Lok Sabha Question No. 3777 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-09
Subject: Education to Children with Special Needs
Ministry: SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
Asked by: MAHEISH GIRRI, RAM CHARITRA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF' SOCIAL JUSTICE & EMPOWERMENT DEPARTMENT OF EMPOWERMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3777 FOR 09.08.2016

## Education to Children with Special Needs

## 3777. SHRI MAHEISH GIRRI: SHRI RAM CHARITRA NISHAD:

Will the Minister of SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken steps to increase the enrolment and provide education to children with special needs;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether there are training programmes/provisions/handbooks made for the teachers to facilitate them so that can teach children with needs effectively; and special they
- (d) if the details thereof and if not; the reasons therefor? SO,

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT (SHRI KRISHANPAL GURJAR)

(a-b) The Education to children with special needs falls under the purview of Ministry of Human Resource Development, As per them, the Government of India is presently implementing Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) as main programme for universalising elementary education for all children of 6 -14 years of age. Its overall include universal access and retention, bridging of and social category gaps in education and enhancement of learning levels of children; Under SSA, CWSN are provided Rs. 3000/- per child per annum provided that at least Rs. 1000/ - per child will be earmarked for engaging Resource Teachers The major interventions  under SSA for the education of children  with needs are identification; assessment, provision of free aids and appliances, teacher training engagement of resource persons support services (transport, escort, therapy and surgery) and barrier free access. goals gender special

As per Unified District Information   System on Education (UDISE), 2014-15, 23.17 lakh children   with needs in schools are currently enrolled in schools. Under SSA, 18174 Resource Persons have exclusively been engaged at the block level for CWSNs. Under the SSA, details of free aids/ appliances and support services provided to CWSN till 30.06.2016 are as under: special

- a) Assistive devices- 32.82 lakh CWSNs

- Transport support-

5922293 CWSNs

- 3

- Escort Support- 664755 CWSNs

- Therapeutical Support- 859837 CWSNs

- e) Surgical Support- 127833 CWSNs

As per UDISE, 2014-15, 77.37% schools have been provided with ramps and handrails and 73.44% schools have disabled friendly toilets.

(c) & (d): Under SSA through in-service teacher training on Inclusive Education; teachers are to the concept of' inclusion and different kinds of CWSN, Through this training 34.22 lakh teachers have been trained under SSA s0 far: Under SSA, exemplar material on inclusive teaching strategies, adapted curriculum, adapted teaching techniques and adapted evaluation  strategies has been developed 'This material, meant for teachers, covers all disabilities, including physical, sensory, cognitive and intellectual disabilities. 3.30 lakh teachers have been given training on this material under SSA. Further;, under SSA teachers are trained in various disciplines such as Low vision, Braille, Signs and gestures, Needs of children with intellectual  Challenges, Cerebral Basics of learning disabilities, Needs of children with multiple disabilities, Autism and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for CWSN. regular Palsy,

Besides, SSA has taken special initiative of developing a set of 5 modules in the areas of inclusion, autism spectrum disorder; hearing impairment; cerebral palsy and deaf blindness, The module focus on building awareness on the challenges faced by students with these special needs and comprises approaches and strategies that address the learning needs of this group of CWSN in mainstream classrooms.

Other than Rehabilitation Council of India (RCD) has approved various courses in education for training human resource for teaching children with special needs. RCI has also published   following   publication to facilitate the   teachers   training   programmes in   special education: that; special

- Manuals for diploma programme
- (iii) Access for All, 3rd Edition 2015,
- (ii) Status of Disability-2012