Differently Able Friendly Policy of ACT

ACT wholeheartedly welcomes differently abled students and faculties and it wishes to stand for their bet.  More than merely setting up physical facilities, ACT renders them mental support and on the other hand it exhorts all its stakeholders to respect the differently able people and to spare their resources and valuable time for them both inside and outside the campus.

COLLEGE POLICY FOR DIVYANGAN - PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES 
For inclusion of PWDs in HEJ's and to provide the facilities to Persons with Disabilities under UGC Scheme, it was decided to frame the Alphonsa College  Policy for Persons with Disabilities. A Committee is formed for drafting a policy for PWDs. The policy was submitted to the  management council for final approval. The policy is drafted as follows: 
 
I. Introduction:  
 
Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 prohibits discrimination against individuals with physical and mental disabilities. Alphonsa College is against all kinds of discrimination on any grounds including disability. The aim of the college is to promote an inclusive learning, teaching and working environment in which disabled students and staff are not disadvantaged or treated adversely. The college aims to create each of its programs, services and activities practicable and accessible to all persons with disabilities. All the stakeholders of Alphonsa College Thiruvambady ,share the obligation for assisting people with disabilities to secure the benefits of campus programs, services, and activities. These guidelines apply to all faculty and staff at  Alphonsa  College. 
 
II. Objectives of the Policy 
 
I. To create Inclusive Culture, to avoid discrimination, exploitation and exclusion of Disabled Students and Staff from all spheres of work and education. 
2. To create a suitable regulatory mechanism for effective delivery of services to Disabled Students and Staff in affiliated colleges, recognized institutions and research centres. 
3. To ensure the implementation of all legislation for persons with disabilities.
4. To provide accessible and inclusive education for affiliated colleges,  recognized institutions, and research centers. 
5. To ensure full participation of persons with disabilities and to provide them equal  opportunities for development. 
6. To provide employment to the persons with disabilities.
The meaning of the terms mentioned in Chapter I pertaining to the rights or the persons with disability Act 2016. 
A. Disability
 Disability is a term that includes motor and sensory limitations (e.g., mobility, vision, or hearing impairments). It also includes disabilities resulting from chronic illnesses and syndrome, invisible disabilities such as psychological and emotional disorders, learning disabilities, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, epilepsy, Acquired Brain Injuries (AB), and Acquired .Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) are also incorporated in the term disability. Countless disabilities vary in degree and type of limitation; therefore, accommodations must also vary and should be modified to the needs of the individual.
B. Qualified Person with Disability
The term "qualified person with a disability" refers to an individual with a disability who is qualified to participate in any given university program or activity. 
I For enrolment, a qualified person with a disability must satisfy the academic standards required for admission and meet the academic requirements established for any given course, degree, or certificate program. 
2. For employment, training, work assignments, and promotion, a qualified individual with a disability must be able to perform the minimum essential functions of the job. 3. However, relaxation shall be allowed as per the Government rules.
C. Aim:
1.To address all disability related issues in the college .
2.To ensure overall accessibility for people with disabilities in the entire college .
3. To guide activities of the supporting units or resource center by providing expert suggestions 
4. To resolve major grievances about any difficulty of persons with disabilities.
D.Provisions under the policy:
To provide counselling to students with disabilities on the types of courses they can study at the higher education institutions.
To ensure admission of as many students with disabilities as possible through the open quota and also through the reservations meant for them.5% of total seats in every programme are reserved for the students with disabilities.
To collect orders dealing with fee concessions, examination procedures, reservation policies etc., pertaining to persons with disabilities as per the government policies from time to time .
To measure the educational requirements  of persons with disabilities enrolled in higher education institutions to determine the type of assistive devices to be procured.
To conduct awareness programmes for teachers of the affiliated colleges and institutions about the approaches to teaching, evaluation procedures etc. which they should adopt in the case of students with disabilities.
To provide support to the students with disabilities and assist them in getting appropriate employment when desired by them after their studies.
To inculcate skills for entrepreneurship development.
To celebrate important days on disability such as the international day for persons with disabilities, Braille Day and White Cane Day to create awareness about the capabilities of persons with disabilities.
To motivate Alumnae upon raising funds for scholarships.
To organise Remedial Coaching Classes for persons with disabilities.
To provide vocational training for the persons with disabilities.
 
Facilities available for DIVYANGAN
 
1. Cell for Differently Abled:To strive towards the empowerment of persons with disabilities by promoting equal opportunity, protection of rights,full participation and accessibility, an actively engaged cell is working in our college.PDF is a pro-active group of volunteers who work shoulder to shoulder with the differently abled. PDF hosts sessions to share their experiences, initiatives and challenges so that they may feel respected, confident and proud of their life.
This cell is coordinated by Ms. Deepa Dominic, Asst.Professor , Department of English.The cell conducts counselling programmes and motivational talks. Also,it helps those students to get the assistance of scribe/extra time for exams, grace marks for the programmes they are studying etc.
2. Medical Centre:There is a provision of first aid/medical room for all the facilities required for medical assistance.
3. Ramps and Rails:The college has ramp facilities for the differently abled students. The wheelchairs can be taken directly using these ramps.
4.Rest Rooms :Separate toilets are available for people with disabilities. They are identifiable and accessible. The doors are wide enough and locatable from inside and releasable from outside.There is enough rotating space inside. All floor surfaces are slip-resistant. Mirrors,flushing arrangements,dispensers are mounted at appropriate heights.
5.Scribes for Examinations:The colleges will provide or allow the students with disabilities to take the help of scribes in the examination.As per the directions of collegiate education,Government of Kerala,the following guidelines are to be strictly followed:
The blind student may choose the scribe.
The scribe need not qualify lower than of the student, provided that the scribe should not qualify (with the same option languages)about the examinations, which the student is writing(for ex: a student who has completed B.Com or M.Com can be a scribe for the students who is talking B.Sc examinations.
A psychically disabled/blind/hearing impaired candidate and the scribes for such a candidate shall be allowed an extra time of 20 minutes per hour.
As the hearing impaired students are having language problems, possibilities of grammar mistakes,mistakes in building the sentences are there.Hence, the answer papers shall be identified separately and evaluated with additional care.
6.   Assistive Technologies for Differently Abled:
This includes ORCA screen reader faculty,Headphones and lenses.Audio recordings    of the classes are provided to visually challenged students.The differently abled students are offered the facility of  Braille Software Android apps like Vlingo virtual assistant are provided for differently abled students.
If any questions arise relating to the interpretation of the policy,it shall be referred to the Management whose decision shall be final.
The Divyangan Policy was approved in the Governing Body meeting of Alphonsa College Management Committee on 18/07/19.