Mumbai, Nov 09: The State on Sunday got its first dedicated college for students with disabilities. The Sanskardham Academy Junior College in Goregaon has been set up especially for students with impaired hearing.
It will offer arts and commerce courses for Classes XI and XII under the HSC board.
Mumbai has 18 municipal schools and around 143 private schools for physically and mentally disabled children but does not have a college specifically for the disabled.
Funded by the Rotary Club of Mumbai, the college will start classes from the 2010-11 session. It has an intake capacity of 100 students.
The Sanskardham Academy has been running a school for autistic children and physically impaired students for 18 months. “Because there is no college specifically for the disabled, they have to opt for mainstream colleges where they find it difficult. Few of them become graduates and most end up in vocational or menial jobs,” principal Lata Nayak said.
The college will be open to students from all economic backgrounds. “Fees will be subsidized for students from the economically backward classes,” Nayak said.
The faculty will comprise lecturers from mainstream colleges, who will be helped by qualified sign language interpreters. Nayak said the focus will be on enabling these students to read and write English. “Ninety per cent of disabled students come from a Hindi or Marathi medium background,” Nayak said.
The interpreters will instruct students in a systematic sign language that will help students learn basic words in English.
–Agencies