Understanding the perceptions and challenges of teachers working in special schools: A study in lebenshilfe, Visakhapatnam

This study presents the perceptions and challenges of teachers working with the children of intellectual disability. This study is conducted in a special school named Lebenshilfe, an NGO in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Nowadays these children with intellectual disability are increasing in our society, because of several reasons among parents like stress, marriage systems, change in work culture, change in quality food, no physical activities by parents, diabetes, B.P., problems etc., The children who have below 70 IQ are all called intellectual disabled children. Intellectual Disabilities are generally categorized into four main types based on their Intelligence Quotient (IQ) i.e. Mild, Moderate, Severe and Profound. The teachers working in the special schools needs more patience, knowledge and skills to teach children with intellectual disabilities. The study found that above 80% of the teachers use the therapies like cognitive behavior modification, special education and behavior therapy, activities of daily living, self-care skills, speech therapy, sensory processing, dance therapy, sports therapy, music therapy, etc. Vocational training used by teachers who take the vocational group of adults. Yoga, sports, music, dance and vocational therapies are applicable to the children of Mild, and Moderate who comes under educable group of children. Some teachers said different therapies other than above mentioned are Receptive Language means making different sounds and actions while giving instructions which is suitable to a particular child; and Drawing, painting, craft work, book binding skills, tailoring, sand therapy, toy playing, snoozanal therapy which improve gross motor skills and vocational group therapies. The life of Children with Intellectual Disability is miserable and highly vulnerable. Teacher plays a significant role in the life of these children; they give a small light in the Dark lives. The Motto is to make the children self-dependable, and self-employable with accessible and inclusive environment or community. The parents, family members, and society supports these teachers and encourage them for doing better service to the needy with disabilities.