Directorate of State Council of Educational Research and Training, Government of Mizoram, India

Background:

The National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 and the Programme of Action (1992) gives the basic policy framework for education, emphasizing on correcting the existing inequalities. It stresses on reducing dropout rates, improving learning achievements and expanding access to students who have not had an easy opportunity to be a part of the general system. The NPE, 1986 envisaged some measures for integrating of children with physical and mental handicap with the general community as equal partners, preparing them for their normal growth and development and enabling them to face life with courage and confidence.

The Centrally sponsored IEDSS scheme aims to:

1) Enable all students with disabilities completing 8 years of elementary schooling an opportunity to complete 4 years of secondary schooling (Classes IX – XII) in an inclusive and enabling environment.

2) Provide educational opportunities and facilities to students with disabilities in the general education system at the secondary level (Classes IX – XII)

3) Support the training of general school teachers to meet the needs of children with disabilities at the secondary level.

The objectives of the scheme is to ensure that:

1) Every child with disability will be identified at the secondary level and his educational needs assessed.

2) Every student in need of aids and appliances, assistive devices will be provided the same.

3) All architectural barriers in schools are removed so that students with disability have access to classrooms, laboratories, libraries and toilets in the schools.

4) Each student with disability will be supplied learning material as per his/her requirement.

5) All the general school teachers at the secondary level will be provided basic training to teach students with disabilities within the period of 3-5 years.

6) Students with disabilities will have access to support services like the appointment of special educators, establishment of resource rooms in every block.

7) Model schools are to be set up in every state to develop good replicable practices in inclusive education.

IMPLEMENTATION:

IEDC (Integrated Education for Disabled Children) CSS

1. Integrated for the Disabled Children (IEDC) was implemented in Mizoram in 1985 in the selected 20 schools with 40 Resource Teachers and 20 Resource Rooms, catering to disabled children in general schools.

2. Project Integrated Education for Disabled (PIED) UNICEF project PIED was introduced in 1989 in Mizoram to strengthen the implementation of IEDC, NCERT, Government of India and UNICEF launched an experimental Project called PIED. Composite area approach for comprehensive services is selected Blocks, i.e., Khawzawl Schools were covered. Since UNICEF Project was for a period of 5 years, the Scheme merged into its mother Scheme of Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IEDC) covering all the school of Mizoram since 1995-2008.

3. Sarva Shiksa Abhiyan (SSA) came into existence in 2002 in Mizoram, having Inclusive Education as one of its intervention components. The stage of implementation of Education for Disabled Children (IEDC) was subsumed under SSA since 2008.

IEDSS (Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage)

The scheme of IEDSS was introduced by Ministry of Human Resource and Development (MHRD) since 2009. Mizoram also implemented this scheme covering Secondary School, i.e. class IX – XII. The scheme of Inclusive Education for the Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) envisaged all children and young persons with disabilities to have access to Secondary Education and to improve their enrolment, retention and achievement in the general education system. At present, there are 915 disabled students out of which 20 blind (13 boys and 7 girls) and 55 low vision (37 boys and 18 girls) students enrolled in Secondary Stage.

Blind students are enrolled in Special Blind School, Durtlang and Moriah Blind School, Luangmual. Few others are staying at Integrated Blind Hostel, Kolasib, attending local schools.

Low vision students, on the other hand, are attending various schools as per their conveniences.

In 2002, 10 special teachers were engaged on contract basis.

In 2008, another 10 new special teachers were engaged.

In 2011, 25 new special teachers were engaged.

The IEDSS scheme provides for salary of special teachers at the ratio of 1:5. Their qualifications are :

(i) Graduates with B.Ed (Special Education) or B.Ed (general) with 2 year Diploma in Special Education for classes IX & X.

(II) Post Graduates in relevant subject with B.Ed (Special Education) or B.Ed (general) with a 2 year Diploma in Special Education for classes XI & XII.

Target Groups

As defined under the Persons with Disabilities Act (1995) and the National Trust Act (1999) disabled children to be covered are:

1. Blindness

2. Low Vision

3. Leprosy Cured

4. Hearing Impaired

5. Locomotor Disabilities

6. Mental Retardation

7. Mental Illness

8. Autism

9. Cerebral Palsy

Speech Impairment and Learning disabilities may be covered eventually.

