mhrd presentation 291110

Disability Research and Design Foundation


Ministry of Human Resource and Development

“Disability Research and Design Foundation is an organisation working towards inclusion for all in India. Our aim is to bring together the creative, technical and legal expertise of individuals/ or professional backgrounds to formulate solutions for an inclusive society. Our approach is thus an interdisciplinary one with a team consisting of architects, engineers, activists, therapists and social researchers.”

MultidisciplinaryDesign

Advocacy

Audit Research


Universal DesignAccess Audits

Assistive Devices

AwarenessResearch

Realms of Action

Range of services for inclusion


Methodology


Design

Advocacy

Social Research




Team Composition

Design Professionals

Social Researchers

Legal Experts

ActivistsTherapists

Advisors

Engineers

Abhishek Ray- Founder Member, Architect NileshSingit-Disability Rights Activist (PWD) Ankia Shrivastava: Architect Irina Dalal: Architect Alok Choudhury: Mechanical Engineer Amarjit Singh Saini- Financial Advisor Prabeen Bebarta- (Social Worker) ProgrammeOfficer Rohini Ramkrishnan- Programme Researcher Tallin Banerjee- Financial Consultant Atul Jaiswal- Occupational Therapist Santosh Sonar-Field Supervisor Amrita Sabnavis: Advisory Board Member Kedar Ghorpade: Advisory Board Member


Teamwork


Alliances and Collaborations

• Policy makers: Government and Non government, municipal

• Subject experts: Disability, Design, Educational, Human Resource Professionals, Therapists, Counselors

• Institutions : Educational, Sports and Recreational

• Culture and tourism bodies• Disability rights activists • Executive Bodies: Urban and rural planning authorities

• Implementation Bodies: Municipal Authorities, Public Works Department, nodal and grass root level agencies



ProjectsAccess Audit projects

1. Mumbai Domestic and International Airport

2. Railway Stations: Mumbai3. Inorbit Mall Malad4. Bal Kalyan SansthaPune5. Welingkar School of

Management, Mumbai6. General Post Office7. High Court of Justice,

Mumbai

Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

Social awareness programmes

1. Inclusive Design Workshops

2. Sensitisation workshops

3. Workshops on media representations of disability

Projects

Inclusive tourism projectsProvided accessible design and assistive devices for Monetary Museum, under the Reserve Bank of India.

Acted as accessible design consultants for the Miniature Painting Gallery, Museum, Mumbai

Proposed inclusive tourism model to Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Karnataka for Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal


Inclusive School Design



Process Deliverables• Intersectional Research based Design approach• Post Implementation analyses.• Development of best practice model with contextual variables.

Architects and Designers

Social Researchers

TherapistsEngineers

Facilitators

Policies impacting inclusive education in India

• Rehabilitation Council of India Act (1992): states that CWSN will be taught by a trained teacher.

• Persons with Disabilities Act (1995): educational entitlement for all CWSN up to 18 years in an appropriate environment.

• National Trust Act (1999): provide services and support to severely disabled children.

• India becomes a signatory of the UN Salamanca Statement, 2004

• The 86th Constitutional Amendment (2007): free and compulsory education to children, up to 14 years.


Ministry of Human Resource Development

• Revised Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IEDC) scheme (MHRD, 1992)

• Shift begins from special schools approach to inclusion

• National Action Plan for Inclusion in Education of the Children and Persons with Disabilities (MHRD, 2005)

• Sarva Siksha Abhiyan scheme (SSA) launched in 2007


Flexible planning• Alternative educational schemes: Education

Guarantee Scheme/Alternative and Innovative Education (EGS/AIE) and Home Based Education (HBE)

• SSA policies imply a flexible approach • Focus on creating optimum learning environment• Dependant on number of students, available

resources• 1/3rd of funds allocated to infrastructure

“SSA will ensure that every child with special needs, irrespective of the kind, category and degree of disability, is provided education in an appropriate environment. SSA will adopt ‘zero rejection’ policy so that no child is left out of the education system.(SSA, 2007:1)


•Importance of Universal Design and accessibility

•Design is not separate from social processes

•Participatory planning with therapists, special educators, children and researchers.

•Contextual Development: Affordable and cost effective building technology

•Design- based inclusion as a step towards non- discriminatory practices



Design of Inclusive Schools

Pilot project Inclusive design project for NMMC school no. 28 in Vashi



PROCESS 4



Preliminary Research

Planning and Design

Design Implementation

Post Implementation

Analysis

Preliminary research

Our interdisciplinary team of architects, therapists and researchers conduct a site analysis.



Preliminary research

Meetings with special educators to discuss issues, needs and requirementsObservations- based field research of activities in the existing school- classroom sessions, recreational activities, etc.Study of existing rehabilitation centres for CWSN Combine multidisciplinary research findings to create an optimum design plan



Conceptual Design Proposal

Based on the extensive study carried out by the members of DRDF a conceptual design was arrived at .This design addressed accessibility and inclusive physical environment options.




•Innovative Colour Concepts•Building as a learning tool/ aid• Built in tactile experiences



Along with occupational and physiotherapy, the need for speech therapy, sensory integration and low vision was also envisaged and provisions made for the same.




Sustainable approach Use local resources and skills Provide required training to locals Environmentally friendly, affordable building methods Renewable energy sources Contextual model, takes into account local issues and needs Child friendly spaces Vibrant learning environment Incorporate learning aids into the design

DRDF approach towards inclusive school designs



Source: BaLA (Building as Learning Aid)

Methods for creating self- sustainability

•Economical, cost- effective available tools for implementation•Takes into account rural, urban context•Environmental factors•Solar panels for harnessing solar energy in hot, arid regions•Rain- water harvesting methods •Locally available, affordable building materials- eg. stone, bamboo, cob construction

Region- wise survey and design Implementation through pilot projects at urban

and rural levels Create the Best Contextual Design Models for

inclusive schools Initiate project- based discussions and

consultations with central, regional and nodal agencies under MHRD (SSA)

Short- term plans





Use post- implementation research findings from pilot projects to progressively improve the Best Practice Model to suit the national scale.

Scaling up of operations and domain of influence by the development of resource teams across the country to provide similar solutions

Work with local organisations and individuals

Mid- term plans



Long- term plans

Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan(RMSA) Opportunity to expand scope to design at the secondary school level

Develop design based training modules for MHRD and other associated agencies

Document research findings on implemented design projects and make the information free and accessible to all



mhrd presentation 291110

Business

developmentdisability

human resource professionals

inclusive design workshops

accessible design consultants

inclusive education

inclusive tourism model

inclusive society

social researchers