Disability Awareness Workshop on University Campuses – Asia component (India)

© Department of Sociology and Social Work, CHRIST (Deemed to be University)

As part of the Asian component of its project “Towards an Inclusive Culture and Pedagogy”, CIRAD has organized in early October, jointly with Christ (Deemed to be University) in Bangalore, a disability awareness workshop on university campuses.

This event brought together different types of actors working on the inclusion of people with disabilities, and more specifically on their access to higher education. This workshop gathered experts and heads of units dedicated to this issue from Catholic universities in India, but also in the United States, France, Lebanon and Czech Republic. Also, representatives of Indian state disability awareness programs were present. The NGO The Association for People with Disabilities (APD, India) was also represented in order to present its activities, as well as a representative of the Dhvani Foundation, helping to set up projects on inclusive education.

First of all, in addition to addressing the notion of “disability”, experts have highlighted the role of the university community in promoting and implementing awareness-raising actions. They emphasized that these actions should target university management staff, teachers, students and their families.

The question of specific physical facilities for students with disabilities in universities was addressed, highlighting in particular the practices of Christ (Deemed to be University), as well as the different types of support and educational tools planned and adapted to certain types of disabilities.

Finally, the difficulties encountered in the conduct of these activities were put forward, as well as possible recommendations. Thus, the Centre for Counselling and Health Services of the Christ (Deemed to be University) has reminded the importance of paying particular attention to the emotional and psychological state of these students, the need to discuss and work with their parents.

CIRAD-IFCU thanks again the team of Christ (Deemed to be University) for its welcome and the organization of the sessions, as well as all the participants for this day rich in debates and exchanges of experiences.