New Delhi:

In a bid to meet the requirement of trained professionals who can cater to the specific needs of children with learning disabilities, three state open universities will be offering a special B.Ed course from the academic year 2015-16.

Replying to a question in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Social Justice Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot said that the Rehabilitation Council of India, a statutory body under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, has been instrumental in developing trained manpower through regular and distance mode to cater to the specific educational needs of children with learning disabilities.

As per the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Council has taken the initiative to start a B.Ed Special Education (Learning Disability) course through the distance learning mode as well, he added.

“Accordingly, three state open universities, namely, Madhya Pradesh Bhoj Open University, Bhopal, Vardhmaan Mahaveer Open University, Kota, and Uttarakhand Open University, Haldwani, have been encouraged to shoulder the responsibility to start the said course through distance mode in their respective states from the academic session 2015-16 to meet the demands of trained professionals for the Learning Disability course,” he added.

Responding to another question, Gehlot said that spastic, blind, physically handicapped, dyslexic, autistic and candidates with disabilities as defined in the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995, appearing for the Secondary School Examination or Senior School Certificate Examination are permitted to use an amanuensis or allowed additional time.