
segregated settings.
• Children with SEN have appropriate models of behaviour. They can observe and
imitate the socially acceptable behaviour of the students without SEN.
• Teachers often develop higher standards of performance for students with SEN.
• Both general and special educators in inclusive settings expect appropriate conduct
from all students.
• Students with SEN are taught age-appropriate, functional components of academic
content, which may never be part of the curriculum in segregated settings (for
example, the sciences, social studies, etc.).
• Attending inclusive schools increases the probability that students with SEN will
continue to participate in a variety of integrated settings throughout their lives

38. CURRICULAR ISSUES AND CONCERNS
• To make inclusive education possible, and to better accommodate
students with different learning abilities, the present education
system, educational structure, and educational practices need to
become more flexible, more inclusive, and more collaborative.
The Purpose
• The purpose of inclusive education, • Is NOT the same as for a
student without SEN—that is, it IS NOT to bring students with SEN
up to the level of, or maintain their grades at the same level as,
students without SEN. • It IS to meet the individualised goals of
students with SEN, within the context of general educational
settings and activities.

39. Early Intervention and Preschool Programme
for Children with SEN
• The identification of SEN of children at an early age is crucial to helping them
cope with challenges in later life. Thus, the sensitisation, orientation, and training
of parents, caretakers, and other stakeholders becomes Imperative.
• At the preschool level, a multisensory approach should replace oral and rote
learning, facilitate language learning, develop pre-academic skills, and provide for
remedial measures in all areas of development. Appropriate diagnostic and
remedial assessment should be made available to identify, “at risk” children.
• Already developed curriculum packages for preschool children in communication
skills, self-help skills, social skills, and specific motor skills may be used. Audio-
visual packages for promoting skills in physical, motor, affective, cognitive, and
language development of children “at risk” and with SEN may be utilised.

40. Planning and Managing an Inclusive
Curriculum in Schools
• Developing inclusive schools that cater to a wide range of pupils in both
urban and rural areas requires: the articulation of a clear and forceful
policy on inclusion together with adequate financial provision; an
effective public information effort to combat prejudice and create
informed and positive attitudes; an extensive programme of orientation
and staff training; and the provision of necessary support services.
• Changes in all the following aspects of schooling, as well as many others,
are necessary to contribute to the success of inclusive schools:
curriculum, buildings, school organisation, pedagogy, assessment,
staffing, school ethos, and extracurricular activities. An inclusive
curriculum means one curriculum for all students rather than a separate
curriculum for students without SEN and another for students with SEN.

41. Access to an Inclusive Curriculum Booth
• It has pointed out that access to education is only the first stage in
overcoming the exclusion of persons with disabilities from the
mainstream. More challenging is the task of bringing about a shift in
public perspective and values, so that diversity is cherished. It is
believed that the fundamental right to education will bring more
pupils with SEN into ordinary schools, and that this will provide the
impetus for change.
• As stated this will regime a number of innovations in teaching–learning
processes, and will also provide pupils with SEN access to a full
curriculum in appropriate ways. To facilitate this access, it is important
to provide information in Braille, on tape, through sign language, and
in simple and straightforward language.

42. Teaching Practices
• In India, the concept of Inclusive Education has not yet been linked
to a broader discussion of pedagogy and quality education. Any
broad reform in education cannot be implemented without taking
the inclusion of learners with SEN into consideration.
• However, there are many teachers all over the country who do
make small modifications in their teaching in accordance with the
principles of inclusive education.
• The strategies used by them are: group learning, peer tutoring,
speaking slowly and clearly, looking at the hearing-impaired child
while speaking so that they can lip read, writing on the blackboard,
etc. Most teachers are aware of such techniques for classroom
management of learners with SEN. In this connection, they often
consult the special educator for support.

43. Content Areas
• The goals of education are the same for all children provided that these goals are balanced and
brought in harmony with the individual needs of each child. However, there may be students who
may require the following:
• Additional time and a suitable mode for the successful completion of tests. • Modification,
substitution, and disapplication of the curriculum because it presents specific difficulties for them. •
Provision of adapted, modified, or alternative activities in different content areas. • Accessible texts
and materials to suit their ages and levels of learning; • Appropriate management of classrooms (for
example, management of noise, glare, etc.) • Provision of additional support by using ICT or video.
• Mathematics: ITC
• Language: These children with special needs required a greater number of periods to learn the
content, ITC, remedial programme, Sign language and Braill.
• Science: support and additional time
• Social Science: tapes, ICT or speech; adaptation of content and activities; education aids to manage
visual information, group activities
• Art, Craft and Music
• Health, Hygiene, Yoga, Sports and Physical Education.

44. Evaluation
• The NCFSE (2000) was critical of the present evaluation system.
Singhal (2004), studying the existing practices at the school level has
stated that teachers regard the mainstream as curriculum-oriented
and examination driven, with pressures of “high achievement”.
• She noted “teaching in India stands subordinated to examination and
not examination to teaching.” Thus, the focus is on the completion of
a rigid and vast curriculum.

45. RECOMMENDATIONS
• Make all schools inclusive.
• Removing physical barriers
• Removing barriers of admission procedure
• Making curriculum flexible
• Use of ICT ,TLM and support services and specialists.
• Involve parents, family and community
• Reduce class size
• Regard all special teachers as members of school
• To facililate integrated knowledge in children
• Introduce sign language braille, finger braille etc.
• Respect the diversity and concept of inclusive society

46. CONCLUSION
It's good to see that the new provisions are made
in NEP which will favour the students with
disabilities but there's still uncertainty about the
large-scale work which requires to be done,
especially in courses of higher studies.