Ishara Foundation, an organisation that works to improve education among the hearing impaired, announced plans for a degree college for the deaf.
Yash Sharma has been hearing-impaired from birth. But for years he struggled with his studies because his parents admitted him into a regular school.
Sharma, now 24, often considered dropping out. After finally passing his school-leaving examinations recently, he is now looking forward to college.
Thankfully, higher studies may not be as much of a struggle. On Saturday, Ishara Foundation, an organisation that works to improve education among the hearing impaired, announced plans for a degree college for the deaf.
The institution, a tie-up with the University of Central Lancashire in the UK, will offer a three year Bachelor of Arts programme in Applied Sign Linguistics.
“The curriculum is being developed by us in Britain. It will be approved in April, but we still have to work out logistics such as accreditation and affiliation,” says Prof Ulrike Zeshan of the University of Central Lancashire.
The college will also offer a “zero programme” year, starting 2008, for students who have cleared their Class 10 examinations.
“The standard of hearing-impaired students from regular schools is often quite low because they have to cope with so much. Since they can’t be directly admitted to a three-year BA programme, they will be taught reading, writing and computer skills in the zero year,” says Meher Dadabhoy, founder trustee of Ishara.
Those who clear the zero year literacy programme will then be inducted into the BA course. “The focus of the curriculum is to create teachers from, and for, the hearing-impaired community who can go on to teach through sign language. Initially, Ishara’s teachers will act as instructors,” adds Prof Zeshan.
Sharma thinks this is a good idea. Speaking through a sign-language instructor, he says: “Most of us find it difficult to compete with students in a regular college. The curriculum is very hard, and we have to stick to a mechanical or technical course. But now with our own college, more avenues will open up to us.”
Ishara’s college for the deaf also received support from unexpected quarters. US consul general in Mumbai Jim Cunningham, who was present at the inaugural meet, reiterates the need for a separate institution.
“America has two colleges for the hearing-impaired, and it has made a big difference to their lives. Setting up a college here was certainly a need of the hour,” he says.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}