Interview
Volume 4 Issue 4 - February 15, 2006
Inclusive Education Policy should not be merely restricted to constructing ramps: Dr. Vasishta
Inclusive Education Policy should not be merely restricted to constructing ramps and access to physical infrastructure, but it should include teaching methodologies that address the communication needs of deaf students, says Dr. Madan M. Vasishta, an expert on deaf education, in conversation with Parvinder Singh.
1. Please tell us about your background and work, especially in the field of deaf education?
I was born in India and came to Gallaudet in 1967. I was the first student to earn three degrees from Gallaudet and also the first foreign-born person, and first deaf of Indian-origin, to get a Ph.D. degree from that university.
After serving as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent in schools for the deaf in Texas, Illinois and North Carolina, I retired as the superintendent of the New Mexico School for the Deaf. Currently, I am working on several projects, including Indian Sign Language, interpreting, and educational research projects in India. I have written four books and several articles on deaf education, linguistics, sign language and administration.
2. What is the single most important difference between the principles in U.S. and India when it comes to deaf education?
The difference is between choice that is offered and freedom that is allowed to deaf person in choosing the most comfortable and effective medium of education.
Every deaf child and their parents are given a choice between several teaching methods, like sign method, total communication and oral communication. In India a choice is not given and a selected option is imposed on the student. This stems from sheer lack of recognition of this particular disability, as it is not apparently visible.
3. Inclusive Education has received a major impetus in India. What are your views on this vis-à-vis need of deaf students?
As I said earlier, the invisibility of deafness as a disability places this group at a major disadvantage. When there is a talk about Inclusive Education, it gets limited to ramps, and access to the physical infrastructure. I do not know the exact content of the policy, but I feel that the sheer lack of professional training in sign language or even awareness of teaching methods for such students clearly indicates what the drift or focus of the policy would be. In my view, people who are sitting in ivory towers, and have no linkage with the day-to-day needs of deaf people, frame these policies. The ideal should be to achieve true inclusion, for instance basic sign language should be made a mandatory part of all teachers training programmes. How can one move towards Inclusive Education even without preparing ground for creating a professional human resource to implement it? What I mean is that inclusion should be planned by taking into account the needs of all. It cannot be for namesake.
4. What should the deaf people do to end the peril of invisibility that has led to their needs not being addressed?
I was invited here to attend the very first initiative by the newly founded National Association of the Deaf that has organised a national consultation on deaf education. I personally feel a strong coming together of deaf people, and associations representing them, is the need of the hour. At the same time it is important for the disability sector to become more representative while voicing demands of people with various disabilities.
(External Website)
DNIS is produced and managed by:
National Centre for
Promotion of Employment
for Disabled People
Screening Guidelines to be followed by CISF Security Staff for Passengers with Disabilities at Indian Airports
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill
Mental Health Care Bill
CRPD Monitoring Report
National Policy
20 Stories of Change(book)
Nominations open for NCPEDP- Mphasis Universal Design Awards 2016.
- List of Awardees 2015 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (2.7 MB)
- List of Awardees 2014 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (1 MB)
- List of Awardees 2013 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (1.44 MB)
- List of Awardees 2012 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (804 KB)
- List of Awardees 2011 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (864 KB)
- List of Awardees 2010 :NCPEDP MPHASIS Universal Design Awards (623 KB)
Press Release
SHELL HELEN KELLER AWARDS
NCPEDP-Shell Helen Keller Awardees 2013
Features
- Making leprosy elimination meaningful by ending stigma and exclusion
- National Association of the Deaf holds pioneering National Consultation on Deaf Education
Interview
- Inclusive Education Policy should not be merely restricted to constructing ramps: Dr. Vasishta
News
- Prime Minister meets N.F.B. members; Assures looking into amendments to Disability Act
- Lalu assures D.R.G. that concerns of disability sector will be addressed in Railway Budget
- Implement 3% reservation for disabled people in state-aided NGOs: M.S.J.E.
- C.B.S.E. exams to be disabled-friendly this year: Chairman
- Mumbai H.C. restrains state from filling up post after a blind candidate alleges discrimination
- IGNOU announces special awareness programme in disability
- N.C.P.E.D.P. - N.D.T.V. audit reveals poor state of services for disabled people by Jet
- National Seminar on Poverty and Disability
- Disabled participants register small but vital presence at Delhi International Marathon
- Beautification takes precedence over access at Delhi University library
Additional Links
Disability News and Information Service is produced and managed by:
National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (External Website)
C-43, South Extension, Part
- II,
New Delhi
110 049, India
Tel: 91-11-26265647, 26265648
Fax: 91-11-26265649
E-mail: secretariat@ncpedp.org
Website:
www.ncpedp.org (External Website)