1. Role of Special School in Promotion of Inclusive Edcuaiton
Sharing of thoughts By
Bhushan Punani
Chairperson: ICEVI West Asia
Executive Secretary:
Blind People’s Association

2. Emerging Trends in Inclusive Education for Individuals with Visual Impairment
First Trend: Shift from Residential to Inclusive Education
First school for the Blind 1984:
1784: in the world in Paris
1954: Arthur Blaxall School for the Blind in South Africa
Journey years old in world
- 63 years old in South Africa

4. Special School

5. 1st School in the World 1st School in South Asia Coverage Focus
RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS
1st School in the World
– 1785 in Paris
1st School in South Asia
– 1954 Arthur Blaxall School for the Blind
Coverage
- “Less than 5 % in Africa”
Focus
– “Single category of disability”

6. – “Mostly Govt & Public Charity”
RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS
Location
– “Mostly urban”.
Model
– “Charity & Welfare”
Funding
– “Mostly Govt & Public Charity”

7. – Missionaries, Blind Persons themselves, their Teachers & Parents”
RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS
Founders
– Missionaries, Blind Persons themselves, their Teachers & Parents”
Managed with
- Public Donations or Grants
– Department of Social Welfare

8. Resource Model

9. World over there is debate as regard Shifting from Residential to inclusive education
Salamanca and UNCRPD recognize inclusive education

10. Shift from Special to Integrated
Two Prominent Models:
Model 1: Itinerant Model – Teacher visits from school to school to provide support to CWSNs
Model 2: Resource Model : A Resource Room is created at regular school for such children & Resource Teacher provides support

12. New Expectations from Residential Schools
With expansion of inclusive education
Special Educators required for child preparatory
School readiness services and Braille teaching
Orientation & mobility & use of assistive devices
Class Teachers carries out regular educational activities

13. There is debate world over
Whether to promote inclusive education alone
And close down residential schools
In Developing countries, the right approach is
To continue both modes of education
Children with deafblindness, multiple disabilities do require residential or Home Based Teaching

14. The Residential Schools however need to change their role
To be complimentary to inclusive education
Emerge as Resource Centres
To provide support inclusion

15. Residential School to provide:
Accessible text books, assistive and educational devices
Orientation of Class Teachers

16. Setting Resource Centres & making schools accessible
Making campus accessible
Provide reasonable accommodation
Promote total communication in inclusive schools

17. PROMOTE USE OF
Technology based devices
Expansion of Braille production
Open source screen reading software
Internet based audio books

18. Screen reading & magnifying software
Refreshable Braille
Audio equipment & close circuit TV
Transformed school into smart school
Such student should be able:
To store, retrieve and access material
As effectively as sighted person

19. Use of technology & software
Magnifying capacity of computer
Affordable Braille display
To provide transport facility to child
provide impetus to inclusive education

20. Role of Inclusive Schools
Provide volunteers to special schools
Involve Special schools in inclusive sports

21. Roles of Inclusive Schools
Involve blind students in cultural activities
Provide writers and readers to students
Record and provide audio books
Implement student exchange program
Mobilize resources for special schools
Promote use of technology & software

22. Role of Teacher Training Institutes
Government should appoint Special Educators as regular teachers
Universities should modify curriculum of teacher training
Included "Disability Studies" as a paper
All class teachers to handle children with visual impairment also

23. Despite being a blind person, completed her schooling with science
Got admission through court intervention
In Degree Course in Physiotherapy
Now a practicing physiotherapist.

24. Advantages of Complimentary Approach
Advantages of socialization
Inclusive development
Building of self confidence
Promotes sense of competition exams
Appearing in National Administrative exams
Banking recruitment

25. National Civil Services
Combined Admission of Tests for Premier Management Institutes
Many of them appointed as:
Bureaucrat, Executives, Bank Officers, Physiotherapists, Lawyers, Public Relation Officers

26. To sum up Inclusive education - mode of journey
Not final destination or last frontier
Empowers the people
Builds self confidence
Promotes social inclusion
Builds capacity of schools

27. Brings a sense of accomplishment, achievement & self realization
And self actualization as well
Let us make inclusion - a way of life
For people facing seclusion, isolation & segregation
Under pretext of they being "special"
And requiring "special education"
Let us not change them

28. But the change the schools
Change the system
Change the mindset and
Change environment
Such change would usher in
New hopes
Now aspirations

29. New targets of achieving something Which is their right That is
Now aspirations
New dreams and
New targets of achieving something
Which is their right
That is
“ Complete inclusion in an inclusive mainstream of social life".