New Delhi, 14 August 2024

In a significant step towards promoting inclusive education in India, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has invited Commonwealth of Learning’s Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia (COL-CEMCA) to develop a specialised course aimed at building the capacity of Indian school teachers to use Assistive Technology (AT) for the inclusion of children with disabilities (CWD) in mainstream classrooms.

COL-CEMCA kicked off this initiative of developing the course by conducting a consultative meeting on 14 August 2024 at their premises in Delhi. The meeting was attended by 21 stakeholders in the fields of disability and inclusive education including teachers, professors, experts and representatives from prominent organisations, such as ChangeInkk Foundation and UNESCO Delhi. The primary objective of the meeting was to assess the current status of inclusive practices in Indian schools and gather valuable insights from educators and experts to shape the course content.

Dr B. Shadrach, Director of COL-CEMCA, in his welcome address, highlighted the importance of upholding the rights of all children to accessible, quality, and equitable education. He pointed out that a significant proportion of students in rural areas attend government schools, emphasising the need for nationwide implementation of inclusive education policies and build capacities of both administrators and teachers. Dr Shadrach also stressed on the need of sensitising teachers about inclusivity, empowering them to utilise appropriate tools and technologies, and committing to develop the course within a nine-month timeframe.

Professor Yukti Sharma, Department of Education, Delhi University, serving as the moderator of the meeting, led a comprehensive discussion on current practices related to inclusivity in Indian schools. The participants shared their experiences, challenges, and suggestions for improving the inclusion of CWD in regular classrooms. The discussion brought to light the difficulties teachers face in identifying, accommodating and integrating CWD and explored how Assistive Technology could help bridge these gaps.

Ms. Suman Chaudhary, Consultant, COL-CEMCA, presented the draft outline of the course, which was met with constructive feedback from the participants. The experts provided their valuable recommendations to enhance the course structure and content to ensure that it meets the practical needs of educators in the field. There was unanimous agreement on the course’s potential to contribute to inclusive education in India.

In the closing remarks, Dr B. Shadrach expressed his gratitude to all participants for their contributions and assured that their recommendations will be carefully considered in the final development of the course.

This initiative of course development aligns with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016) and the National Education Policy (2020) both of which advocate for the use of Assistive Technology to promote the inclusion of CWD in mainstream education. By building the capacity of teachers with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively implement Assistive Technology in classrooms, COL-CEMCA aims to create a more inclusive and equitable educational environment for all children across India.