Catering to the needs of the underserved

According to 2011 census, about 45% of India’s disabled population is illiterate. Regardless of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, a movement that promotes free and compulsory education for all, children with special needs account for the largest out-of-school group. According to the 2014 National Survey of out-of-school children report, around 6,00,000 children with special needs are out of school (between 6 and 13 years).

The picture leads to the importance of teachers in special education, teachers who can expand their abilities to teach all children at any level and of any type. This is the kind of teacher that schools will be looking out for in future.

Working with individuals with special needs is not only challenging but also rewarding. People who opt to work in the field of disabilities have a lifelong impact not just on their students but on the community as a whole. It is a wonderful chance to be a part of this change, to contribute to the good of the world.

Special education courses are now getting steady applicants. Their numbers are on the rise. This is because schools are now in need of a teacher with special education certification. Schools are today witnessing an increase in the need for support services like therapists, special educators and counsellors.

Children now have a right to education and schools are now required to provide necessary services to children irrespective of their limitations, be it physical or intellectual. Just like any other career, working with individuals with special needs is extremely satisfying.

It’s not rocket science

Due to a lack of human resource, there is a high demand for people working with special children. There is high flexibility in working hours and the choice as to which category of disability one would prefer to work with. There is no age limit to start working in this field. The newly qualified are welcome as are those with the wealth of experience.

Due to high demand, every year, schools, teaching centres, training centres, hospitals and therapy centres with learning support requirements are on the lookout for people willing to work with individuals with special needs. Being certified to work in the field of disabilities is a highly versatile career as it holds multiple work options.

From doing research to being a shadow teacher in the class and training others to develop teaching aid, the scope is endless. Many teach on some days, assess and diagnose on other days. Simultaneously, many research students find it possible to document data for research purposes. The field is extremely exciting, positive and flexible. Resuming the career after a break is also not difficult in this field.

In this field, one could argue that the pay speaks for itself. While that may be true in our country, many other parts of the world are paying those in the field of disabilities very highly.

Working in certain sectors like educational software, content creation and development is financially rewarding. One-on-one teaching, remedial programmes or running one’s own remedial centre is also financially viable.

It is only a matter of time before special education professionals, as well as educationists, are recognised for their high skill value, and remuneration will be competitive. However, for those who are not completely dependant on this income, this field is an excellent way to strike a balance between work and personal life.

Looking beyond

The joy of teaching is in itself reason enough. At a time when there is an emphasis on aptitude, multiple intelligence, interest, motivation and skills, people with aptitudes that support teaching will always enjoy their work, experience self-motivation as well as bring out the best in those under their tutelage. People with long-standing experience in the field of disabilities have set an example for blending passion and profession perfectly. All these factors show that it is worth responding to the call of this vocation.

The future of tomorrow lies in today and children need to be moulded with compassion, taught compassion and infused with values and principles.

All professionals dealing with children, especially special children, have a critical role to play. The positive attitude towards persons with disabilities has evolved
over the years because of the untiring commitment of those working in the sector.

For information on special education courses, visit www.kpamrc.in.