THE ROLE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND, INDIA

NAB,IndiaidentifiesvisuallyimpairedchildrenthroughEyeCamps,Screeningofchildreninslums,Municipalsschoolsetc.aswellasthroughPreventionofblindnessprogrammesintheruralareas(asapartofCBR)andsurvey.ThevisuallyimpairedchildrenidentifiedarecheckedbytrainedOphthalmologisttoensurewhetherpartofthevisionortheentirevisioncanberestored.TheincurablyblindchildrenorlowvisionchildrenareplacedintheIntegratedEducationProgramme(asfaraspossible)wherethechildisadmittedintothenormalschoolforthesightedandprovidedthesupportofItinerantTeacherwhohelpshimtobeincludedsuccessfullyinsuchaschool.Thechildistaughtmobilityskills,dailylivingskills,braille,useofotheraidsandappliancesbyhis/herItinerantTeachertohelphimtoleadaselfconfidentlife.Theteacherhelpshimtounderstandthathecanleadaverynormallifeinspiteofhisblindness.TheItinerantteacherplaysaveryimportantroleincounselingtheprincipals,teachers,peersetc.innormalschoolsforthesightedtohelptoacceptandincludeblindchildrenasapartoftheirschoolanditsactivities.ThemainobjectivesoftheI.E.programmeistoensureallrounddevelopmentofthevisuallyimpairedchild,ensuringthatheisexposedtonormallifeinsociety.TheI.E.ProgrammewhichisapartofCommunityBasedRehabilitationhelpinsensitizingthecommunitytotheneedsandtheabilitiesofpersonswithvisualimpairment.ThecommunityresourcesarechannelisedfortheI.E.programmebyencouragingparticipationofneighbors,peers,youthgroupsetc.toreadandwritefartheblindandsupportthemintheirvariousactivities.HumanResourceDevelopmentmajorssuchasteacherstrainingfortheblind,socialanimatorstraining,paraprofessionaltraining,integrationcampsforvisuallyimpairedandsightedpeersaresomeoftheprogrammesundertakenforfacingsuccessfullythechallengeofincludingvisuallyimpairedchildreninsociety.

• NAB, India identifies visually impaired children through Eye Camps, Screening of children in slums, Municipals schools etc. as well as through Prevention of blindness programmes in the rural areas (as a part of CBR) and survey.
• The visually impaired children identified are checked by trained Ophthalmologist to ensure whether part of the vision or the entire vision can be restored.
• The incurably blind children or low vision children are placed in the Integrated Education Programme (as far as possible) where the child is admitted into the normal school for the sighted and provided the support of Itinerant Teacher who helps him to be included successfully in such a school.
• The child is taught mobility skills, daily living skills, braille, use of other aids and appliances by his/her Itinerant Teacher to help him to lead a self confident life. The teacher helps him to understand that he can lead a very normal life inspite of his blindness.
• The Itinerant teacher plays a very important role in counseling the principals, teachers, peers etc. in normal schools for the sighted to help to accept and include blind children as a part of their school and its activities.
• The main objectives of the I.E. programme is to ensure all round development of the visually impaired child, ensuring that he is exposed to normal life in society. The I.E. Programme which is a part of Community Based Rehabilitation help in sensitizing the community to the needs and the abilities of persons with visual impairment.
• The community resources are channelised for the I.E. programme by encouraging participation of neighbors, peers, youth groups etc. to read and write far the blind and support them in their various activities.
• Human Resource Development majors such as teachers training for the blind, social animators training, paraprofessional training, integration camps for visually impaired and sighted peers are some of the programmes undertaken for facing successfully the challenge of including visually impaired children in society.