Organized by: Graham Bell Centre for the Deaf

Training Duration: 18 May 2026 to 23 May 2026

Participants: Staff of Nir ideal Home, Haroa, N 24 Parganas.

Introduction:

Graham Bell Centre for the Deaf has organized a six-day intensive training programme on disability& development as part of its capacity-building initiative for field-level professionals and rehabilitation workers of Nir Ideal Home, N 24 Parganas. The training was designed in four phases. This is the phase – I concentrate on ‘Identification of Disability’.

Training Objectives

The overall objective of the programme was to strengthen participants’ understanding of different types of disabilities as per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016. The specific objectives of the training were:

1. To enhance participants’ understanding of child development milestones for early identification of developmental delays among children with disabilities.
2. To develop knowledge on deafness, including its identification, types, and challenges faced by children and persons with hearing impairment.
3. To improve participants’ understanding of intellectual disabilities, including identification, different types, and associated challenges.
4. To build participants’ capacity on locomotor disabilities, focusing on identification, types, and challenges experienced by children /persons with locomotor disabilities.

Pre-Training Assessment

A pre-training assessment was conducted at the beginning of the programme to understand the existing knowledge and awareness level of the participants regarding disability & development. The assessment revealed that

• A little no of participants had a basic understanding of child development milestones and were somewhat aware of disability rights and related issues.
• Participants demonstrated some knowledge regarding deafness, including its challenges, communication barriers, and related issues.
• Most participants had very limited or almost no understanding of intellectual disabilities and the challenges faced by these children.
• Knowledge related to locomotor disabilities was also found to be very limited among the participants.

Executive Summary

The training programme was commenced on 18.05.2026 with an introductory session facilitated by honorable director of GBCD, Sk. Mansur Ali. Ground rules and expectations were discussed, followed by a pre-training assessment to understand the participants’ baseline knowledge. Sessions on ‘introduction to disability’ focused on challenges faced by children / persons with Hearing Impairment, Blind, Intellectual Disability and Locomotor Disability at real world had been demonstrated through an engaging role play. The afternoon session covered child development milestones and an orientation on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPD) Act, 2016 with special focus on 21 types of Disability. Then a session took place on Deafness: Challenges, Type of Hearing loss as per age (Congenital / Acquired), Place (Conductive / Sensorineural /  Mixed ) and linguistic (Pre-linguistic & Post linguistic)  degree of Hearing Loss (Mild, moderate etc.) etc. along with age wise identification techniques of deaf children. The session also focused on  language development milestone of a child. The day concluded with Recapitulation and a feedback session.

On the second day, participants undertook a field visit (4 Children) to interact with parents of deaf children related to identification of deafness and communication practices in real-life settings. After the field exposure, participants shared their observations and reflections during a structured discussion session facilitated by the resource team. ISL practice sessions were organized to strengthen communication skills of the participants.

The third day focused on Intellectual Disability (ID). Sessions included the concept,types, nature, and challenges associated with intellectual disabilities. Participants were also oriented on Identification techniques including physical featuresof children with ID. A field visitwas organized to provide direct exposure to children with intellectual disabilities. During the visit the participants had seen every type of ID i.e. General ID, Down syndrome, Cretinism, Microcephaly and Hydrocephaly. The day ended with group discussions, recapitulation, participant feedbackand ISL Session.

The fourth and fifth days concentrated on Locomotor Disability (LMD). Detailed sessions were conducted on the Definition, Causes, Challenges, Types and Natureof LMD. The days has been planned as one day for Cerebral Palsy and the other day for the rest.  Participants also attended field visits where they observed mobility-related challenges and rehabilitation interventions at the community level. Interactive discussions after the visits enabled participants to analyze field observations and connect theory with practice. These two days also ended with group discussions, recapitulation, participant feedbackand ISL Sessions.

The final day of the training focused on exposure to the GBCD’s institution based Clinics (Physiotherapy, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Psychological Assessment, Eye Clinic, Special Education of ASD, Mental Health Clinic etc.) and clinical observation processes. Participants observed clinical assessment methods and rehabilitation procedures followed by the organization. A comprehensive recapitulation session was conducted to review all major learning points covered during the six-day programme. Post-training assessment and feedback sessions indicated significant improvement in participants’ understanding of disability identification procedure.

Methodology

Throughout the training, participatory methods such as discussions, field exposure, observation exercises, practical demonstrations, role play, games and recapitulation sessions, were used to ensure effective learning.

Training Feedback by the Participants

• Participants shared that understanding child development milestones is very important for the early identification of developmental delays and disabilities among children.
• The training helped participants develop a more positive and inclusive attitude towards persons with disabilities. They also understood that proper rehabilitation support is essential for mainstreaming children and persons with disabilities into society.
• Participants gained knowledge about the importance of psychological assessment in preparing an effective Individual Rehabilitation Plan (IRP) for children with Intellectual Disabilities.
• Participants learned that building a good rapport with children and their families is one of the most important responsibilities of field-level workers for effective intervention and rehabilitation support.
• The participants highly appreciated the discipline, professionalism, and overall management of the training programme.

Conclusion

The training programme successfully achieved its objectives by improving participants’ understanding of disability & development. The programme contributed to strengthening the capacity of participants to identify children and persons with disabilities within the community. Continued training and follow-up support are recommended to ensure effective implementation of the learning at the field level.