Satya Special School works on special projects that pushes the boundaries of what is possible, with a definite focus on innovation.
Satya Special School’s Prosthetics and Orthotics centre was set up to provide low-cost high quality aids and appliances for people with disabilities. The P&O centre creates custom orthotics for students of Satya and other people with disabilities. The centre is also the nodal point for distribution of aids and appliances for the disabled in Pondicherry.
Based on physiotherapists’ recommendations, the P&O centre crafts or sources appliances such as splints, braces, belts, supportive chairs, etc.
The completely indigenous design and manufacture of the prosthetic and orthotic aids ensures that everyone has access to them.
To counter the devastating effects of the COVID-19 induced lockdown on the education of rural children with special needs (CWSN), Satya Special School started a digital device library, for children without internet access. This enabled them to work on educational material uploaded on devices, which are circulated between children. The devices are pre-loaded with specialized software and resources.
The devices also had how-to videos of therapy, so that parents could try the same with their children at home.
Offline worksheets and other resources kept these children busy and active throughout the lockdown, while ensuring that they could access some therapy as well.
This project has been featured in Azim Premji University’s Compendium “Stories of Change: Response to COVID.”
Satya Special School expanded its inventory of Assistive Paper Technology (APT), under the guidance of Heather Angilley, physiotherapist from Physionet UK. The technology has helped us provide a cheaper and more sustainable alternative to expensive assistive devices for our children, for home use. Children who made posture improvements in school often lost these when they were at home, and the equipment was not only expensive, but the kids outgrew it fast as well. APT came as a boon to Satya Special School and our kids.
These APTs are easy to handle, and are easily stackable on other furniture for the night, as space is scarce in our parents’ homes.
Physiotherapists at Satya and our partner institutions were given necessary training in manufacturing various devices using APT.
This ecosystem helps non-disabled youth find jobs in the village itself, while providing care for the disabled within the village.
The project creates a model geography where children and youth with disabilities are nurtured by their own communities.
The program includes education and therapeutic services for children with special needs (CWSN), training of parents of CWSN, training of youth to become therapists at the Village Rehabilitation Centre, improvement of accessibility to public spaces, and to achieve the goal of sustainable progress of the project, the creation of an Inclusive Village Development Committee.
through Tab Lending Library
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used for the Tablet Lending Library
Students learn basics of photography
Special Olympics Health Day event puts spotlight on health
Satya's P&O unit showcases capability
Rajesh, on the autism spectrum, would never stay still, and the lockdown only made things worse. He would constantly try to go out of the house. With no means to join online class, his parents were unable to work with him effectively. With the digital tab, things got better, says his mother, K. Kavitha. “We could see a lot of change after e-tab was given to him. With interest, he is watching the activities and tries to imitate what is visualized. We can also see that he is learning quickly. Also he has reduced watching television. Now his younger brothers also like to watch the lessons taught in the tab, and they are now playing together. That’s a good sign for us.”
Diwali Day proved disastrous for 20-year-old Muthu, belonging to the Kuravar community, as an exploded firecracker led to the amputation of his right hand. Now, thanks to the Prosthetics and Orthotics Centre at Satya, he is able to take care of his own activities. Satya Special School, after assessing his range of motion and other parameters, created a right hand below-elbow mechanical hand for Muthu, and provided training on how to use it. “I was completely dependent on my mother. She would take care of me and then go out to work,” he says tearfully. “Now I am able to take care of my own activities.” Satish Kumar, head of the Prosthetics and Orthotics Unit at Satya Special School, says that the idea behind the unit is to provide customized prosthetics for people who need them most. He proudly shows the football-themed orthotic leg for children. “There is no need for children to not have fun because they use an orthotic leg,” he says.