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DEAFNESS IN INDIA PRESENTED BY Arun Rao Executive Director -The Deaf Way Foundation Ex-President - National Association of the Deaf. EDUCATION. The educators of the deaf in India have used a single methodology for the past 30 some years.
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DEAFNESS IN INDIA PRESENTED BY Arun Rao Executive Director -The Deaf Way Foundation Ex-President - National Association of the Deaf
EDUCATION • The educators of the deaf in India have used a single methodology for the past 30 some years. • The admitted penetration is at 1% of the total population of which 2% are successfully rehabilitated and educated. • The others are left to fend for themselves, without the skills they enrolled to obtain.
EDUCATION 1. Most schools in India do not have a clear communication or language policy 2. They either emulate old teachers or devise their own methods. 3. We have a total of 20 schools above 8th grade of which 8 schools are above 10th grade level for a population which possibly exceeds half a million.
THE DEAF WAY …… WE HAVE A TWO PRONGED APPROACH 1. INFORMATION ACCESS AND CAPACITY BUILDING FOR THE TEACHERS. 2. MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS
THE DEAF WAY …… • Conducting seminars on current/modern educational practices for the teachers. • Enriching the experience of school students by hosting interschool events such as painting, drama and dance, quiz and other competitions, fun fairs, adventure sports, summer camps etc. • TEACHERS/STUDENTS AWARDS and SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
SIGN LANGUAGE • THE STATUS OF SIGN LANGUAGE IS VERY POOR. • SIGNING DEAF PERSONS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE MENTALY DEFICIENT AND ILL EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH LIFE. • SIGN LANGUAGE WAS INTRODUCED TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEARING HANDICAPPED IN THE YEAR 2001, BY OUR HOSTING A NATIONAL LEVEL EVENT ON SIGNLANGUAGE AND BILINGUALISM IN DEAF EDUCATION.
INTERPRETING • INTERPRETERS AND INTERPRETING SERVICES ARE VIRTUALLY UNHEARD OF UNTIL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. • THE DEAF WAY STARTED ATTENDING EVENTS AND ASKING TO BE ALLOWED TO INTERPRET. GRATIS. • DISABILITY ORGANISATIONS DID NOT HAVE PROVISION FOR INTERPRETERS IN THEIR MEETINGS NEITHER DID THE GOVT.
INTERPRETERS • THE SITUATION WITH IAN STILLMAN’S ARREST AND INCARCERATION 2001. • THE FIRST EVER PROTESTS BY THE DEAF COMMUNITY WERE LED BY THE DEAF WAY. • 19000 POSTCARDS WERE SENT WITH A VARIETY OF APPEALS TO THE PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER.
A DEAF PERSON’S RIGHTS • THIS WAS NEVER IN ANYONE’S MIND. • IAN WAS REFUSED AN INTERPRETER • THE SUPREME COURT SAID HE WAS HEARING BECAUSE HE COULD SPEAK • DEAF PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WERE TERRIFIED • GOD ONLY KNOWS HOW MANY IANS ARE STILL IN JAIL SOMEWHERE.
HIV/AIDS AWARENESS • WORKED WITH PROJECT SIGN POST FROM 1997 TO 1999 • DISMAL FINDINGS ON INFORMATION LEVELS PREVALENT IN URBAN AREAS • CREATED TWO TEAMS OF PEER EDUCATORS WHO CONDUCT 4 DAY RELATIONSHIPS AND HEALTH WORKSHOPS.
VOCATIONAL TRAINING • NONE OF THE REHAB / VOCATIONAL CENTERS IN INDIA RUN BY THE GOVT FOR THE DEAF ARE CERTIFIED BY THE MINISTRY THAT RUNS THEM. • THE DEAF WAY RUNS THREE CENTERS TEACHING COMPUTERS AND ENGLISH AND PRACTICAL LIFE SKILLS. • ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING WORKSHOPS
PLACEMENT • GOVT JOBS ADVT FOR THE DEAF HAVE NO PROVISION FOR INTERPRETERS DURING THE INTERVIEWS. • 1% OF GOVT JOBS ARE RESERVED FOR THE DEAF. • WE DO PLACEMENTS THROUGH PERSONAL CONTACTS AND RECENTLY THROUGH AN AGENCY WITH MODERATE SUCCESS.
DEAF FRIENDSHIP CLUBS • SET UP FIRST FRIENDSHIP CLUB IN DELHI IN 1988. • WE NOW RUN 56 SUCH CLUBS IN 11 STATES IN INDIA • COUNTERING THE ISOLATION EACH FEELS AND PROVIDES A PLATFORM TO SHARE TO GROW TO MEET INTERACT • COUNSELLING FOR PARENTS.
OTHER PROGRAMS • MATRIMONIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM • ANNUAL LEADERSHIP CAMPS • SIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING TO EMPLOYERS AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS • LAMAZE TRAINING FOR WOMEN AND LABOUR ROOM INTERPRETING.
OTHER PROGRAMS • SOCIAL WORK ORIENTATION FOR THE DEAF • RELIEF WORK WITH A DEAF TEAM - ORISSA FOR 14 DAYS - GUJARAT FOR 21 DAYS - TSUNAMI FOR 10 DAYS
DEAFNESS AND LAW • STARTED EDUCATION ON THE LAW AND VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE LAW IN 2004 • FORMALISED IT INTO A SERIES OF CLASSES FOR WHICH WE GOT RESOURCE PERSONS FROM HUMAN RIGHTS LAW NETWORK
TOOLS FOR GROWTH • WE ARE CREATING VCD’S OF CLASSES AND LECTURES ON THE VARIETY OF SUBJECTS WE COVER. • THESE ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE FRIENDSHIP CLUBS WE RUN • WE WISH TO SET UP A FULL FLEDGED VIDEO STUDIO AND DUPLICATION UNIT.
CIVIL RIGHTS • THE NEED FOR RIGHTS BASED ACTION IS OBVIOUS • THE PARADIGM OF CHARITY HAS TO BE ERADICATED • DEAF TO BE VIEWED AS A SOCIO-LINGUISTIC ISSUE, NOT A MEDICAL ONE
A NEW FACE • TO SPEARHEAD THE DEAF MOVEMENT WE NEED LEADERSHIP • AS LEADERS OF THE MOVEMENT WE FELT A NEW ORGANISATION SHOULD BE FORMED • NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THE DEAF.
N.A.D. • WAS LAUNCHED ON DECEMBER 3RD 2005 • THE ONLY WORK IT WILL DO IS RIGHTS BASED ACTIVISM AND LITIGATION. • CURRENTLY FILING PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION IN THE SUPREME COURT ON DRIVING LICENCES, INTERPRETING, EDUCATION.
THE WAY FORWARD • INGO’S NEED TO LEAD THE WAY • PROVIDING RESOURCES OF VARIOUS TYPES • PROVIDING ROLE MODELS IN TERMS OF NON DISCRIMINATORY POLICY AND PRACTICE • PROVIDE TRAININGS FOR POLICY MAKERS WITH REGARD TO DISABILITY PROGRAMMING.
