Education for Specially-Abled Children in India

A person which lacks the normal functioning physically or metally is called specially abled person. Such person needs special education during childhood. In this concept, the young learners will understand the efforts required for educating the specially abled children.

After reading the concept, students will be able to:

Understand about schools for students with partial or complete blindness.
Answer- how do children with locomotor disabilities learn to do physical activities?
Describe the efforts needed for the children with learning disabilities.
Compare children with mental illness with other normal children.
Recall the efforts required for children with blood disorders.
Know about RTE Act 2009.

Each concept is explained to class 4 students using descriptions, illustrations, and concept maps. After you go through a concept, assess your learning by solving the two printable worksheets given at the end of the page.

Download the worksheets and check your answers with the worksheet solutions for the concept Education for Specially-Abled Children provided in PDF format.

Who Are Specially-Abled Children?

Children who need proper care, support and attention from their elders, parents, and teachers due to their mental and physical disabilities are called special children.
Often special children are called specially-abled children.

Types of Specially-Abled Children:

a) Children suffering from Blindness:

Children who have blindness are either partially visually impaired or completely blind.
Partially visually impaired kids can study at regular schools with average students but with special care.
Completely blind students should go to blind schools where they learn with braille scripts.
A partially visually impaired student may use equipment like glasses.
Blind students use speciality sunglasses and walking sticks.

b) Children Suffering from Locomotor Disabilities:

Children with locomotory disabilities cannot walk properly.
These children have bent and weak backbones that do not allow them to do simple activities like standing.
Teaching these children at regular schools is challenging.
They need the constant support of their caregivers.
These children usually attend many therapy sessions to correct their postures.

c) Children Suffering from Learning Disabilities:

These children cannot read and write correctly.
While writing, they often use mirror images of alphabets.
They are unable to understand instructions.
They cannot solve simple calculation problems.
Teachers use different types of teaching aids to teach such kids.

d) Children Who Have Mental Illnesses:

Children who have mental illnesses show abnormal behaviour.
Sometimes they may get impulsive.
Proper therapy with doctors is a must for such children.

e) Children Suffering from Blood Disorders:

Many children suffer from rare blood disorders like thalassemia.
It is a deadly disease that needs a regular blood transfusion.
These children can be included in normal schools with other average students.
The inclusive schools should appoint a medical officer who can look after them.
If any critical situation arises, they must be shifted to the nearby hospitals for treatment.

RTE Act 2009:

RTE stands for Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act.
It deals with the educational rights of children all over the country.
The RTE act states that free education is a fundamental right of every child.
It was incorporated under the Indian Constitution in 2009 and came into effect on 1st April 2010.
According to this act, every child aged six to fourteen should receive free and quality education from government schools.

New Words:

Impulsive: Doing something without thinking it through.

Microorganisms: These are tiny living creatures that cannot be seen without a microscope.

Lesions: A region in an organ or tissue damaged because of injury or disease.

Did You Know?

Many governmental and non-governmental organisations support and run schools for only special children, like schools for autistic children, children suffering from cerebral palsy, and blind schools for blind and visually impaired children.
Special children can also be admitted to normal schools. All government schools in India hire teachers who can teach them.