It was a special day at the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing in Mysuru as 162 children with special needs successfully completed their training at the pre-school training centre at the Department of Special Education here in the campus.
They are now all set to join mainstream schools after going through pre-school activities conducted by the AIISH. Among the children, 145 are being mainstreamed while the remaining 17 have been recommended for partial integration with special support services.
A programme was held on the AIISH campus here on Tuesday where the children received certificates for having completed the training. Their caregivers were also present and they had received training which was also key for supporting their children to join the mainstream schools.
The programme was held to celebrate the success of pre-school children for having successfully completed the training and to motivate caregivers for inclusive education.
Ashwathamma C., Deputy Director, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities and Senior Citizens, Bengaluru, was the chief guest. In her address, she highlighted the importance of constitutional rights of persons with disabilities and spoke about the initiatives taken up by the Government of Karnataka in this regard. She appreciated the efforts put in by caregivers and special educators for successfully training the children.
AIISH Director M. Pushpavathi, in her presidential address, spoke on the uniqueness of the pre-school programme and encouraged parents to motivate their children for continuous learning. She also suggested extending family support to the mothers in taking care of their children.
The All India Institute of Speech and Hearing has been stressing on early identification and intervention in babies at risk of developing communication disorders. It has taken up a campaign of spreading awareness among parents on the issue, and has joined hands with the government hospitals in addressing communication problems with early screening of babies.
The data available at the country’s premier institute in the field of speech and hearing shows that about 7% of babies are at risk of developing communication disorders based on the screening tests done earlier in hospitals during the neonatal period. Children who develop communication problems are referred to the AIISH’s preschool for dealing with the issues and helping them join the mainstream.
