Triveni Goswami Vernal
(Registered Special Educator: CRR A64010)

A lot of parents/caregivers of individuals with learning differences, in India, tend to go beyond the more traditional/mainstream educational systems and opt for either a special school (that provides individualized education), or an inclusive school or an integrated school for their wards. Or they adopt a form of homeschooling, when they find challenges with the more traditional forms of education available in the country.

Homeschooling is a parent or caregiver-guided approach to education, that is imparted at home. It follows a structured curriculum with regular evaluations to gauge how the child is doing. In contrast, Unschooling is a more loosely structured approach to homeschooling, that is mostly child-led, depending on the child’s interests and abilities.

To provide a bit of a context, let us look at the

PROVISIONS AVAILABLE FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (PWDS) UNDER THE RPWD ACT OF 2016:
1. The appropriate Government and the local authorities shall ensure that every child with benchmark disability has access to free education in an appropriate environment till he attains the age of eighteen years in a special school or inclusive neighbourhood schools as per his choice in terms of Section 31 of the RPwD Act.
2. Benchmark disability is taken as a minimum of 40% disability.
3. But a recent Supreme Court ruling in Feb 2025, directed that all persons with disabilities (PwD), regardless of their disability level, are entitled to the same benefits in competitive examinations, including scribes and compensatory time.

WHAT SHOULD OUR EXPECTATIONS FROM A SCHOOLING SYSTEM BE?
1. Differential instructional in a classroom setting (especially true for a child with Autism, since each child would have different skill sets)
2. Ensuring that the child is given exposure to non-academic activities too (sports, library, art, craft etc)
3. Multi-modal instructions (Audio, Visual, Kinesthetic etc)
4. Modifications in the environment (Visual Supports, Transition cards, Schedules etc)
5. Socialization with neurotypical peers.

But schools providing adaptive supports such as these are extremely rare, if at all, they exist.

VARIOUS FORMS OF EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS FOR PWDs
(Source: https://inee.org/collections/inclusive-education)

INCLUSIVE EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS:

• The educational system is adapted to meet the diverse needs of the learners in the classroom.
• Inclusive education emphasizes the importance of having all students, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, in the same classroom and school.
• It promotes a sense of belonging, fosters social interaction, and ensures that all students have access to a quality education.
• It adopts the Universal Design for Learning (an educational framework that creates flexible learning environments, using multi modal approaches and flexibility in the way the learner can access the content, engage with it and also be able to demonstrate all that they have learned).

INTEGRATED SCHOOLING SETTINGS:

• The learners need to adapt to the educational system, by taking additional supports/aids.
• It aims to integrate students with disabilities into regular classrooms and educational settings alongside their peers.
• Students with disabilities are placed in regular classrooms with additional support, such as specialized teachers, assistive technology, or individualized instruction plans.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF OPEN SCHOOLING: NIOS
1. Can be home-based or in a school, that has provisions for NIOS curriculum.
2. Under Open Basic Education (OBE), they have 3 levels:
( A, B and C levels that are equivalent to classes III, V and VIII of the formal school system
https://nios.ac.in/departmentsunits/academic/open-basic-education-(obe)/obesimen.aspx)
3. Secondary Course equivalent to Class 10 and Sr. Secondary Course equivalent to Class 12
4. They also have Vocational Education Courses
5. There is NO upper age limit for OBE under NIOS
6. An individual can also directly take the Class 10 exam, as a private candidate under NIOS but would need to either give declaration that they can take that exam or show a Level C (under OBE) certificate.

SPECIAL SCHOOL

• Offers specialized programs and services designed to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities.
• Often involves separate classrooms, schools, or resource rooms for students with disabilities.
• Provides individualized instruction and support to help students with disabilities achieve their educational goals.

List of Special Schools in Telangana:
https://www.wdsc.telangana.gov.in/pwd_SpecialSchools.html

Other than these, there are also some alternative schooling systems following a different approach to education. They may or may not be Inclusive or Integrated in their functioning.

ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLING SYSTEMS

1. WALDORF SCHOOLS: They follow Anthroposophy, the educational philosophy given by Rudolph Steiner to foster holistic development and spiritual awareness of the child. There are several Waldorf schools in Hyderabad. They focus on rhythm, movement and music and sensory rich, play based learning. In my personal opinion, it may be a good fit for younger children, but may not be so if the child requires structured learning, as he/she grows older. Waldorf schools do not have books. The educators create their study material and the student is expected to think out of the box. Most Waldorf Schools follow this curriculum till Class 8, and then switch to CBSE/ICSE.

2. MONTESSORI: It follows self-directed activity, collaborative play and hands on learning. If a child on the spectrum requires a lot of structure, it may not be suitable. But if there is someone who can facilitate the learning process, then there is a lot of good in the Montessori method.
**Whether Montessori or Waldorf, having a special educator on board in a particular school setting, can help the child immerse in the learning process, much better**

ONLINE SCHOOLS:
Post Covid, several online schools have come into existence following various educational boards.
21K School: Offers Indian, American, and British curricula for students aged 3 to 18, aiming to provide high-quality, affordable education (https://www.21kschool.com/in/)
Cyboard School:  100% online school, offering live classes and a home-grown learning management system (https://cyboardschool.com/)
K8 School: An accredited online institution that conducts virtual classes throughout the academic year, offering a structured learning experience. (https://k8school.com/)
Spruha – The Virtual School: A NIOS curriculum-based online school, focusing on quality education and joyful learning experiences, particularly in Bangalore and Mumbai (https://spruhaedu.in/)


HOMESCHOOLING:

It is a valid educational option under RTE Act 2009, in India.

a. Parents can opt for an online school, or follow the NIOS curriculum or make it completely child led, focusing on the child’s interests and make it individualized.

b. Depending on what the end goal is, a parent or caregiver can homeschool a child.

c. Homeschooling is not only about academics, but also ADLs, nurturing Leisure activities/hobbies, teaching them pre-vocational concepts (time. Money etc), imparting vocational training, working on communication, comprehension etc

d. Homeschooling doesn’t imply that the parents have to work with the child themselves. They can hire someone to help out with the curriculum. But having a structured routine helps.

e. Make learning fun. It doesn’t always have to be table top activities–ample opportunities for play, games, puzzles, outdoor activities, visits to the cinema, malls, parks etc.

Although a valid educational option, Homeschooling can have its own challenges:
• Prior knowledge of pre-requisite skills is a grey area. It is advisable to get an assessment done on various skill sets before one begins to homeschool the child.
• Onus to create a structured routine falls on the parents/caregivers.
• Opportunities for socialization have to be created.
• It requires commitment & dedication and willingness to go the extra mile.

CONCLUSION:
There is no “one size fits all” approach to education. I personally think, one must create opportunities for the child to access various information (in the form of books, games, hands on activities, travel, interaction with peers and adults, music, sports, art and craft etc). Regardless, of what educational system/s one opts for, the parent/caregiver has to be very involved in the curation and adaptation of the educational resources for the child and they have to adopt a very “hands-on” approach. One must always “presume competence” and create one’s eco-system, that can sustain the child’s curiosity, enhance opportunities for communication and make learning fun, at all times.
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**A version of this article was presented as a webinar at Oyster CDC, Begumpet, in April2025**

RESOURCES:
https://inee.org/collections/inclusive-education
https://nios.ac.in/departmentsunits/academic/open-basic-education-(obe)/obesimen.aspx
https://www.wdsc.telangana.gov.in/pwd_SpecialSchools.html

Author Dr.Triveni Goswami Vernal

Dr.Triveni Goswami Vernal is a Registered Special Educator (CRR: A64010), a Psychologist and an Expressive Arts Therapy Practitioner (UNESCO-CID). She is an Avaz Certified Educator and Certified in Dyslexia Teacher Training. She is also an art educator for children with additional needs.

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“Blue Flower”
Acrylic Painting and Acrylic Marker Pen on Watercolour Paper
Kabir Vernal