Call for crucial accessibility and inclusivity for persons with disabilities

Mysore/Mysuru: “Accessibility and inclusivity are crucial for persons with disabilities. Equity and integration are essential to ensure that persons with disabilities are fully included in all aspects of society. Inclusion is the need of the hour,” said Guruprasad Pawaskar, State Commissioner for the Office of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of Goa.

He was the chief guest at the second International Conference on Comprehensive Education (ICCE-24) held at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Mysuru Campus, on July 26.

 Pawaskar resonated with the theme of the conference, underscoring the necessity of creating an equitable and integrated environment for differently abled individuals.

Dr. Pavan John Antony, Professor of Special Education at Adelphi University, New York, who inaugurated the conference, highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing the challenges faced by differently abled individuals.

Dr. Stephen M. Shore, Professor of Special Education at Adelphi University, New York, delivered the keynote address.  He outlined the “4 A’s of Autism” framework, which provides crucial strategies for supporting autistic and neurodivergent individuals as they transition to adulthood. The framework focuses on Awareness, Acceptance, Appreciation, and Action, emphasising a holistic approach to understanding and aiding neurodivergent individuals.

Prof. Shekar Babu, Associate Dean of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Mysuru, welcomed and provided an overview of the conference.

On the occasion, three new books were released, marking a significant contribution to the field of special education and providing valuable resources for educators, researchers, and practitioners — “Era of Awakening of Persons with Disabilities” by J.P. Gadkari; “Teaching and Supporting Students with Disabilities During Times of Crisis” by Pavan John Antony and Stephen Shore; and “An Unplanned Journey” by Naval Pant.

The ICCE-24 brought together experts, educators, and stakeholders from around the world to discuss and share strategies for comprehensive education and the empowerment of differently abled individuals.

 A total of 47 plenary sessions were organised, featuring 14 international speakers, including differently abled individuals, who served as resource persons.

More than 200 participants and delegates from various parts of the world attended the conference.

The papers presented covered a wide range of topics, including Social-Emotional Well-Being, Independent Living, Self-Advocacy, Neurodiversity in the Workplace, Artificial Intelligence, Assistive Technology, Post-Secondary/ Higher Education, Vocational/ Employment and Transition.

This Conference is a collaborative endeavour with College of Education and Health Sciences at Adelphi University, New York, USA, Western University, Canada and BeyberryInc, USA.

Pre-Conference Workshop

As part of ICCE-24, a pre-conference workshop was held on July 25 with a keynote address by Prof. P.A. Baby Shari, Chair Holder of UNESCO Chair on Community-Based Disability Management and Rehabilitation and Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Calicut.