Disability Studies; Emerging Inter-disciplinary Field

of study in India-Scope & Limitations of Distance

Teaching.
Rajesh.E & Brijesh Sathian
1-School of Behavioural Sciences ,M.G.University,2-MCOMS,Nepal.

Abstract

Disability studies as an emerging field, with an interdisciplinary nature will have to face a lot of
constrictions in the existing conditions. A strong planning, frame work is needed to propagate
to overcome these challenges. The courses going to start in inter-disciplinary nature must
need a more conducive, absorbing and supportive environment including from the
government sector. Confusions exists even among academic community and those who are
working in the related areas and subjects regarding the course structure, curriculum contents,
concepts, career opportunities of studying the course in disability studies etc.Disability studies
focus on the fact that needs and problems of disabled are diverse and individual specific.
Giving segmented specialization in one area of disability alone couldnot make the field to
meet the problems of disabled. Developing human resources in the discipline of disability,
disability management is the immediate hour’s need. Disability studies while imparting
through distance teaching have far reaching scope and some limitations too. Limitations
could be minimized using appropriate planning ahead of implementation.
Introduction
The evolution of Disability Studies as a separate field of academic
discipline in the aftermath of the disability rights movement reflects the change in
conceptual framework of disability
Study of 'Disability Studies' is constantly and rapidly gaining momentum and
broader visibility as a separate academic discipline in the colleges, universities and
academic institutions of Western advanced countries. Disability must be approached
from holistic paradigm. Without an appreciation of policy issues shaping the
alternatives available to such disadvantaged people, individuals opting career in
health sciences, the helping professions and other occupations are debarred from
valuable insights and crucial contexts for their efforts to serve the interests and
needs of this under-privileged segment of the population.

Backgrounds

Disability among human beings has been an issue in focus throughout mankind's
history. In India, efforts to rehabilitate those who are thus physically challenged,
through specially designed educational strategies have a history of over a hundred
years. But a starkly visible change has come about on the rehabilitation scene in
India in recent years. In recent years, the Government of India has become

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increasingly concerned about the needs and rights of persons with disabilities
(PWDs) and issues that concern their participation in mainstream civil society. A
particularly important issue is the development of adequate and trained manpower to
cater for the unique needs of the large disabled population.

There has been no dearth of committed social workers and activists interested in
the cause of the rehabilitation of the disabled. In fact, quite a few among them are
themselves victims of disability and could appreciate the needs of the disabled. But
they could not be substitutes for trained professionals, without whom the latent
potential of the disabled could not be brought out.
One of the main reasons for the schemes for the rehabilitation of the disabled not
making much headway was a lack of trained manpower. It was noted that the
training programmes were going on in an ad hoc and isolated manner without a
uniform and consistent approach.
Most of them working in the area are unaware of a clear cut concept, philosophy and
approaches of Disability studies. There is even confusion among the academic
community who has to make initiatives in starting courses at various levels. Proper
awareness programs to all who are related with initiating this movement might have
a positive result.

Disability Studies refers generally to the examination of disability as a social,

cultural, and political phenomenon. In contrast to clinical, medical, or therapeutic
perspectives on disability, Disability Studies focuses on how disability is defined and
represented in society. From this perspective, disability is not a characteristic that
exists in the person so defined, but a construct that finds its meaning in social and
cultural context.

Not only the rehabilitating measures are subject of study, but also the way we can
organize society in a more accessible but less oppressing en discriminating way.
Disability Studies tries to pay attention to the resilience and the sometimes-specific
culture (e.g. deaf societies) of people with a handicap, next to the attention for the
difficulties they experience every day.

A course in disability studies through distance mode will provide students with the
skills,methods,and perspectives to play a variety of leadership roles in disability
research,policy and advocacy.

Scope of Disability

The needs and problems of disabled are different with each disability, there is
also individual differences. The disabled person may experience a wide range of
problems which could not be managed by a single professional specialization and its
care givers since the problem is related and caused by a variety of factors like
psychological, social, economical and medical etc.

One another aspect of importance is studies and data’s underline the fact that
disabled could achieve more from group ventures of different experts as well as
persons who have got training to deal with multiple specialties at a time. As this is
the highlight of the course objective of courses to start in Disability Studies, it will get
an additional momentum from that aspect.

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 One factor which could hamper the development of disability studies as a field
certainly will be the lack of a uniform, prescribed out line of curricula and syllabus.
This will create problems among who are working in the area in respect of their
competencies and qualities.

Limitations

The area of disability studies remains unexplored in the curricula of schools, colleges
and universities in India. The existing traditional disciplines in the curricula give no
space for a inter-disciplinary area like Disability study to develop. The emerging jobs
today are highly confined to the courses which provide specializations as well as
professional orientation to students. If proper ground works are not made, it will be a
very hazardous task to maintain the stable development, and achieve the full
possible goals for which the area is been mobilized. The unavailability of jobs to the
course pursuers in inter-disciplinary subjects already in the fields apart from the
science and related dicipline is pointed out by some experts may also be taken into
consideration at this time.

Indian Universities and academic institutions, which has contributed to a reduction

of cross-flow between various fields of research and is, hence, obstructing progress
in the specific field of disability. That is why; the emerging area of Disability Studies
has so far failed to engage the attention of policy makers and academicians, thus
having been denied the status of a separate academic discipline or field of inquiry.

Suggestion& Conclusion

Developing human resources in a field, especially one with interdisciplinary nature

through distance mode is not a simple task. Even the academicians working in the
related fields of disability, are not well aware of the concept and scope of the
disability studies, this create lot of confusion among those who wish to enter in to the
field. The second most important task will be to create and find out job opportunities
for those who complete a course in disability study. As no firm now is providing job
opportunities to an interdisciplinary subject in disability.NGO’s and organisations
working in the area have a vital role in making the initiative a success.Another
aspect of importance to be mentioned here is no regular courses/programme is not
being conducted in the area of disability studies so far in India. The existing market
highly rely on the traditional, wellestablished pure courses mostly and those
interdisciplinary courses which have high applicability especially those with science
basis.
One of the major problems going to be faced by the expected course
beneficiaries will be certainly that regarding the recognition of the course. As the
course in disability studies is not conducted through regular mode by any of the
universities/colleges in India, job opportunities in academic field is far little.A plan of
action is required for consequently including the “Disability Studies” in the subject of
National eligibility test of U.G.C and to start courses in regular stream also, thus
integrating into the goals of Action plan of HRD Ministry.
Finally, a professional training only could not make the course completed one to
compete with those who got specialized training in one particular area of disability. A
mere theoretical oriented course could do nothing towards attaining the objectives of
starting such a course.

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