Department of Education of Groups with Special Needs
Department of Education of Groups with Special Needs was established on 1st September 1995. Since then the department had been working in the area of education of children with special needs and children belonging to socially disadvantaged groups, such as SCs, STs and minorities. Implementation of an inclusive system of education for all assumes greater significance of systemic reforms especially in the context of the socially disadvantaged and the persons with disability. The department focuses on the problems and difficulties faced by children belonging to these groups and takes up projects for developing relevant material for teachers and teacher educators. The department also organizes training programmes for teachers, teacher educators and policy makers to sensitize and train them in appropriate strategies for providing quality education and equal education opportunities for these children in the mainstream schools.
Inclusion in education is a dynamic phenomenon and its postulates for education create a demand on education system to modify itself as per the need of the child, irrespective of his/her abilities/disabilities. Successful and effective implementation of inclusive education requires thoughtful planning and time bound action based on research findings. Keeping this in mind, the department has been involved in various programmes for the inclusion of children and youth with disabilities, children belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and those belonging to minorities, in education. The department has undertaken a number of research, development, training programmes and extension activities for making education accessible to the disadvantaged groups including the learners with disabilities.
The Key Functions of the Department are:
- Carry out researches to review the existing activities and suggesting new initiatives in the field of education of persons with disabilities and those belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and the minorities.
- Organize training programmes, both face to face and through EDUSAT, for teachers, teacher educators and policy makers to sensitize and train them in strategies for providing quality education and equal educational opportunities to children belonging to the vulnerable groups.
- Support the development of inclusive curriculum at the national and state levels, providing inputs for development of inclusive textbooks and suggesting reforms in the examination procedures from the perspective of groups with special needs.
- Develop teaching learning material like teachers’ guides, manuals, index for inclusion, training guidelines and Braille literacy curriculum.
- Advice and support the Centre, states, NGOs and international and national level agencies for effective implementation of inclusion
- Network and draw linkages between various departments, organizations and people involved in the education of special focus groups.
- Conduct activities under the SSA’s national component for special focus groups; and
- Act as clearing house for researches and developed materials.