Disability Management and Special Education Coimbatore, Tamilnadu.

International Human Resource Development Centre (IHRDC) for the Disabled at the Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, became the first faculty of University namely Faculty of Disability Management and Special Education (FDMSE). The centre was already involved in training Special Education professionals at the national and international levels.

A formal inauguration of six courses in the FDEMSE was made at the IHRDC on August 2005.The courses inaugurated were as follows:

• B.Ed. in Special education (Visual Impairment)
• B.Ed. in Special education (Hearing Impairment)
• B.Ed. in Special education (Mental Retardation)
• M.Ed. in Special education (Visual Impairment)
• M.Ed. in Special education (Hearing Impairment)
• M.Ed. in Special education (Mental Retardation)

Apart from these courses, research programmes leading to PhD are also initiated.

Highlights of IHRDC

1. Has a highly advanced braille printing unit; prints and supplies text books in all subjects from Stds I to XI to blind students studying in Tamil Nadu.
2. Has produced the first Indian Sign Language Dictionary for the deaf in India.
3. Through its community-based rehabilitation programme, the center trains 40 blind people every year for self-employment.
4. In Collaboration with the Sankara Eye Society-Coimbatore, the IHRDC conducts elaborate survey of blind people in the surrounding areas covering a population of over 2 lakhs and treats them freely, which includes some compilcated and sophisticated surgeries too.
5. Employs about 25 blind and mentally retarded people in the notebooks and envelopes manufacturing unit which supplies the products to schools and colleges in the Coimbatore District.
6. Offers training courses to prepare community level field workers for the disabled.
7. Offers low vision assessment services.
8. Offers training courses to prepare community level field workers for the disabled.
9. Offers low vision assessment services.
10. Offers sign language interpreters’ course in three levels.
11. Proposing to offer supervisory training programme for rehabilitation managers.