Educational Programmes for the Hearing Impaired Children

Correspondence course for parents

Parents are child’s first and natural teachers and all children almost always learn language from their parents. Correspondence courses are therefore designed for parents to assist them in handling the difficulties that they may encounter in developing communication and language skills in their children. Parents are provided with a Home Study Plan for input in language development, so that they could provide a language stimulating environment at home during their child's early life i.e. 0–5 years, as it is critical period for language acquisition.

At present such correspondence courses are available at many organizations in various languages. A few addresses are given here:

Most of such correspondence courses are free of charge for the parents.

Parent Infant Programme

These programmes aim at catching the hearing impaired very young. Such programme intend to monitor overall development of the concerned child. The philosophy is to expose the young children to a language stimulating environment so that the hearing impaired children acquire natural language. The crux of this programme is parent empowerment. As the name suggests, parents along with their infants are enrolled in the programme and parents are trained to undertake different techniques to help their infants acquire language which if not developed at this stage, can lead to difficulty in acquiring formal education at a later stage.

Such Parent infant Programmes are available at a few centers in India. Some of the centers are:

Contact Training Programmes for Parents

Upholding the parent teacher partnership in education of the hearing impaired contact training programmes for parent of hearing impaired are organized periodically in most of the special schools in India. Depending upon the age group of the children the programmes are chalked out so that appropriate training could be imparted to the parents to carry out follow up and supplement the class–room teaching.

Such programmes are routinely conducted by:

Pre–school Programmes

Integrated education in regular school

For children diagnosed and intervened at a very early stage and most importantly who have developed functional language could be included in regular pre–school programmes. However assistance from special teachers or resource teachers would be required so that the child develops good reading and writing skills and a continual language enhancement programme.

Segregated in a Special School

Children diagnosed late or those who have not developed adequate functional language are enrolled in Special pre–school programmes. In special schools, special teachers help children build a strong foundation of language which would ease out the formal education in primary and secondary school, again, either in an integrated setup or in a special school depending upon the child's achievements. Teachers in special schools develop conversational skills by using various techniques. Special pre–school curriculum to suit the needs of the children is devised and activities such as directed activity, story telling, guided play are contrived to develop receptive and expressive language in the pre–school hearing impaired children.

Special pre–school programmes are conducted at AY.J.N.I.H.H., Mumbai and its regional centres and at many of the special schools across the country. A model pre–school curriculum for Young Hearing Impaired Children is available at A.Y.J.N.I.H.H.

Primary Schools

Integrated education in a regular school

Children either from integrated pre–school programmes or from segregated special school programmes are enrolled in regular primary schools. Hearing impaired children follow the same curriculum as prescribed by the State Board of Special Education in a state, but are entitled for language exemption and from oral evaluation. The assistance from a resource teacher or a special teacher will help the hearing impaired child progress at par with his/her hearing counter parts.

Segregated education in a special school

Children who have still not developed good language and communication skills and need more assistance in reading and writing continue primary education in special school. Special teachers design individualized education plan and develop curriculum to meet the individual needs of the special children. In addition to the curriculum as laid down by State Education Board, special teachers undertake activities to strengthen the language both receptive and expressive.

Secondary Schools

Integrated education in regular schools

Children from integrated primary schools or from special primary school may be placed in secondary school. Secondary section in a special school may not be available due to several reasons. Sometimes, special schools do not get permission to run secondary school from the concerned State government. Hence children may have to enroll in integrated secondary schools. There also is high rate of school dropouts at this point. Parents are advised to be alert and look for options available so that the education is not discontinued.

The curriculum followed is as prescribed by the concerned State Board of Education, however the hearing impaired children get language exemptions and need to take optional subjects against exemptions

Segregated Special Schools

Children who for one or the other reasons could not be integrated in a regular primary school continue their secondary education in a special school. In addition to the State Boards curriculum of secondary education, they get language exemptions. Most of the special schools also have classes to teach pre–vocational skills.

Continual Education

The National Open School

The National Open School provides an educational opportunity to children persons who wish to pursue further education but cannot do so in a regular school system. It provides continued education to the handicapped children, especially dropouts from school. For this purpose NOS has set up Special Accredited Centres for the Education of Disadvantaged (SAIED) at various places.

Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped is one of the accredited centres catering to the continual education of hearing impaired children. It offers two programmes – The foundation course and secondary education in two mediums Hindi and English.

1. Foundation course: Minimum education upto std. V is required for admission. The foundation course is equivalent to std. VIII. There are no public exams, marks or certificate. Five subjects are offered with either one or two languages from group A and the remaining 3 subjects from group B.
2. Secondary Education: Minimum education upto std. VIII or foundation course done from National Open school is required for admission. The secondary education is equivalent to std. Xth. Subjects offered are any one language + 5 subjects including options for vocational subjects. Public exams are conducted and secondary school certificate is given after successfully completing the course. The special feature is that the student can appear for only one subject per year in the term of five years i.e. students can study at their own pace.

Higher Secondary Education

Hearing impaired who have successfully completed secondary school from a recognized Board of Secondary Education either from integrated regular secondary school or special school or NOS are eligible for admission to Higher Secondary School. Hearing Impaired children are eligible for language exemption and can opt for other optional subjects.

Special Schools

Hearing impaired children who have successfully completed secondary school from a recognized Board of Secondary Education either from integrated regular secondary school or special school or National Open School are eligible for admission to higher secondary special school. Listed below are some such schools.

1. Little Flower Convent Higher Secondary for Deaf 127, G. N. Road, Cathedral P.O. Chennai – 600 006, Tamil Nadu
2. St. Louis Institute for Deaf and Blind Canal Bank Road, Gandhi Nagar, Adyar, Chennai – 600 020

College Education

Hearing impaired persons who have completed higher secondary education from integrated (regular)/special school from recognized Board of Education are eligible for admission in regular college or can enroll in IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University) for higher education.

Segregated special colleges are also available at:

1. C.S.I. Vocational High School for the Deaf Post Valakom, Kottarakara, Dist. Quilon, Kerala
2. St. Louis Institute for Deaf and Deaf Blind Canal Bank Road, Gandhi Nagar, Adyar, Chennai - 600 020

List of schools for children with Hearing Impairment in India