deafness in india!
DESCRIPTION
An overview of deaf issues in India and how the organisations I am involved with are working to tackle problems and needs we encounter.TRANSCRIPT
DEAFNESS IN DEAFNESS IN INDIA INDIA
PRESENTED BY Arun Rao PRESENTED BY Arun Rao Executive Director -The Deaf Way FoundationExecutive Director -The Deaf Way Foundation
President - Association of Sign Language InterpretersPresident - Association of Sign Language Interpreters
EDUCATIONEDUCATION
The educators of the deaf in India have The educators of the deaf in India have used a single methodology for the past 30 used a single methodology for the past 30 some years.some years.
The admitted penetration is at 1% of the The admitted penetration is at 1% of the total population of which 2% are total population of which 2% are successfully rehabilitated and educated.successfully rehabilitated and educated.
The others are left to fend for themselves, The others are left to fend for themselves, without the skills they enrolled to obtain.without the skills they enrolled to obtain.
EDUCATIONEDUCATION
1.1. Most schools in India do not have a clear Most schools in India do not have a clear communication or language policy communication or language policy
2.2. They either emulate old teachers or They either emulate old teachers or devise their own methods. devise their own methods.
3.3. We have a total of 30 special schools We have a total of 30 special schools above 8above 8thth grade of which 8 schools are grade of which 8 schools are above 10above 10thth grade level for a population grade level for a population which possibly exceeds half a million.which possibly exceeds half a million.
THE DEAF WAY ……THE DEAF WAY ……
WE HAVE A TWO PRONGED APPROACHWE HAVE A TWO PRONGED APPROACH
1. INFORMATION ACCESS AND 1. INFORMATION ACCESS AND CAPACITY BUILDING FOR THE CAPACITY BUILDING FOR THE TEACHERS.TEACHERS.
2. MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR 2. MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTSSTUDENTS
Conducting seminars on current/modern Conducting seminars on current/modern educational practices for the teachers.educational practices for the teachers.
Enriching the experience of school students by Enriching the experience of school students by hosting interschool events such as painting, hosting interschool events such as painting, drama and dance, quiz and other competitions, drama and dance, quiz and other competitions, fun fairs, adventure sports, summer camps etc.fun fairs, adventure sports, summer camps etc.
TEACHERS/STUDENTS AWARDS and TEACHERS/STUDENTS AWARDS and SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMSCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
THE DEAF WAY ……THE DEAF WAY ……
SIGN LANGUAGESIGN LANGUAGE
THE STATUS OF SIGN LANGUAGE IS VERY THE STATUS OF SIGN LANGUAGE IS VERY POOR.POOR.
SIGNING DEAF PERSONS ARE CONSIDERED SIGNING DEAF PERSONS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE MENTALY DEFICIENT AND ILL TO BE MENTALY DEFICIENT AND ILL EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH LIFE.EQUIPPED TO DEAL WITH LIFE.
SIGN LANGUAGE WAS INTRODUCED TO THE SIGN LANGUAGE WAS INTRODUCED TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEARING NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEARING HANDICAPPED IN THE YEAR 2001, 17 YEARS HANDICAPPED IN THE YEAR 2001, 17 YEARS AFTER ITS CREATION BY OUR HOSTING A AFTER ITS CREATION BY OUR HOSTING A NATIONAL LEVEL EVENT ON SIGN LANGUAGE NATIONAL LEVEL EVENT ON SIGN LANGUAGE AND BILINGUALISM IN DEAF EDUCATION.AND BILINGUALISM IN DEAF EDUCATION.
INTERPRETINGINTERPRETING
INTERPRETERS AND INTERPRETING INTERPRETERS AND INTERPRETING SERVICES ARE VIRTUALLY UNHEARD OF SERVICES ARE VIRTUALLY UNHEARD OF UNTIL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. UNTIL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
THE DEAF WAY STARTED ATTENDING THE DEAF WAY STARTED ATTENDING EVENTS AND ASKING TO BE ALLOWED TO EVENTS AND ASKING TO BE ALLOWED TO INTERPRET. GRATIS.INTERPRET. GRATIS.
DISABILITY ORGANISATIONS DID NOT HAVE DISABILITY ORGANISATIONS DID NOT HAVE PROVISION FOR INTERPRETERS IN THEIR PROVISION FOR INTERPRETERS IN THEIR MEETINGS NEITHER DID THE GOVT. MEETINGS NEITHER DID THE GOVT.
INTERPRETERSINTERPRETERS
THE SITUATION WITH IAN STILLMAN’S THE SITUATION WITH IAN STILLMAN’S ARREST AND INCARCERATION.ARREST AND INCARCERATION.
THE FIRST EVER PROTESTS BY THE THE FIRST EVER PROTESTS BY THE DEAF COMMUNITY WERE LED BY THE DEAF COMMUNITY WERE LED BY THE DEAF WAY.DEAF WAY.
19000 POSTCARDS WERE SENT WITH 19000 POSTCARDS WERE SENT WITH A VARIETY OF APPEALS TO THE A VARIETY OF APPEALS TO THE PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER.PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER.
