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Alka Darshan ShrivastavaShaskiya Snatkottar Mahavidyalaya, Dhar

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Indian Streams Research Journal Available online at www.isrj.net Volume-3, Issue-9, Oct-2013ISSN 2230-7850

Nature Of Vocational Training For Visually Impaired Students: A Case Study On

Vocational Training Centre For Women Of Calcutta Blind School

Eman BanerjeeResearch scholar Department of Geography Calcutta University

Abstract:This paper attempts to conduct a study on nature of vocational training for visually impaired students in the Vocational Training Centre for Women of Calcutta Blind School, Behala. This work attempts to study the existing Policies/ Programmes/ Schemes related to Employment and their impact with respect to the actual needs of people with disabilities; and finally, to find out the nature of vocational training and formal education for visually impaired students. The case study method has been used and interviews have also been taken from students, the office clerks and teaching staffs to understand the real situation. The findings reveal that there is a absence of more advanced technologies which are already used by the developed countries, lack of awareness about the government policies and the opportunities of employment which can be generated from this type of vocational training, absence of interlinks and collaborations among various organizations to prevent overlapping, duplication and contradictions in implemented programme by the both central and state governments, problem of unawareness of the parents about their child's particular disability, unawareness about the benefits of vocational training, gap between the facilities of rural and urban areas, inadequacy in case of The number of skilled and trained personnel for supporting inclusive practices, and finally, limitation of developmentally appropriate teaching–learning materials for visually impaired children.

Keywords:Nature Of Vocational , Vocational Training , Policies/ Programmes , organizations.

INTRODUCTIONStatement of the problem: Enhancing employment

opportunities for people with disabilities is one of the main concerns of the disability sector in India. When one looks at the micro level, it may seem like there has been progress However, the following finding of the World Bank Report 'People with Disabilities in India: From Commitments to Outcomes' released in 2007, tells a different story. The employment rate of disabled people has actually fallen from 42.7% in 1991 down to 37.6 % in 2002. There is a wide gap between the employment rate of people with and without disabilities in the country. Therefore, the above target for bringing down the unemployment rate cannot be achieved without addressing the employment issues of people with disabilities, who constitute about 5-6% of the population. It would require proactive initiative on the part of all concerned to ensure that disability is included in the employment programmes of the Government and the private sector and proper vocational training and placement for jobs should be considered as the most important issue.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:To study the existing Policies/ Programmes/

Schemes related to Employment which could and should

affect the lives of people with disabilities.To study the reach of these Schemes and to analyze their impact with respect to the actual needs of people with disabilities.To find out the nature of vocational training and formal education for visually impaired students.To list out the recommendations for improving the vocational training and employment opportunities for the visually impaired students.Research questions:What are the existing Policies/ Programmes/ Schemes related to employment which could and should affect the lives of people with disabilities?Have these Policies/ Programmes/ Schemes been actually implemented with respect to the actual needs of people with disabilities?What are the nature and major types of vocational training and formal education for visually impaired students?What should be done and what will be the future recommendations for improving the vocational training and employment opportunities for the visually impaired students?

Eman Banerjee, “ Nature Of Vocational Training For Visually Impaired Students: A Case Study On Vocational Training Centre

For Women Of Calcutta Blind School” Indian Streams Research Journal Vol-3, Issue-9 (Oct 2013): Online & Print

.

DELIMITATION:This study is delimited to the students of Calcutta Blind School, Behala. The students from class one to twelve are observed for finding out the nature of formal education for visually impaired students.This study is delimited to the students of vocational training centre of Calcutta Blind School, Behala for finding out the nature of vocational training for visually impaired students.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE:Some journals were gone through for the

completion of this study.Lorimer, J. (1990) studied on improving Braille

reading skills to upper primary and lower senior classes. Stockley, J. (1994) worked on teaching social skills

to visually impaired students with emphasis on the social use of language to assess whether systematic training over a one-year period would enhance self-confidence and improve social interaction skills.

Tillsley, C. (1997) studied on gaining access to employment opportunities. This article presented the main findings of this follow-up survey and explores the ways in which access to employment for visually impaired people could be improved.

Sharma, S., Sigafoos, J., & Carroll, A. (2002) studied on challenging behaviour among Indian children with visual impairment. The results highlight a need for effective school-based assessment and intervention strategies to address challenging behaviours among children with visual impairment.

Richardson, J.T.E., & Roy, A.W.N. (2002) studied on the representation and attainment of students with a visual impairment in higher education in terms of their demographic characteristics, programmes of study and academic attainment. Their representation varied with age, gender, ethnicity and entry qualifications and with their level, mode and subject of study.

