1. AIKYAs 20 years with Special Kids ADHD, AUTISM, DOWNS SYNDROME, CEREBRAL PALSY

2. The story It all began in 1980. Ms.Parvathy Viswanathssecond son Prabhu wasdiagnosed with DownsSyndrome. Parvathy Viswanath was notcowed down by fate. Shebecame a psychologist andgot trained to be a SpecialEducator. 3. AIKYA was born in 1990 With her new skills, Ms. Parvathy helped her son. She was also keen to help other Special Children. So she started AIKYA Centre to Integrate the Different, in Chennai in 1990. 4. AIKYA Means Integration in Sanskrit The concept of integration is integral to everythingthat AIKYA school stands for - integration of specialchildren into mainstream society. Especially in the context of the social stigma that iswrongfully attached to mentally disabled persons. 5. Mission of AIKYA Provide Special children with an opportunity to access an educational environment that enables them to reach their maximum potential. 6. Vision of AIKYA AIKYAs vision is to enhance the quality of life of children with special needs through education and training to enable them to achieve their fullest potential and Integrate them into the mainstream. 7. AIKYA Target Crowd Children with any developmentaldelay or learning disability. Autistic children are able tounderstand what is spoken tothem, but they are slow in learningto speak. (AUTISM) Dyslexic children are weak in the3Rs reading, writing, andarithmetic. They are branded as lazyas they are not interested in studies. Children with ADHD arerestless, dont completetasks, interrupt others, overtalkative, and aggressive. 8. Programmes at AIKYA Early Intervention Programmes for Children withdelayed development (0-3 Years) Special School, Day Care Centre for children of 3-16years Pre vocational training for children above 15 years Training and counseling for parents of children withspecial needs Short term training courses for parents and volunteers 9. Grouping of Special Kids Due to the diverse needs of thechildren, the children are groupedaccording to their special needs, level offunctioning and potential. All childrenhave an Individualized Education Plan(IEP). High Functioning Child focus onDeveloping Cognitive Skills . Moderately Disabled - referred to DayActivity Centres and ShelteredWorkshops. Focus is placed on adaptiveliving and pre-vocational skills. For the more severely disabled, work ontheir functional skills is seen as apriority so that children could be asindependent as possible. 10. Early Intervention Programmes (EIP) EIP aims to give infants andyoung children with specialneeds( age 0-3 years) a head startto help them in theirdevelopment. There are 3 levels within EIP -Infant Stimulation, MotorTraining and Special Education. Depending on the level of thechild, EIP aims to help facilitatethe development of grossmotor, fine motor, perceptual-cognitive, language, socialization,and self-help skills. 11. Paper Presentation in Canada Ms. Parvathy presented a paper in Canada about Early Intervention and won the first prize. 12. Vocational Training At present, many people withSpecial Needs are idle, work insheltered workshops or work a fewhours every week. Their earningsdo not reflect their capabilities. Vocational Training Programmeprepares students for learningskills that are necessary to pursuean occupation. Training is imparted inTyping, Computer, Tailoring, Blockprinting, jewellerymaking, Manufacture ofcandles, incense 13. Vocational Training 14. Products made by Young Adults 15. Speech Therapy Speech Therapist works with people who stutter, have fluency and rhythm problems, inappropriate pitch, or harsh voice and speech quality problems. 16. Recreation AIKYA organizes, conducts, and administers therapeutic recreation and leisure programs designed to assist in rehabilitation of persons with development disabilities. Music, games like lego, dance, yoga, storytelling, are some of the recreation activities at AIKYA. 17. Achievements of AIKYASince establishment in 1990, thenumber of beneficiaries of theactivities and special programs ofAIKYA are quite innumerable.Rehabilitation of 700 mentallychallenged children aged 0-3 yrsthrough Early InterventionProgramme (between 1990 2003) 18. Achievements of AIKYAIn addition, every year 30 children learn at AIKYA DayCare Centers at Chennai Dhaya school, Cuddalore Doha 19. Achievements of AIKYA Trained around 300 parents through workshops, seminars andtraining programme - totaling3600 parents Trained Around 150 studentsfrom various Womenscolleges, namely WomensChristian College, SIET WomensCollege, Meston College, Stella MarisCollege, and a Special School namedMITHRA School for the mentally-Handicapped, through fieldplacement IPP training programmestotaling 1800 beneficiaries. 20. Achievements of AIKYA Around 800 Children throughInterschool Competitions Krishna Jayanthi celebrations 1991-1999 Special Childrens Carnival 2001 Ability 2002Chennai Olympics 2003Sangamam 2004 Limca Book ofRecords Naveena Suyamvaram Job Fairs for Disabled 21. Participation in World Cup 2002 Two special children from Tamilnadu were trained infootball, and sent as representatives of Tamilnadu totake part in World Cup 2002 Football Championshipheld in Osaka, Japan, in August 2002. 22. Special Olympics Valedictory Function On a special function held on 27th January 2003, at which Mr.Vijay Amritraj, former Indian tennis star, and a prominent official of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), felicitated the "Chennai Olympians". 23. Govt gives Rs.500/ month for Disabled 24. AIKYA helps in employability Children trained at AIKYA are now employed gainfullyat boutiques, showrooms, hotels and food chains, a toolmaking company. They weave, make party plates, bags. At middle-school level, many are taken into ordinaryschools like Lady Andals In high school, most return to AIKYA, opting to gothrough the National Open School certification. AIKYA has started schools in Cuddalore andVirudhachallam which are managed by the parents ofthe respective towns 25. AIKYA organized Job Fair for Disabled 26. Prabhakar wins Role Model Award 27. Awards for Ms. Parvathy Viswanath Woman of the Year 2000award from AmericanBiographical Institute Whos Who Professional She was nominated as aboard member of theTamilnadu Welfare Boardfor the Disabled 28. Book on ADHD by Ms. Parvathy 29. Book on Autism by Ms. Parvathy 30. AIKYA and Media Hindu Deccan Herald Mylapore Times Tamil Magazines and newspapers ChennaiOnline.com 31. School Bus of AIKYA 32. Other Activities of AIKYA New Born Screening Self Advocacy workshop Community of Practice for Disabled 33. What can You do for AIKYA You can be a volunteer at AIKYA. You can be a donor and givemoney or things. You can organize recreationalactivities like dance, story tellingand more. You can buy AIKYA products andshowcase AIKYA products atmega events you are a part of. You can tell about AIKYA toeveryone you meet and be ourevangelist. 34. Thank You Children who need love themost will always ask for itin the most unloving ways.(Russell Barkley). So, love your Special Child!