Hi all, It is heartening to see such an intriguing discussion after such a long time. At the outset, I fully agree with the views that Bhavya has so eloquently put forth. Bhavya, you are wise beyond your years, my friend, and I am sure your tenacity and courage will hold you in good stead in future. I should, however, hasten to add that, while I share your righteous indignation about the terrible state of most special schools, my uniform experience has taught me that our system of inclusive education is woefully inadequate in some critical respects. Even though I studied in a normal school and excelled in the conventional sense of the term i.e. Consistently securing good marks, actively participating in class discussions and excelling in a handful of extracurricular activities, I cannot honestly say that I had a fulfilling school life. This is because most of my academic success can be attributed to my ability to remember facts and figures and to regurgitate them in exams as opposed to rigor ously and thoroughly engaging with the content and good problem solving skills. Second, in the last few months, I have realized that there are some very troubling gaps in my knowledge on account of the way I was taught in school. While it is true that some of us are better in some subjects than in others, I am sure you all would agree that it is essential to develop a functional understanding of every subject that one studies. However, even though I am not otherwise a dull guy, I cannot tell you what even simple geometric shapes like pentagons or trapezoids look like because I never studied geometry in school. Similarly, my knowledge of geography, physics, chemistry and biology is also limited to the theoretical concepts that I studied from my textbooks. While this can be attributed to the lackadaisical approach of my teachers whose only concern was to ensure that I wasn't taking the help of my writers during exams as opposed to developing creative techniques to address my peculiar needs, it can also be attributed to the fact that I wasn't as assertive as I sho uld have been in terms of demanding equal participation. My main focus, unfortunately, used to be on obtaining a satisfactory rank as opposed to making the most of my school life. However, I do wholeheartedly believe that my experience, inadequate though it was, was still better than what I would have experienced in an average special school anywhere in India, and, for that, I am very grateful to my parents for having the conviction and desire to make me study in a normal school. I do fully share your anger towards ngos which strive to put every special child in a special school even if the child has the ability to compete in a mainstream environment. Please forgive me for my bluntness, but the people from whom we are expecting positive measures to improve the situation are, to my mind, more a part of the problem than the solution.
Sent from my iPhone > On Oct 30, 2014, at 5:08 PM, "Parakh Rajesh" <[email protected]> wrote: > > the real essence of inclusive education is integration of differently abled > to main stream where the notions and hesitance of the sited or normal society > is reduced to a level where inclusion of these children becomes smoother. and > moreover the feeling of isolation amongst the differently abled population > may fade away during the course of time which in turn increases their > confidence level. coming to resources and facilities in rural areas or lesser > priviliged society the issues are real complex in country like ours. here > stronger, pragmatic laws and stiff accountability may help in long term > perspective. > regards, > rajesh parakh > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bhavya shah" <[email protected]> > To: "AccessIndia: a list for discussing accessibility and issues > concerningthe disabled." <[email protected]> > Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2014 4:51 PM > Subject: Re: [AI] Regarding Inclusive Education and Special School. > > >> Hi, >> 'great bhavya, in todays context the need is to use technology in best >> possible ways. further there is a need to create strong laws for >> normal schools that they do not refuse any differently abled child for >> admission and provide atleast minimum standard of technology for the >> children to achieve education. i think strong rules will surely help >> children from rural areas also.' >> I think there is a law that mainstream schools cannot refuse to give >> admission to a visually impaired child, I might be wrong here. This >> wasn't in my case, because I have been studying in my school from when >> I was completely sighted to now, where I am completely blind. >> In a poor country as India, perhaps the school may not give >> technological solutions to the children, but certainly, they should >> allow the use of laptops and other such solutions. I am not sure about >> rural areas, I have seen that some NGOs with lots and lots of >> teachers, have failed to spread awareness, and sadly parents of other >> blind children aske me whether I am able to use a computer or not, >> whether I will drop maths or not, because in those NGOs (I won't take >> their names) only and only Braille is taught, and just nothing else. >> If NGOs themselves become more aware, then perhaps we can talk about >> the adoption of inclusive education in rural areas. >> >>> On 10/30/14, Ketan Kothari <[email protected]> wrote: >>> Dear Bhavya, >>> >>> I am a student from a "special school". I have also been a student in >>> a regular "not normal" school but I personally feel that education is >>> important to begin with and then the philosophical debate of "special" >>> versus "inclusive" for both have their advantages and disadvantages. >>> >>> In a case as yours, at least you have parents who have computer at >>> home. How many blind people or their parents in the country have it? >>> What about regional languages? And yes, the biggest asset that you >>> have is your mother who is painstakingly doing the conversion etc. >>> >>> I am not advocating special school but I am of the opinion that a >>> child must be educated in the best scenario that helps him. I have >>> been to the villages where both parents have to go to NREGS work and >>> the child goes to a regular school with little or no attention. This >>> certainly hampers his education and the learning outcomes will >>> definitely suffer. In the best available circumstances, children must >>> be in an inclusive environment but e-text can never replace Braille >>> till we have mobile sets that are easily accessible, fast to operate >>> and can maintain privacy (which present sets do not allow I am >>> afraid), and yes, Braille is not a language but a script. >>> >>> Having said all this, I really admire your courage and wisdom at your >>> age and for this I would certainly salute your parents. Their >>> perseverance is what led you where you are. I am sure you will go >>> miles in the future. Wish you best of luck, lad and may you climb >>> heights unthinkable. >>> >>> With best wishes, >>> >>> Ketan >>> >>>> On 10/30/14, Amiyo Biswas <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> Dear Friends, >>>> >>>> Recently I met some of my teacher friends at a meeting of Blind Persons' >>>> Association. We were sharing our experiences in our respective fields. We >>>> were all surprised to learn that special schools are not getting students >>>> after