Education for children with disabilities has been one of the core objectives of the erstwhile Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA), RTE and RMSA Schemes. The Right to Education Act has made education of children between the ages of 6-14 years compulsory and free, this includes children with disabilities. The component has laid out very extensive provisions for their access to education such as access to assessment, braille books, books printed in big letters, assistive devices and equipment, corrective surgeries and much more. Not only does the RTE Act lay clear provisions for the education of children with disabilities, but according to the 2012 Amendment a child with multiple or severe disabilities has the right to opt for home-based education. The Scheme for Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage offers all children with disabilities to complete 8 years of primary schooling and 4 years of secondary education. The support has been increased from Rs 3000 per child per annum to Rs 3500 per child per annum.A stipend for female students with disabilities has been mandated from class I to XII to increase retention and encourage them to complete their schooling. Provisions for home-based education were extended to children up to class XII under SSA. Some other objectives of the scheme include admission without discrimination, provisions of accessible infrastructure and reasonable accommodation, ensuring education was imparted using appropriate methods for students with visual or hearing disabilities, and providing transportation facilities, Monitoring the child’s progress and participation is also at the core of the scheme. The department has developed resource materials such as “Barkha: A reading series for ‘all’ to impart lessons on inclusion. Handbooks have been developed for teachers to help them understand the needs of children with disabilities.
Samagra Shiksha: Inclusive Education for differently-abled Children
