Schools must adhere to modified norms for dyslexic children: HC

Mumbai, July 20 (UNI) The Bomay High Court today directed all schools in the State to implement the modifications introduced by the State's Education Board for students with learning disabilities.

A division bench comprising justices R M Lodha and N H Patil, while directing the schools to implement the same, said non-implementation would be tantamount to disobedience of the court and would invite action.

Vincy D'silva, a resident here, had filed a public interest litigation alleging that his son, suffering from dysgraphia, had not been provided a writer by the St Mary's School because of which he failed. The petitioner ad sought suitable directions from the court for the benefit of such students.

Education officer Basanti Roy told the court that in order to provide facilities to students with learning disabilities like dyslexia (reading disability), dysgraphia (writing disability) or dyscalculia (mathetical disability), it should be mandatory for all schools to conduct a test for students from standard three and six to identify such students. Students, found suffering from learning disabilities, could then be examined by a neurologist, a psychologist or a paediatrician.

The school can, thereafter, maintain a separate register and record the yearly progress of such students. These students should be allowed 25 per cent more time to answer their papers. They should also be examined through oral tests and the average of written and oral tests should be taken into consideration. Furthermore, these students should be provided with a writer and should be allowed the nearest examination centre, of their choice, while appearing for board examinations.

The scheme also suggests that question papers can be read out to such students from standard one to nine by the examiner or invigilator. Students with dyslexia or dysgraphia can be exempted from languages other than English while those with Dyscalculia can drop mathematics altogether in standard nine and ten (only ICSE and CBSE). The examiner must also overlook number reversal and take into consideration the method applied and marks be awarded for the same.

Spelling errors, directional mistakes in maps are also to be overlooked while drawing of charts, maps, diagrams be exempted for standards one to nine.

The scheme envisages granting of additional 20 grace marks if a stuudent fails as against the regular provision of 15 marks.

Students with auditory discrimination (listening-comprehension disability) maybe allowed to use tape-recorders in classrooms. Also students with learning disabilities be exempted from long descriptive answers and be allowed to enumerate points.

UNI ARM MAZ MIR DB2032