Regular Activities / Programmes

1. Identifications: All children with disabilities need to be identified so as to avail the services provided under the scheme.

Identification checklist prepared in Mizo language is distributed to all teachers.

2. Assessment: Children identified or suspected to have disabilities require medical intervention. Medical Assessment confirms the disability of a child. Medical specialists prescribes the right type of assistive devices.

3. Intervention: Children with disabilities are provided with aids and appliances free of cost, namely:

- Wheelchairs

- Spectacles

- Crutches

- Surgical shoes

- Artificial limbs

- Hearing aids

- Walking stick

- Blind stick

- Intervention by way of Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physio Therapy as required is a regular feature.

- Parents counseling is done on a regular basis.

They are also provided (free of cost)

- Books & stationaries

- Uniform allowances

-Transport allowances

-Escort allowances

-Boarding & lodging allowances

-Scholarship for girl disabled students

4. Placement:

The above provisions are financed by Govt. of India, so as to enable all children to get equal opportunities and to give them education which is their right. The school is also prepared for them to be accommodated in spite of their variety of problems.

All students with disabilities are brought to the schools, and they are placed in those schools most convenient to them. Preventing drop outs due to disability is a very important matter.

5. Training of Teachers: All teachers are given training in Special Education as follows:

(1) 3 days Orientation Training.

(2) 4 to 6 weeks Training in Multi-Category Training.

Apart from this SCERT has a Study Centre under Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI). This Centre runs the courses of Foundation in Special Education and B.Ed (Hearing)

6. Training of Parents and Community.

Parents of disabled are given 2 days training for awareness, and management of their disabled children.

Community Awareness Programmes are organized in as many villages, towns, localities as possible because in order to set the communities’ support, attitude change and awareness is very important.

7. Observation of World Disabled Day, 3rd December every year.

Other Programmes:

(1) Medical assessment camps in all the eight (8) Districts of Mizoram.

(2) Basic Computer Training for Blind.

(3) Writers Workshops to develop parents handbook, Teachers Guide Book, Picture Dictionary.

(4) Construction of Resource Rooms in 66 schools.

(5) Community Contact Programmes.

(6) Teachers Training Programmes.

(7) Parents Training Programmes.

(8) Measurement and assessment camps for Locomotor Disabled.

(9) Construction of Special Toilets in schools.

(10) Construction of camps in schools.

(11) Printing of Large Print Text Books.

(12) Printing of Braille Text Books.

PUBLICATION

1.Tawng turin i fuih ang

2.Case History with Special Needs

3.Vohbik Pual (Education for Disabled Children)

4.A pawi hmain a tul ti tawh

5.Case History (IEDC)

6.Naupang Rualbanlo zawn chhuahna

7.Rilru lama rualbanlohna

8.Special Education chu eng nge ni

9.Integrated Education for Disabled Children

10.Khawvel huapa rualbanlo dikna chanvo humhalh

11.Identification Checklist for Children with Special needs (RPWD ACT,2016)

12.Identification Checklist and Case history for Children with Special Needs (RPWD ACT,2016)

13.Tawng i zirtir ang

14.A Handbook on IED (Naupang Rualbanlote Tanpuina)

15.Cumulative Record Card

16.Naupang Sikul lut tura inpeih dan tehna

17.Tawng zirna bul

18.Rualbanlo zirna chungchanga khawtlang mipuite hriattur

19.Rualbanlote zirna lama IEDC, SCERT School Education Dept. hmalakna te

20.Vohbik (Magazine)

21.Teacher’s Guide Book – “Naupang Mamawh Bik Neite Kaihhruaina”

22.Naupang zirtir dan (Method of Teaching)

23.Teacher’s Guide in Special Education –Integrated Education for Disabled

24. Parent’s Handbook on Special Education- Integrated Education for Disabled

25.Naupang mamawh bik neite kaihhruaina- I, II & III

26.Word Builder

27.Vohbik Pual (World Disabled Day articles)

28.Ephatha

29. Picture Dictionary

30.Mizo Braille Contraction

31. Vohbik hlabu

32. Large Print Text Books

33. Braille Text Books

Since 2013, due to significant efforts by the Central Ministry of Education, the Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IEDC) program under SCERT in Mizoram has been transferred to the School Education Department under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme. Similarly, the employees and the scheme under the Integrated Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) have also been transferred to the School Education Department under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).

