2nd Asian Conference of Deafblind International

1. 2nd Asian Conference of Deafblind International at Dhaka, Bangladesh January 29-31, 2006 Session on “Successful Campaigning---Working with Government” by Dr Ruma Chatterjee Vice President Society for the Visually Handicapped, Kolkata

2. Early Identification of Deafblind Children and Intervention: Role of the State

3. In the developing countries like India, there is least awareness on the part of the Government officials, particularly in the Health Directorate, to respond to the needs of such children, whether born with this dual impairment or acquired later on. • Sometimes it takes long period of patience for several months, even years, to sensitise the Hospital authorities to issue a proper Certificate for the children with multi-sensory impairment.

4. Section 1 “Deafblindness” is yet to be recognized as a separate category of disability in India! • Recognition of Deafblindness as a separate category of disability • The Government Hospitals/Health Centers has to maintain a Register of new-born babies with disability • Areas of very special needs of deafblind children/adult has to be accepted by the Government as recommended by the experts in this special field of activity and recognition of these needs • Provision of support service to the deafblind by the state

5. Section 2 • As soon as Deafblindness is recognised, the strategies for intervention can be chalked out. • For most of the deafblind children, initially home based programs have to be organized. • Besides fundamental right of inclusion in mainstream schools, there should be appropriate vocational training for the deafblind young men and women.

6. But, this kind of “Intervention” requires organized services, which involve trained professionals on deafblindness. • Need for trained professionals

7. The services of the professionals – • working with families of diverse backgrounds, • coaching families in communication strategies with their children, • encouraging the use of hearing aids and glasses when prescribed, • weaving intervention strategies into the family’s routine, • collecting data, • participating as a member of an interdisciplinary team.

8. The multiple learning needs of the children who are deafblind require qualified professionals who can help families obtain appropriate medical treatments, hearing and vision evaluations, and other related services.

9. Secondly, the complexity of these children’s learning needs demands a team approach. Service providers need to meet with each other and with families in order to plan how to best meet the children’s needs and the family’s concerns.

10. Thirdly, families receiving services through home visits need regular contacts with other families and service providers. • I would like to address all these requirements from the point of view of state-obligation and intend to put forward urgent plan of action.

11. Formation of a National Institute for the Multiple Disabled • Rehabilitation Council of India has to draw a master plan for Teacher Education Program on Deafblindness • Capacity Building for the teachers in mainstream schools as well as teachers of Blind and Deaf schools through short term in-service trainings

12. Effective “Intervention” can be organized through awareness among the people: posters, booklets in regional languages • Formation of Information Bank on Deafblindness in regional languages. Here I would like to draw your attention to form a databank and information bank in Bengali for the special educators, care-givers and also of parents who use Bengali, for example West Bengal, Tripura and Bangladesh

13. Providing early intervention services to children who are deafblind and their families is definitely complicated, and also intricate. These complexities emphasize the need for - • State technical assistance projects • educational and networking opportunities for families of children who are deafblind.

14. After a prolonged involvement with an NGO as a service provider, I believe that all these are not Herculean task for any state. What is needed is, bit sensitivity on the part of policy and planning at the State level to draw a comprehensive plan and willingness to achieve the goal.