Skip to main content
  • Accessibility
  • Headlines
  • Coronavirus-News
  • Get-Hooked
  • Technology
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Parasports
  • Ask Bhavna
  • NHBrandView
  • Independent Living
  • Lifestyle
  • NH Videos
×
Newz Hook – Changing Attitudes towards Disability Logo
  • Stories
  • Videos
  • Inclusive
  • NH Voice
  • Login
COVID-19 Notification by Government in Accessible Format

Accessibility Tools

Text Size:

Contrast Scheme:

  • C
  • C

Reset

  • Home
  • Education
  • Sol’s Arc is making the world a better place for children with disabilities

Sol’s Arc is making the world a better place for children with disabilities

Education December 14, 2018
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
0

Children with disabilities have diverse educational needs, one that mainstream schools and teachers are often unable to meet. Something Sonali Saini became aware of during her years as a special educator.

This moved her to start Sol’s Arc in 2003, a centre that aims to address the specific needs of children with disabilities starting from three years and above.

“I found there was little awareness about the needs of this population”, says Saini. “The curriculum for these children is very basic and minimal and this means their education levels are rather low. The expectations from them are low too when some of them are very capable”.

This led Saini to start looking at ways to integrate children with disabilities in the mainstream. Their therapy centre in Mumbai focuses on creating customized programs to meet every child’s needs. They work directly with 60-100 kids and adults at any point of time.

For Seema Dhir, parent to Sanskaar, a 20-year-old with autism, the therapy centre run by Sol’s Arc offers a safe space that allows her child to explore his fullest potential in a loving environment.

“Sol’s Arc is a place made on earth for parents of children with special needs. It offers s safe environment where we can leave our kids without worrying about physical harm. The staff is also very loving and patient which is important because children with autism have behavioral issues. Some of them may bite or hit and it is important that the staff are understanding”.

The other critical role Sol’s Arc plays is through its Parallel School Program, which aims to meet a critical gap by building an inclusive education program to ensure that no child is left behind.

We have partnerships with organizations like Teach for India where we train their staff from an inclusion perspective. The aim is to make primary education inclusive and improve learning outcomes, something that the Right to Education Act and RPWD 2016 Act have not been to change as the systems are not geared for this. Teachers are not capacitated to do this. Our focus is on working with teachers and different organizations in mainstreaming set ups. – Sonali Saini, Founder, Sol’s Arc

One of the organizations Sol’s Arc has partnered with is Little Hearts Centre, a school for children with disabilities founded by two mothers in Mumbai.

Reshmy Nikith, Co-founder of Little Hearts Centre says the curriculum designed by Saini is systematic and relevant.

Saini’s curriculum is relevant because it is aligned with the syllabus followed by mainstream school boards and simplified and customised for children with disabilities. “It is designed such that it can be followed by a child without a disability as well as one with a disability”, says Nikhit. “It gives teachers the option to modify the assessment worksheets and reduce the questions depending on the child’s ability”.

The syllabus designed is especially valuable for subjects like English, which is harder to break down into concepts, Vishal Db Program Coordinator with Educo which runs the Saibaba Path Mumbai Public School in Mumbai.

“The curriculum designed by Sol’s Arc breaks subjects down into competencies and this has been done for the National Curriculum Framework (NCF). It is very systematized which makes it easier for teachers. Their program gives us a list of things we need to complete and maps out how each content has to be taught . There is a test at the end of every module which tells us whether the goals have been achieved.”

All of this is done in a child friendly fashion with thought given to the small details like the size of digits and flow of topics. It’s this personal touch that makes Sol’s Arc such a winner for everyone.

“Even at their centre, the teachers are always available and responsive”, says Dhir. “My husband is in the merchant navy and travels a lot. His frequent ins and outs can be a little hard for my son to accept. These are the kind of issues teachers helps is with. There is transparency in everything they do”.

Watch in Sign Language

0

Support us to make NewzHook Sustainable – Make a Contribution Today

We need your continued support to enable us work towards Changing Attitudes towards Disability. Help us in our attempt to share the voices of people with disabilities that enable them to participate in the society on an equal footing!

Contribute to Newz Hook

NH Videos

Healing pain through art - Dr. Anubha Mahajan, Founder Chronic Pain India

Read more on Newz Hook

  • Get-hooked
    “Find ways to help yourself” – Blind MasterChef winner Christine Ha’s powerful message for women with disabilities
  • Get-hooked
    Check out these 5 fun games for children with cerebral palsy
  • Technology
    Check out these free apps that help develop fine motor skills in children with cerebral palsy

Contribue to Newz Hook. Support us to make NewzHook Sustainable – Make a Contribution Today.

Newsletter

 Subscribe to our Newsletter

Want to feature your inspiring story or share an event with the disabled community? Write to:

editor@newzhook.com

Related News

Images of the featured games

Get-hooked

Check out these 5 fun games for children with cerebral palsy

Close up of blind cook Christine Ha

Get-hooked

“Find ways to help yourself” – Blind MasterChef winner Christine Ha’s powerful message for women with disabilities

Images of the 5 apps featured in article

Technology

Check out these free apps that help develop fine motor skills in children with cerebral palsy

Newz Hook - Accessible News

Download App Now!

Videos

View More

Get-hooked

Teen prodigy Satvik Sharma expresses himself through incredible works of art

Get-hooked

'Be yourself, respect people around you' - My Take by Pragya Singh, acid attack survivor

Get-hooked

Understanding Teaching Nonverbal Children

Get-hooked

Understanding Fragile X syndrome

Newz Hook Logo

About Newz Hook

Newz Hook is a media site focusing on Changing Attitudes towards Disability globally. We highlight stories that share insights into the lives of people with disabilities, offer solutions and create collaborations. Our focus is to have Inclusion Champions from across the globe who share knowledge about disability, inclusion & accessibility.

Lets come together to change attitudes towards disability!

Newz Hook is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Follow us on:

Related Links

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Partner with Newz Hook
  • Embed Newz Hook Timeline
  • Affiliate disclosure
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Contribute to Newz Hook

Our Awards

Zero Project Award Winner 2018
Back To Top
© 2019 All Right Reserved. Inclusive News India Private Limited.

Ask Bhavna

All fields are mandatory unless specified as optional.