New Delhi: Pained by the plight of children with special needs (CWSN) who struggle to secure admission in mainstream schools, a group of doctors, social workers and educationists have devised innovative methods to overcome this problem and make life easier for them.
Children with special needs have found it increasingly difficult to get admission in mainstream schools. The national capital records admissions of over 1.5 lakh children on an average every year of which 5 to 10 percent fall in this category.
The group of doctors, social workers and educationists have come together to help such children secure admission and implement the cause of inclusive education, by improving teaching methodology for CWSN. They also want to ensure that these children are provided optimum need based skills.
“The idea is to appreciate the fact that “every child is equal and special” despite some showing deviations from regular milestones of development. The philosophy is to appreciate the diversity and encourage their interests to work towards the common goal of human development,” said Dr Jitendra Nagpal, a senior consultant psychiatrist and In-charge Institute of Child Development and Adolescent Health.
He also a member of the Inclusive education initiative (IEI). However, he said if the gap between the child in question and the regular milestones of development is huge, then of course, such children need to be put up in special schools.
“But otherwise the IEI is all about helping every child with the prelude that different emotions and variations in development have to be cared and respected in a diverse classroom with individualised educational plans, upholding the supervision of an inclusive schools.
“The focus of schools is no more on child literacy or education, it is child development,” Nagpal added.
According to Dr Sunil Bhatnagar, convenor of Delhi Academy of Paediatrics, children with special needs include a large number of them suffering from autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among others.
Children of autism spectrum disorder have difficulty in understanding other people’s reactions and non-verbal cues, prefer to be alone and also face difficulty in making friendships with children of their age, although they may be very intelligent.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is most common among children, the symptoms of which are wandering attention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. “But in all these, the level of disability and the combination of symptoms vary tremendously from child to child. So the primary step towards attending this disorder is early diagnosis, early intervention, counseling the child along with need based medication and following them through their schooling years acting as an interactive forum between school authorities, children and their parents. The aim is not to let these children feel segregated from the society,” explained Bhatnagar.
Further explaining the disabilities, he said “suppose a children has IQ problem, we ensure that these children are provided special educators and also get an opportunity to mix up and learn things with mainstream children. “Then, there are congenital disorders and orthopaedic disabilities in which these doctors make sure that there are ramps and special toilets in schools. “The idea is also to increase and develop the tolerance power among children about these children with special needs so that they accept them as one of them.
”The initiative also aims at exposing CWSN to the outer environment so that they not only get to overcome their shortcomings but also are able to develop their special skills,” said Dr Anil Gulati, senior consultant in developmental paediatrics and a member of the IEI.
The group, apart from facilitating admission of CWSN in mainstream Government and Private schools, also help meet short term infrastructural needs like providing referrals to special educators and other rehabilitation professionals in their respective schools.
On Feb 25, Delhi High court will be hearing on the petitions of unaided private schools challenging the new nursery admission guidelines issued by the Lt Governor on various issues.
“Inclusive education initiative of Indian Academy of Padiatrics has pleaded with the to High court that differently abled should not be clubbed with the enonomically weaker sections and disadvantaged groups. They should be given extra points or every school should have up to 3 per cent for children with special needs as a part of their inclusive policy,” he said.
“Difficulties are higher especially when the children has cognitive disorders which are not visible. We work in the preparaion of the child socially and mentally for a school set up in general and try to demystify the entire concept of inclusion,” Madhumita Puri, Exective director of the Society for Child Development said. (PTI)
