PROVIDE SPECIAL EDUCATION 
Early Intervention
School and pre—vocational programmes
Individualised programme planning (IPP)
Vocational Lab
VOCATIONAL TRAINING:
In continuation of Maithree’s efforts to support the development of persons with mental retardation, four Vocational Training Centres have been opened across Chennai to impart vocational skills. This is to ensure that these individuals can sustain themselves by engaging in gainful occupation during their adulthood.
Respite Care :
There is a need for parents of persons with mental handicap to have respite from day to day chores. Respite care is the solution for such parents. Under this initiative, parents can leave their special persons under able care for an evening or a weekend or for the holiday.
SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM – WHAT IT MEANS:
The primary objective of this program is to maximize the potential of the children. The program covers two spheres of education, functional training, physical and occupational therapy, vocational training, socialization and extracurricular activities. Functional academics Functional training Therapeutics Co-curricular activities.
1.FUNCTIONAL ACADEMICS In the recent years new trends have emerged in the field of special education. The skills taught to children are absolutely function oriented. Today’s curriculum ideology is based on activity oriented instructional programmes. In this approach the emphasis is on utility of learning skills, which are age appropriate. The instructional plan includes activities, which lead to generalization of learnt skills in various situations. This approach helps in preparing persons with mental retardation to integrate smoothly into their own communities. The ability to retain learnt skills is poor in persons with mental retardation unless they are put to use frequently. It is very important that items selected for teaching should be those required for the day-to-day living requirements of the person. A single answer to these problems is development of functional literacy and numeracy, i.e; the individuals with retardation are taught reading, writing, and mathematical concepts involving time, money and measurements, which will be used in daily living.
2.FUNCTIONAL TRAINING It is based on the daily life activities, which the child has to perform everyday from morning to night at home or at school. The aim of such a program is to make the child competent in performing day-to-day functions as well as to develop an independent level of functioning.
3.THERAPEUTICS Mental retardation is a condition requiring intervention condition professionals of various disciplines. Occupational therapist and physiotherapist play a big role in helping children in developing motor skills. In working with infants there is considerable overlap in the roles of physiotherapist is usually concerned and gross motor activities, while the occupational therapist is more involved in evaluation and treatment of fine motor functions and activities of daily living Speech and communication are characteristic features of the human race. Ability to communicate effectively requires the integration of abilities a person has to understand what when and how to communicate; skillfully handle different people in their environment; and the ability to learn from experience. Hence it may not be surprising that children with mental retardation present varying degree of deficits in communication. It is necessary to provide help to these children in learning to communicate well. In other words, understanding communication problems in children with mental retardation requires a thorough understanding of the child and its environment. Problems in sensory integration can be reflected in over or under sensitivity to in coming sensation. When there is over arousal, the child may manifest defensiveness to sensations of touch, taste, vision, hearing and smells as well as hypersensitivity to movement and sometimes-gravitational insecurity. When there is under sensitivity, the child may lack appropriate arousal to sensation, showing a lack of registration. In both cases, the problem can cause behavioral and emotional difficulties, and when severe can interfere with sensory discrimination and skill development. SOME CHILDREN FLUCTUATE FROM OVER TO UNDER AROUSAL AND IN TURN, THEIR BEHAVIOR VARIES AND THEIR RESPONSE REQUIRE SENSORY INTEGRATION.
4.CO-CURRICULUM ACTIVITIES The need to take part in social activities is universal. All children like to play and engage themselves in recreational, leisure time activities. In the past, the curriculum in various school systems focused mainly on the teaching of academics reading, writing and arithmetic (3Rs). All other non-academic activities were considered extra-curricular. In recent years however the trend is changing and the activities other than the 3Rs are finding place in the curriculum of schools. It is not called EXTRA CURRICULAR any more, now they are called CO CURRICULUM activities, which include visual arts, performing arts, craft, sports and games, yoga and physical education. They form part of the curriculum with trained teachers to teach, involving evaluation and accountability. In the field of mental retardation the co curricular activities play a significant role.
VOCATIONAL TRANSITION FROM SCHOOL TO WORK Vocational transition is a carefully planned process, which may be initiated by school personnel or adult service providers to establish and implement a plan for either employment or additional vocational training of a student with a handicap who will graduate or leave school in three to five years: such a process may involve special educators, vocational educators, parents, the students, adult service system representative and possibly an employer.
VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION The ultimate aim of special education is employability and independent living. Vocational rehabilitation means that part of the continuous and coordinated process of rehabilitation, which involves the guidance, vocational training and selective placement designed to enable a disabled person to secure and retain suitable employment. Typical facilities at a special school/satellite day care centre Objective: To provide special education through day care training centres for children with mental retardation, Cerebral palsy, Autism and multiple disabilities. Beneficiaries: Optimally around 50 children of all age groups right from birth onwards. No upper age limit. The ability level of the special child will determine the scope of training.
Educational Modules:
1. Early intervention program ”UPANAYAN”. The scientific and Systematic Training / education program developed for children in the age group of Birth to six years.
2. Madras Developmental Program and System (MDPS) the time-tested program which enables the special child to learn daily living skills as well as enhance his/her potential.
3. Therapy: Physiotherapy and Occupational
3 (a) Music and recreational activities
3 (b) Sports
4. Academics under National open School syllabus for the children of appropriate functioning level.
5. A vocational lab to introduce and include a work culture for the special children at an appropriate age and developmental level. A Pre Vocational Checklist developed in house has been of immense help in standardizing the programme. All the above modules are guidelines and an individualized programme planning is developed for each child and the educations/training is imparted with suitable teaching aids and methods exclusively developed for these children.
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