At present, within the Directorate of SCERT, the Special Education Cell is functioning with one Special Education Officer (SEO) and two Assistant Special Education Officers (ASEO). There is also a Deputy Director of Special Education and a Joint Director of Special Education, all of whom report to the Director.

Since the end of 2018, the Special Education Cell has been offering regular B.Ed Special Education courses, including B.Ed Special Education in Visual Impairment (V.I) and Hearing Impairment (H.I), as a two-year certificate course. The staff involved in the B.Ed Special Education program includes one Coordinator, four Lecturers, One Programmer, two Assistant Special Education Officers (ASEO), one Cashier and one Office Assistant.

B.Ed. Special Education (Hearing Impairment & Visual Impairment)

The Special Education Cell of SCERT implemented the Education of the disabled children since 1985. Since its inception, the SCERT has grown in size and stature, it acts as a Resource Centre for Inclusive Education. The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), the Apex Govt. Body set up under an Act of Parliament, to regulate training programmes and courses targeted at disabled, disadvantaged and special education requirement communities. It is the only Statutory Council in India that is required to maintain the Central Rehabilitation Register which mainly documents details of all qualified professionals who operate and deliver training and educational programmes for the targeted communities. Knowing the need for Qualified Rehabilitation Professionals and in order to develop more Rehabilitation Professionals within the North Eastern States, the SCERT Mizoram after a thorough inspection by the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) was given permission to run the B.Ed. Special Education (Hearing Impairment & Visual Impairment) courses from the academic session 2018 – 2020. Affiliation was done under Mizoram University. It may be noted that SCERT Mizoram is the only Institution in the North East selected to conduct these B.Ed. Special Education Programme so that more Rehabilitation Professionals are developed.

The B.Ed.Special Education Programme aims to develop professionals for special education within a broad perception of education in the ensuing age of Information Technology, Revolution and Globalization. The programme aims to educate and train aspirants to become agents of change as teacher professionals through imbibing required knowledge, understanding, attitude and skill. The B.Ed.Special Education Programme is designed to empower special educators to teach students with disabilities in Inclusive and Special Schools, give thorough knowledge in specific disability areas as well as cross disability areas and train in different pedagogies of teaching. The B.Ed. Special Education Programme will prepare human resource to acquire knowledge and develop competencies and skills to impart education and training effectively to children with disability as well as all children.

The two B.Ed. Special Education Courses i.e. Hearing Impairment and Visual Impairment Courses, which has an intake capacity of 60 seats(30 each).

On successful completion of the B.Ed. Special Education Programme students will:

Acquire knowledge and skills of human development, contemporary Indian Education and pedagogy of various school subjects and assessment for learning.
Acquired knowledge and skills of the nature and educational needs of children with disabilities as well as of select specific disabilities.
Develop conceptual understanding of educational provision and skills for working with children with various disabilities in Special and Inclusive Education.
Acquire enhanced knowledge and skills for professional development.

As per the provision of RCI, the successful candidates of B.Ed. Special Education shall be able to obtain a ‘Registered Professional Certificate’ from the RCI to work as a teacher in the field of special education.

B.Ed. Special Education (H.I. & V.I.) Regular (MZU)

Year of starting : 6^th August, 2018
Date of Approval from RCI (Rehabilitation Council of India) : 3^rdMay, 2017

Date of Affiliation by MZU (Mizoram University) : 4^th January, 2018

History of the SCERT B.Ed Special Education –Hearing Impairment (H.I) and Visual Impairment (V.I) Program and the enrolment of students across different academic sessions.

B.Ed. Special Education (H.I. & V.I.),2018 - 2020