Our Projects

Vidya Sagar believes that disability is a human rights issue, this belief underlies all our projects. We also strongly believe no one issue of disability can be tackled in isolation. We work towards integrated development through a series of programs. Over the years, we have changed our syllabus to make it more challenging and more in keeping with main stream schools; 

We have also addressed the needs of students with mental retardation through pre-vocational skills and a vocational programme. 

Our adult leisure programmes for adults with profound disability is one of its kind in the country. 

"Matrix"- a class where children with severe physical disability but bright minds can get an education and therapy independently is another innovative milestone. 

Some of our other undertakings include

• The Center for Special Education: This works like a regular school where students are given education, therapy and training in art, drama and music. The Matrix class started in 2007, the USP of the class is technology- that which enables our older and more severely disabled students to access education, hobbies and anything else that they are interested in.
• The Vision Center: This center was started in 2007 to meet the needs of children with cerebral palsy and visual impairment. This unit also has an Optometrist, the early training given to children makes a major difference to their education and quality of life. 
• Employment Education Center: The project for our adult students works not only in vocational skills but also skills that will enable them to find jobs and get on in life. It also works on open placement, for this they sensitize corporate houses and the community to enable them to work along with people with disability. An innovative model that we have developed is the "Neighborhood Initiative" which enables a group young disabled people to work together to make products like paper ware and leaf ware. 
• Family Based Rehabilitation:  This programme empowers and trains parents while training the children, it is also the first point of contact as it houses the advisory and referral clinic. Early Intervention programme has just been revamped to look at babies with cerebral palsy and visual impairment. It also holds 3 out station programmes in a year where people with disability from all over the country come to the center for 3 days, get assessed, get a programme and all the medical intervention they need. 
• Inclusion Cell: This programme not only gets admissions for students but also follows up, trains and sensitizes the community. We also work with the world bank program of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. The success of this program can be gauged by the fact that in 2008 we had 75 children in main stream schools and colleges. 
• Early Intervention Unit: This unit works with babies below the age of 5 years. Through specific interventions and simulation programmes, the children learn to explore their abilities, so that they can move on towards learning skills and main stream education. 
• Training: Vidya Sagar runs many courses recognized by the Rehabilitation Council of India. This year our post graduate diploma course was affiliated to Madras University. We run a distance education program for Bhoj University in the area of Special Education. We have also developed a trans-disciplinary course which equips a person with skills in physiotherapy, Occupational therapy, speech therapy and special education to meet the needs of a person with multiple disabilities. 
• Disability Legislation Unit: It is managed by self advocates, 2 of them being our ex-students. They advocate for disability rights through lobbying, to bring about policy changes both at the centre and state level. Their focus is in 5 areas - Access, Awareness, Education, Employment and Legislation. Within this group there are two more advocacy units-  "Teja" a group to focus on disability and women and the other "Ekta" which focuses on the rights of people with multiple disabilities.
• Community based rehabilitation: Vidya Sagar's commitment to disability extends to the rural and small towns of our country. through time bound partnership programmes with other NGOs in villages and small towns, we give people both technical and rights based training. Our community based rehabilitation programme has enabled us to work with different models.
• Mental health: We took up the area of mental health in 2004. In partnership with basic Needs India, psychiatrists and other organisations, we work in the community towards stabilizing and empowering people with mental illness. 
• Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Vidya Sagar realizes the constraints faced by people who are non-verbal. We team up with IIT and Anna University professionals, designers, technicians and software personnel to develop indigenous aids. We also use other non verbal communication means to reach people who need to communicate, for we believe communication is crucial for anyone.