Sarvaiya, J.M., & Oza, P.A. (2005) worked on E-Learning for low visually challenged students to identify the barriers to normal functionality for visually challenged people. The paper assumed that e- learning was inevitable for maximizing the effectiveness of all strategies of e-Learning for the visually challenged people.

Donoyama, N., & Munakata, T. (2009) studied on trait anxiety among Japanese massage practitioners with visual impairment. The results of this study were used to argue the importance of establishing social support systems in the workplace as well as incorporating psychological approaches with communication skills training in rehabilitation education for people with visual impairment.

Halder, S., & Datta, P. (2012) studied on a comparative analysis between the adolescents who are sighted and blind in India to explore the self concept of adolescents who are sighted and blind with respect to gender in India The sighted adolescents scored higher than the adolescents who were blind in three of the total six dimensions of self concept, thus also scoring higher on the overall self-concept score.

METHODOLOGYConsidering the needs and objectives of the study,

two steps were adopted to collect the relevant information. In the initial phase, the researcher explored the information available from secondary sources by reviewing the various published and internet based documents. After critical analysis of the available resources and compilation, the researcher developed a format to collect the required information from Calcutta Blind School. Here the case study method has been used for finding out the nature of vocational training and formal education for the students. A structured questionnaire has been used for collecting information from the office clerks and teaching staffs. Interviews have also been taken from students and teachers to understand the real situation.

CONCEPT OF VISUALLY IMPAIRMENTVisual impairment to such a degree as to

qualify as an additional support need through a significant limitation of capability resulting from either ,

, or congenital or degenerative conditions that cannot be corrected by conventional means, such as refractive correction or medication. This functional loss of vision is typically defined to manifest with best corrected

of less than 20/60, or significant central field defect, significant peripheral field defect including homonymous or heteronymous bilateral visual, field defect or generalized contraction or constriction of field, or reduced peak contrast sensitivity with either of the above conditions.

In the United States, the terms "partially sighted", " ", " " and "totally " are used by schools, colleges, and other educational institutions to describe students with visual impairments. They are defined as follows:

1.Partially sighted indicates some type of visual problem, with a need of person to receive special education in some cases;2.Low vision generally refers to a severe visual impairment, not necessarily limited to distance vision. Low vision applies to all individuals with sight who are unable to read the newspaper at a normal viewing distance, even with the aid of eyeglasses or contact lenses. They use a combination of vision and other senses to learn, although they may require adaptations in lighting or the size of print, and, sometimes,

.3.Legally blind indicates that a person has less than 20/200 vision in the better eye after best correction (contact lenses or glasses), or a field of vision of less than 20 degrees in the better eye; and4.Totally blind students learn via Braille or other non-visual media.

THE EXISTING POLICIES/ PROGRAMMES/ SCHEMES FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENTS:

Both the central and state governments have been taken some schemes for visually impaired persons in the field of education, vocational training, and employment.

The Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995 Section 26 : The appropriate Governments and the local authorities shall-

vision loss

visual diseasetrauma

visual acuity

low vision legally blind blind

Braille

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ensure that every child with a disability has access to free education in an appropriate environment till he attains the age of eighteen years;endeavour to promote the integration of students with disabilities in the normal schools;promote setting up of special schools in the Government and private sector for those in need of special education, in such a manner that children with disabilities living in any part of the country have access to such schools;endeavour to equip the special schools for children with disabilities vocational training facilities.

Section 27: The appropriate Governments and the local authorities shall by notification make schemes for-conducting part-time classes in respect of children with disabilities who having completed education up to class fifth and could not continue their studies on a whole-time basis;conducting special part-time classes for providing functional literacy for children in the age group of sixteen and above;imparting non-formal education by utilizing the available manpower in rural areas after giving them appropriate orientation;imparting education through open schools or open universities;conducting class and discussions through interactive electronic or other media; providing every child with disability free of cost special books and equipments needed for his education.

Programmed for visually impaired persons in West Bengal Reservation in Government job: 3% of jobs are reserved for the visually impaired persons in state Government and State Public Sector Undertakings.

Age relaxation for job: The upper age limit for recruitment to State Government services and posts whether recruited through the Public Service Commission, West Bengal or otherwise is 45 years of visually impaired persons.

Scholarship / Stipend: Disabled students get scholarship at 60 p.m. from Class I to Class VIII from the Directorate of Social Welfare whose parents' income is 750 p.m. In case of blind candidate an additional amount of 20 p.m. is admissible as reader's allowances on the basis of the certificate issued by the head of the institution.

Conveyance Allowance: visually impaired persons employees get conveyance allowance at 100 p.m. per Government employee.

