Training Centre

The teacher training centre was started in 1976 as there was a paucity of special educators at the time. The course was then patterned on the one conducted by the Institute of Education, London University. Short term courses are also conducted for therapists in the management of cerebral palsy, training courses for auxiliary nurses, anganwadi workers, doctors, inservice courses for staff at the Society. The Centre is a collaborating agency offering `Bridge Courses' under the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) Act. The Training Centre is also collaborating with ISEC and the Institute of Child Health, London University to conduct their CBR courses in India.

The Training Centre has hostel facilities for outstation students.

A Post Graduate Diploma Course in the Education of the Physically Handicapped (Dip. Ph.H ) (Recognised by the University of Bombay and under the RCI Act)

Special Education has been one of the major growth areas in the field of education throughout the world in recent decades, formerly considered in-educable. a per requisite for any expansion in Special Education is the provision of adequate teacher training facilities.

The Post Graduate Diploma Course for teachers in the Education of the Physically Handicapped was first introduced by The Spastics Society of India in close collaboration with specialists from the Spastics Society, U.K. and the Institute of Education,  University of London. The course was affiliated to the University of Bombay in 1985 and has been recognised by the University since then.

Admission Criteria

candidates are required to be graduates from a recognised university. Preference is given to candidates with other degrees in the field of education and those who have had teaching experience in mainstream or other special schools.  There is no age limit.
 

Brief Description of the Course

The Type of Children Studied :

The major focus of the course is on children with cerebral palsy (a movement and co-ordination disorder accompanied at times. With intellectual impairment,  specific learning difficulties, visual and hearing,  impairments).  However children without brain damage such as those with polio, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy or congenital absence of limbs are also dealt with,  especially when the conditions are severe enough to cause difficulties in the areas of communication,  education and in the social emotional area too.

Course Outline:

The Course is of one year duration (July to may)five days a week from 9-30 to 4-00 p.m.and consists of the following.

Paper I: Normal and Special Education

Topics covered herein consist of a brief historical perspective of normal and special education within the country and without Curriculum development, special teaching strategies, development of language and communication systems, diagnosis and remediation of specific learning disabilities are addressed in-depth.

Paper II: Normal and Abnormal Psychology

Normal child development specifically in the areas of cognition language, social, emotional and motor is studied, theories of learning psychological testing and assessment, report writing, theories of behaviour management and counselling also fall within the purview of this paper.

Paper III : Medical and Clinical Aspects of Handicap

Basic anatomy and neuro-psychology is studied with a particular reference to the causes and types of treatment available for various physical disabilities, The role of physio therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, aids and appliances and their integration is discussed along with early diagnostic intervention and treatment programmes.

Paper IV : Teaching Practicum

This consists of 200 marks of internal assessment of teaching lessons conducted at the centres for Special Education run by the Spastics Society of India.

Paper V: Case Studies

This consists of an eighty marks assessment of an in-depth case study of two students of the centres followed by a viva voce examination of twenty marks.

Paper VI : Field Visits

Part of the requirement of the course are field visits to other special and mainstream schools with submission of written reports on the institutions Visited.

Paper VII : Internal Assignments

Regular tests and questionnaires conducted along with preparation of special teaching aids on specific topics, and a remedial kit to be used in the classroom are part of the requirements of this paper.

Paper VIII : Dissertation

Students are required to submit a 10,000 word dissertation on a topic related to the field of disability, This is followed by a viva voce examination.

Examination :

Before admission to the examination for the Diploma in the three theory papers a student must have pursued the prescribed course of study and completed the dissertation the satisfaction of his/her teachers, To be declared successful students are required to secure a minimum of 40% mark in each of the papers.

Faculty:

The Director of the Course is Shrimati Mithu Alur, chairperson of the Spastics Society of India,  with a faculty made up of various experts from the field of  psychology, medicine, education, therapy and social work.

The Library :

Available to the students is a fully equipped library with lending reading facilities pertaining to the course syllabus.