A DEAF PERSON’S RIGHTSA DEAF PERSON’S RIGHTS
THIS WAS NEVER IN ANYONE’S MIND.THIS WAS NEVER IN ANYONE’S MIND. IAN WAS REFUSED AN INTERPRETERIAN WAS REFUSED AN INTERPRETER THE SUPREME COURT SAID HE WAS THE SUPREME COURT SAID HE WAS
HEARING BECAUSE HE COULD SPEAKHEARING BECAUSE HE COULD SPEAK DEAF PEOPLE ALL OVER THE DEAF PEOPLE ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY WERE TERRIFIEDCOUNTRY WERE TERRIFIED GOD ONLY KNOWS HOW MANY IANS GOD ONLY KNOWS HOW MANY IANS
ARE STILL IN JAIL SOMEWHERE.ARE STILL IN JAIL SOMEWHERE.
HIV/AIDS AWARENESSHIV/AIDS AWARENESS
WORKED WITH PROJECT SIGN POST WORKED WITH PROJECT SIGN POST FROM 1997 TO 1999FROM 1997 TO 1999
K.A.B.P. RESEARCHK.A.B.P. RESEARCH DISMAL FINDINGS ON INFORMATION DISMAL FINDINGS ON INFORMATION
LEVELS PREVALENT IN URBAN AREASLEVELS PREVALENT IN URBAN AREAS CREATED TWO TEAMS OF PEER CREATED TWO TEAMS OF PEER
EDUCATORS WHO CONDUCT 4 DAY EDUCATORS WHO CONDUCT 4 DAY RELATIONSHIPS AND HEALTH RELATIONSHIPS AND HEALTH WORKSHOPS.WORKSHOPS.
VOCATIONAL TRAINING VOCATIONAL TRAINING
NONE OF THE REHAB / VOCATIONAL NONE OF THE REHAB / VOCATIONAL CENTERS IN INDIA RUN BY THE GOVT CENTERS IN INDIA RUN BY THE GOVT FOR THE DEAF ARE CERTIFIED BY FOR THE DEAF ARE CERTIFIED BY THE MINISTRY THAT RUNS THEM.THE MINISTRY THAT RUNS THEM.
THE DEAF WAY RUNS SIX CENTERS THE DEAF WAY RUNS SIX CENTERS TEACHING COMPUTERS AND ENGLISH TEACHING COMPUTERS AND ENGLISH AND PRACTICAL LIFE SKILLS.AND PRACTICAL LIFE SKILLS.
CONDUCTS ENTREPRENEURSHIP CONDUCTS ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING WORKSHOPSTRAINING WORKSHOPS
PLACEMENTPLACEMENT
GOVT JOBS ADVT FOR THE DEAF HAVE GOVT JOBS ADVT FOR THE DEAF HAVE NO PROVISION FOR INTERPRETERS NO PROVISION FOR INTERPRETERS DURING THE INTERVIEWS.DURING THE INTERVIEWS.
1% OF GOVT JOBS ARE RESERVED FOR 1% OF GOVT JOBS ARE RESERVED FOR THE DEAF. THE DEAF.
WE DO PLACEMENTS THROUGH WE DO PLACEMENTS THROUGH PERSONAL CONTACTS AND RECENTLY PERSONAL CONTACTS AND RECENTLY THROUGH AN AGENCY WITH THROUGH AN AGENCY WITH MODERATE SUCCESS.MODERATE SUCCESS.
DEAF FRIENDSHIP CLUBSDEAF FRIENDSHIP CLUBS
SET UP FIRST “SELF HELP GROUPS” WE SET UP FIRST “SELF HELP GROUPS” WE CALLED “FRIENDSHIP CLUBS” IN DELHI IN CALLED “FRIENDSHIP CLUBS” IN DELHI IN 1988, AND CONTINUED TO DO SO.1988, AND CONTINUED TO DO SO.
WE NOW RUN 56 SUCH CLUBS IN 11 WE NOW RUN 56 SUCH CLUBS IN 11 STATES IN INDIASTATES IN INDIA
COUNTERING THE ISOLATION EACH FEELS COUNTERING THE ISOLATION EACH FEELS AND PROVIDES A PLATFORM TO SHARE TO AND PROVIDES A PLATFORM TO SHARE TO GROW TO MEET INTERACT GROW TO MEET INTERACT
COUNSELLING FOR PARENTS. COUNSELLING FOR PARENTS.
OTHER PROGRAMSOTHER PROGRAMS
MATRIMONIAL ASSISTANCE MATRIMONIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMPROGRAM
ANNUAL LEADERSHIP CAMPS ANNUAL LEADERSHIP CAMPS SIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING TO SIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING TO
EMPLOYERS AND HIGH SCHOOL EMPLOYERS AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTSSTUDENTS
LAMAZE TRAINING FOR WOMEN AND LAMAZE TRAINING FOR WOMEN AND LABOUR ROOM INTERPRETING. LABOUR ROOM INTERPRETING.