Assistance for Self Employment: Blind with degree of disability 40% and above are allowed a grant by State Government to the extent of 1,000 only for self employment programmes.

CASE STUDY ON CALCUTTA BLIND SCHOOLBackground of the school: The Calcutta Blind

School, a Higher Secondary School, was founded by the Late Acahrya Lal Bihari Shah in the 1894. It is sponsored by the Government of West Bengal, situating at Behala, Kolkata – 700034. The present Secretary of the school is Pankaj Kr. Das. It is a residential school providing free education.

The student, teacher & staff profile of the school: Presently 130 students are studied in the

school among which 58 are boys and 72 are girls. Number of students is quite low. Students are migrated from different districts, even from different States to reach the school. Majority of the students is under the below poverty level.There are 10 permanent, 4 part time teachers and 15 non-teaching staffs in the school. Among the 10 permanent teachers, 4 teachers are lady teachers.There are 6 casual.teachers also who are engaging in giving training on singing, reciting and other creative activities.

The teaching method: The school is a higher secondary school and it follows the same curriculum as it is specified in the designed

curriculum of West Bengal Board of Education. There is free education and free residential facilities for the students. The Braille is used to teach them. The books according to syllabus are written in Braille which is printed by Regional Braille Press of Narendrapur. The touching globes, audio cassettes, Braille maps, geometrical Braille are also used for their convenient. Computer training is also given to vocational commands.

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The co-curricular activities are also done side by side with the formal learning process. Cricket, chess are played by the student and sometimes they are sent to the state level for performing.

Field works are also given much emphasis by the teachers. The field works are organised in different places of West Bengal like Murshidabad, Mayapur, Budge Budge, and Nature based study is also given importance.Yearly picnic is also done for recreation. Singing, drama, recitation also plays a significant role in terms of recreation for students. Different types of indoor games like chess, carom, are available with some outdoor playground.

Vocational training: The Vocational Training Centre for women is a major part of the schoolwhich is situated at the school premises. The vocational training is conducting with the school time schedule i.e. from 10.45 am to 4.30 pm.

The number of students is very on. Only 6 girls are three in vocational training centre. One instructor, 2 Teachers and 6 non-teaching staffs provide their excellence to the students. Weaving, telephone operating mushroom cultivation, book binding, candle making, tailoring, plant utilization and assembling of electrical devices are the main categories of vocational training.

The instruments machineries and the training methods are inspired by the National Institute of visually Handicapped, Dehradun. The machineries used during the training process

are the normally used machineries but these are slightly modified according to the student's need. The product made the by the student prepared for selling purpose & the money are used for the further development of them. From the school staff it has been founded out that there are some reasons behind such small number of students engaging in vocational trainingFirstly, the main constraints are come from the side of the parents who are less interested to send them in this type of vocational training. They are least enthusiastic and do not motivate their children for acquiring this type of training to them.

Secondly most of the students, who are indulging in formal study, travel to a long distance, sometimes from different districts and evenly from different states, to reach the school. After completing their formal education, they are most interested to go back their home. For that they are less interested to take further years to get training.

Thirdly most of the students and their parents are less aware about the scopes generating from this type of training. They are also neither know about the Government Policies about the visually impaired persons, nor about the process of achieving & getting their benefits.

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Fourthly, recently some NGOs, like Society for Visually Handicapped (SVH), Voice of World are encouraging the visually impaired students for higher studies by providing Braille Machines, Cassettes, free education.

CONCLUSIONBy the Case Study method, the researcher here want

to find out the nature of vocational training for visually impaired students and from the above study & analysis, some findings are generated and on the basis of these findings some suggestions are deliberated by the researcher. The findings and suggestions are as follows –

FINDINGSThere are some technologies like Brails, touching

globes, touching geometrical shapes, giving computer training with the help of vocational commands are also common. But in spite of that the more advanced technologies which are used by the developed countries are absence here.

People awareness about the benefits of the vocational training for the visually impaired students is not properly generated. They are not quite aware about the government policies and the opportunities of employment which can be generated from this type of vocational training.

There are several policies and initiatives proposal by the both central and state governments, but many of these are not reached at the grass-root level. Sometimes proper initiatives are not taken by the government for generating awareness to the persons about these benefits. There is a need to establish interlinks and collaborations among various organizations to prevent overlapping, duplication and contradictions in programme implementation.

Sometimes the parents underestimate their children and also the students themselves and for this they are lost their interest on this type of vocational training. Families do not have enough information about their child's particular disability, its effects and its impact on their child's capacity. This often leads to a sense of hopelessness. Early identification and intervention initiatives sensitize parents and community members about the education of children with disabilities

Most services for children with disabilities are concentrated in big cities or close to district headquarters. The majority of children with disabilities who live in rural

areas do not benefit from these services.There is an absence of consistent data on the

magnitude and educational status of children with disabilities, and the disparities between regions and types of disability. This makes it difficult to understand the nature of the problem, and to make realistic interventions..