inclusive education was introduced. There are hardly a handful of >>>> special schools for us. If these schools with a very low roll strength do >>>> not get sufficient students, what will be the lot of the next generation >>>> of >>>> visually impaired students? >>>> >>>> Inclusive Education programme is in effect for some years. We should >>>> review >>>> the situation now. As a project it sounds very good. Disabled children >>>> read >>>> at normal schools and ideally it helps mainstreaming them into the >>>> society. >>>> >>>> A cursory glance at a classroom will reveal the real situation. In West >>>> Bengal, where I live in, the normal student-teacher ratio is about 1-100 >>>> in >>>> many cases. It is even worse at the primary schools. Moreover, the >>>> primary >>>> school teachers have to perform various duties during census and >>>> election. >>>> Besides, they have their daily chore of midday meal. Many of these >>>> schools >>>> do not have the necessary infrastructure for children with special needs. >>>> Accessible toilets are dreams when the normal children do not get these >>>> facilities in some cases. >>>> >>>> There are Special Educators who are supposed to assist the children with >>>> special needs. A Special Educator has to cover about 30 schools in a >>>> month. >>>> Is it possible for him or her to guide a disabled child by meeting him >>>> once >>>> in a month? We cannot expect him that he will be efficient in Braille, >>>> sign >>>> language and so on. They are paid very low (hardly Rs. 8,000 per month) >>>> and >>>> appointed on a contract basis. They tend to quit their jobs whenever >>>> there >>>> is an opportunity. Why should well-educated young people stick to such a >>>> job >>>> for so humble a salary? >>>> >>>> I shall not say that nothing good has come of it. Many disabled children >>>> have been enrolled into normal schools or Sarba Shiksha Abhijan. In >>>> normal >>>> schools there is no pass or fail. So visually challenged children get >>>> automatic promotion up to class VIII without ever learning Braille. I >>>> have >>>> heard of a mentally retarded child who goes to the exam and his >>>> invigilator >>>> writes his name, roll etc. on his answer paper and he gets promoted. >>>> >>>> There is yet another benefit. Parents of the disabled children gain >>>> financially from the scheme, around Rs. 4,500. The Special Educators earn >>>> their living, whatever it is, from this scheme. But this is all at the >>>> cost >>>> of education. When children with special needs require special training, >>>> we >>>> are thrusting them into an atmosphere where they feel lonely and >>>> isolated. >>>> They memorise some rhymes and stories, but they seldom learn arithmetic. >>>> As >>>> a result they grow up with an inferiority complex. >>>> >>>> A severe consequence of the scheme is that since the parents earn >>>> something >>>> from this scheme, they do not send their children to special schools. >>>> Most >>>> of the special schools cannot enrol their full strength. >>>> >>>> I do not want to give up with Inclusive Education immediately. But we can >>>> do >>>> the following to make it more effective: >>>> 1. There should be some financial incentive for the parents who send >>>> their >>>> children to special schools >>>> 2. The block-level social welfare officer should try to find a special >>>> school for a child with special needs and when no such facility is >>>> available, only then the child should be enrolled in Inclusive Education. >>>> 3. Special Educators should be paid in line with the regular teachers >>>> with >>>> all facilities. >>>> 4. Braille books, Braille writing frames, Taylor frames and other similar >>>> items used by children with special needs should be available at the >>>> block >>>> level. >>>> >>>> I shall request all senior members to do something about it. We should >>>> write >>>> to the ministers of Social Justice and Empowerment, Education and to the >>>> PM >>>> also. Activists like Mr. Kaul, Mr. Rumta or Dipendra should take >>>> initiative >>>> with our full support for any action. >>>> >>>> With best Regards, >>>> Amiyo Biswas >>>> Cell: +91-9433464329 >>>> Clean India Campaign: Let us also chip in! >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility >>>> of >>>> mobile phones / Tabs on: >>>> http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in >>>> >>>> >>>> Search for old postings at: >>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >>>> >>>> To unsubscribe send a message to >>>> [email protected] >>>> with the subject unsubscribe. >>>> >>>> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >>>> please >>>> visit the list home page at >>>> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >>>> >>>> >>>> Disclaimer: >>>> 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of >>>> the >>>> person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; >>>> >>>> 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the >>>> mails >>>> sent through this mailing list.. >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Ketan Kothari >>> Phone: [r] 24223281, >>> Cell: 9987550614 >>> MSN ID: [email protected] >>> Skype ID: Ketan3333 >>> >>> Clean India Campaign: Let us also chip in! >>> >>> >>> >>> Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of >>> mobile phones / Tabs on: >>> http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in >>> >>> >>> Search for old postings at: >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >>> >>> To unsubscribe send a message to >>> [email protected] >>> with the subject unsubscribe. >>> >>> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please >>> visit the list home page at >>> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >>> >>> >>> Disclaimer: >>> 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the >>> person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; >>> >>> 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails >>> sent through this mailing list.. >> >> Clean India Campaign: Let us also chip in! >> >> >> >> Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of >> mobile phones / Tabs on: >> http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in >> >> >> Search for old postings at: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to >> [email protected] >> with the subject unsubscribe. >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please >> visit the list home page at >> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >> >> >> Disclaimer: >> 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the >> person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; >> >> 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails >> sent through this mailing list.. > > > Clean India Campaign: Let us also chip in! > > > > Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of > mobile phones / Tabs on: > http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > To unsubscribe send a message to > [email protected] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please > visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > > Disclaimer: > 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the > person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; > > 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails > sent through this mailing list.. Clean India Campaign: Let us also chip in! Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..