OTHER PROGRAMSOTHER PROGRAMS
SOCIAL WORK ORIENTATION FOR THE SOCIAL WORK ORIENTATION FOR THE DEAFDEAF
RELIEF WORK WITH A DEAF TEAMRELIEF WORK WITH A DEAF TEAM
- ORISSA 1999 FOR 14 DAYS- ORISSA 1999 FOR 14 DAYS
- GUJARAT 2001 FOR 21 DAYS- GUJARAT 2001 FOR 21 DAYS
DEAFNESS AND LAWDEAFNESS AND LAW
STARTED EDUCATION ON THE LAW STARTED EDUCATION ON THE LAW AND VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE AND VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE LAW IN 2004LAW IN 2004
FORMALISED IT INTO A SERIES OF FORMALISED IT INTO A SERIES OF CLASSES FOR WHICH WE GOT CLASSES FOR WHICH WE GOT RESOURCE PERSONS FROM HUMAN RESOURCE PERSONS FROM HUMAN RIGHTS LAW NETWORKRIGHTS LAW NETWORK
TOOLS FOR GROWTHTOOLS FOR GROWTH
WE ARE CREATING VCD’S OF WE ARE CREATING VCD’S OF CLASSES AND LECTURES ON THE CLASSES AND LECTURES ON THE VARIETY OF SUBJECTS WE COVER. VARIETY OF SUBJECTS WE COVER.
THESE ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE THESE ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE FRIENDSHIP CLUBS WE RUN FRIENDSHIP CLUBS WE RUN
WE WISH TO SET UP A FULL FLEDGED WE WISH TO SET UP A FULL FLEDGED VIDEO STUDIO AND DUPLICATION VIDEO STUDIO AND DUPLICATION UNIT. UNIT.
CIVIL RIGHTSCIVIL RIGHTS
THE NEED FOR RIGHTS BASED THE NEED FOR RIGHTS BASED ACTION IS OBVIOUSACTION IS OBVIOUS
THE PARADIGM OF CHARITY HAS TO THE PARADIGM OF CHARITY HAS TO BE ERADICATEDBE ERADICATED
DEAFNESS TO BE VIEWED AS A DEAFNESS TO BE VIEWED AS A SOCIO-LINGUISTIC ISSUE, NOT A SOCIO-LINGUISTIC ISSUE, NOT A MEDICAL ONEMEDICAL ONE
A NEW FACEA NEW FACE
TO SPEARHEAD THE DEAF TO SPEARHEAD THE DEAF MOVEMENT WE NEED LEADERSHIPMOVEMENT WE NEED LEADERSHIP
AS LEADERS OF THE MOVEMENT WE AS LEADERS OF THE MOVEMENT WE FELT A NEW ORGANISATION SHOULD FELT A NEW ORGANISATION SHOULD BE FORMEDBE FORMED
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THE DEAF.THE DEAF.
N.A.D. N.A.D.
WAS LAUNCHED ON DECEMBER 3WAS LAUNCHED ON DECEMBER 3RDRD 20052005
THE ONLY WORK IT DOES IS RIGHTS THE ONLY WORK IT DOES IS RIGHTS BASED ACTIVISM AND LITIGATION.BASED ACTIVISM AND LITIGATION.
CURRENTLY FILING PUBLIC INTEREST CURRENTLY FILING PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION IN THE SUPREME COURT LITIGATION IN THE SUPREME COURT ON DRIVING LICENCES, ON DRIVING LICENCES, INTERPRETING, EDUCATION. INTERPRETING, EDUCATION.
ASSOCIATION OF SIGN ASSOCIATION OF SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERSLANGUAGE INTERPRETERS
SET UP IN 2008SET UP IN 2008 STILL FLEDGLING ORGANISATIONSTILL FLEDGLING ORGANISATION SLOWLY GATHERING MEMBERS SLOWLY GATHERING MEMBERS
FROM ALL OVER INDIA.FROM ALL OVER INDIA. WILL BE WORKING TO CREATE A WILL BE WORKING TO CREATE A
CERTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR INDIAN CERTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR INDIAN INTERPRETERSINTERPRETERS
THE WAY FORWARDTHE WAY FORWARD
INGO’S NEED TO LEAD THE WAY INGO’S NEED TO LEAD THE WAY PROVIDING RESOURCES OF VARIOUS PROVIDING RESOURCES OF VARIOUS
TYPESTYPES PROVIDING ROLE MODELS IN TERMS PROVIDING ROLE MODELS IN TERMS
OF NON DISCRIMINATORY POLICY OF NON DISCRIMINATORY POLICY AND PRACTICEAND PRACTICE
PROVIDE TRAININGS FOR POLICY PROVIDE TRAININGS FOR POLICY MAKERS WITH REGARD TO MAKERS WITH REGARD TO DISABILITY PROGRAMMING.DISABILITY PROGRAMMING.
THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR THIS THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO OPPORTUNITY TO SHARESHARE