Different disabilities require different supports. The number of skilled and trained personnel for supporting inclusive practices is not adequate to meet the needs of different types of disability.

The curriculum lacks the required flexibility to cater to the needs of children with disabilities. There are limited developmentally appropriate teaching–learning materials for children both with and without disabilities. The teaching–learning process addresses the individual learning needs of children in a limited way.

SUGGESTIONSCreation of accessible end user product

Development of computer training center, cyber cafe for visually challenged. To create accessible web pages, development of the accessibility standard and guidelines with respect to Indian environment should be adopted.

Foreign aid may be utilized for the implementation of new learning methodology. This type of institution might get assistance from foreign donors and institutions.

More advanced computer –based technology can be used, like Notetakers and Writers, Braille Translation Software, Text enlargement Software, Optical Character Reader, Voice Recognition Software, Membrane keyboard, Teletypewriter, Screen reader, Electronic Refreshable Braille display, Electronic reading aid, Screen Magnification software etc.

There should be a Monitoring/Welfare Committee in every Department to look after the interests and issues of disabled employees.

Public policies, supportive legislation and budgetary allocations should not be based on incidence, but on prevalence of special education needs, and take into consideration the backlog created as a result of decades of neglect.

Inclusion without 'adequate' preparation of general schools will not yield satisfactory results. It is essential that issues related to infrastructural facilities, curriculum modification and educational materials should be addressed.

There should be emphasis on bottom-up, school-based interventions as part of regular education programmes following inclusive strategies. The programme should be based on stakeholder participation, community mobilization, and mobilization of NGO, private and government resources.

The training of general teachers at pre-service and in-service levels should address the issue of education of children with disabilities,

Orientation training of policy-makers and education department officials, both at the state and block level, is essential. In addition, there is a need to develop on-site support systems for teachers. Grassroots workers, parents, special school teachers, para-teachers and other individuals can be shown how to provide the required

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support.The existing handful of teacher trainers cannot

reach the vast number of teachers working with children with disabilities in rural/remote areas. There is a need to explore alternatives such as training Para-teachers, investing in pilot studies to develop tele-rehabilitation programmes, and exploring strategies for distance education.

The preparation of children—in the form of early childhood intervention before enrolment—is required. This would ensure that they do not drop out, are retained in schools, and compete equally with other children.

Simultaneous implementation, and consistent monitoring, reinforcement and coordination between government departments and NGOs at national and state levels should be done.

Campaigning could be done for making people aware about the opportunities and incentives for the visually impaired students from the central and state governments.

REFERENCESI.Donoyama, N., & Munakata, T. (2009). Trait anxiety among Japanese massage practitioners with visual impairment: what is required in Japanese rehabilitation education?. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 27(1), 25-47.II.Gentle, F. (2008). Insights from six blind Australian women. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 26(1), 99-108.III.Halder, S., & Datta, P. (2012). An Exploration into Self Concept: A Comparative Analysis between the Adolescents Who Are Sighted and Blind in India. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 30(1), 31-41IV.Lorimer, J. (1990). Improving braille reading skills: the case for extending the teaching of braille reading to upper primary and lower senior classes. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 8(3). 87-89.V.Murray, S.A., McKay, R.C., & Nieuwoudt, J.M. (2010). Grief and needs of adults with acquired visual impairments. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 28(2), 78-89.VI.Pathan, Z.A. (2012). Enabling the Disabled through Educational Amenities: A Sociological Analysis on Maheshwari School for Blind. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1(3), 8-20.VII.Perry, D.A. (2003). Moving Forward: Toward Decent Work for People with Disabilities – Examples of Good Practices In Vocational Training and Employment from Asia and the Pacific. Bangkok: International Labour Office.VIII.Richardson, J.T.E., & Roy, A.W.N. (2002). The representation and attainment of students with a visual impairment in higher education. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 20(1), 37-48.IX.Sarvaiya, J.M., & Oza, P.A. (2005). E-Learning: The Vision in the Dark. Eleltech India, 7(1), 57-64.X.Sharma, S., Sigafoos, J., & Carroll, A. (2002). Challenging Behaviour among Indian Children with Visual Impairment. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 20(1), 4-6.XI.Stockley, J. (1994). Teaching social skills to visually impaired students. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 12(1), 11-13.XII.Tillsley, C. (1997). Gaining Access to Employment Opportunities. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 15(2),

67-71.

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