1. Disability Research and Design Foundation
“Disability Research and Design
Foundation is an organisation working
towards inclusion for all in India. Our
aim is to bring together the
creative, technical and legal expertise
of individuals/ or professional
backgrounds to formulate solutions for
an inclusive society. Our approach is
thus an interdisciplinary one with a
team consisting of
architects, engineers, activists, therapis
ts and social researchers.”
Advocacy
Multidisciplinary
Design
Audit
Research
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

2. Realms of Action
Range of services for inclusion
Universal Access Assistive
Awareness Research
Design Audits Devices
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

3. Methodology
Social
Research
Advocacy
Design
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

4. Team Composition
Design
Professionals
Social
Engineers
Researchers
Legal
Advisors
Experts
Therapists Activists
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

5. Teamwork
 Abhishek Ray- Founder Member, Architect
 NileshSingit-Disability Rights Activist (PWD)
 Ankia Shrivastava: Architect
 Irina Dalal: Architect
 Alok Choudhury: Mechanical Engineer
 Amarjit Singh Saini- Financial Advisor
 Prabeen Bebarta- (Social Worker) ProgrammeOfficer
 Rohini Ramkrishnan- Programme Researcher
 Tallin Banerjee- Financial Consultant
 Atul Jaiswal- Occupational Therapist
 Santosh Sonar-Field Supervisor
 Amrita Sabnavis: Advisory Board Member
 Kedar Ghorpade: Advisory Board Member
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

6. Alliances and Collaborations
• Policy makers: Government and Non government, municipal
• Subject experts: Disability, Design, Educational, Human Resource
Professionals, Therapists, Counselors
• Institutions : Educational, Sports and Recreational
• Culture and tourism bodies
• Disability rights activists
• Executive Bodies: Urban and rural planning authorities
• Implementation Bodies: Municipal Authorities, Public Works
Department, nodal and grass root level agencies
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

7. Projects
Access Audit projects
1. Mumbai Domestic and
International Airport
2. Railway Stations: Mumbai
3. Inorbit Mall Malad
4. Bal Kalyan SansthaPune
5. Welingkar School of
Management, Mumbai
6. General Post Office
7. High Court of Justice, Mumbai
Social awareness programmes
1. Inclusive Design Workshops
2. Sensitisation workshops
3. Workshops on media
representations of disability
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

8. Projects
Inclusive tourism projects
Provided accessible design and assistive devices for
Monetary Museum, under the Reserve Bank of India.
Acted as accessible design consultants for the
Miniature Painting Gallery, Museum, Mumbai
Proposed inclusive tourism model to Archaeological
Survey of India (ASI), Karnataka for
Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

9. Inclusive School Design
Architects and
Designers
Process Deliverables
• Intersectional Research
based Design approach
Social • Post Implementation
Facilitators
Researchers
analyses.
• Development of best
practice model with
Engineers Therapists contextual variables.
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

10. Policies impacting inclusive education in India
• Rehabilitation Council of India Act (1992): states
that CWSN will be taught by a trained teacher.
• Persons with Disabilities Act (1995): educational
entitlement for all CWSN up to 18 years in an
appropriate environment.
• National Trust Act (1999): provide services and
support to severely disabled children.
• India becomes a signatory of the UN Salamanca
Statement, 2004
• The 86th Constitutional Amendment (2007): free
and compulsory education to children, up to 14
years.
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

11. Ministry of Human Resource Development
• Revised Integrated Education for Disabled
Children (IEDC) scheme (MHRD, 1992)
• Shift begins from special schools approach to
inclusion
• National Action Plan for Inclusion in Education of
the Children and Persons with Disabilities
(MHRD, 2005)
• Sarva Siksha Abhiyan scheme (SSA) launched in
2007
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

12. Flexible planning
• Alternative educational schemes: Education
Guarantee Scheme/Alternative and Innovative
Education (EGS/AIE) and Home Based Education
(HBE)
• SSA policies imply a flexible approach
• Focus on creating optimum learning environment
• Dependant on number of students, available
resources
• 1/3rd of funds allocated to infrastructure

13. “SSA will ensure that every child with special
needs, irrespective of the kind, category and
degree of disability, is provided education in an
appropriate environment. SSA will adopt ‘zero
rejection’ policy so that no child is left out of the
education system.
(SSA, 2007:1)
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

14. Design of Inclusive Schools
•Importance of Universal Design and
accessibility
•Design is not separate from social processes
•Participatory planning with therapists, special
educators, children and researchers.
•Contextual Development: Affordable and cost
effective building technology
•Design- based inclusion as a step towards non-
discriminatory practices
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

15. Pilot project
Inclusive design project for NMMC school no. 28 in Vashi
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

16. PROCESS 4
Preliminary Planning and
Research Design
Post
Design
Implementation
Implementation
Analysis
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

17. Preliminary research
Our interdisciplinary team of
architects, therapists and researchers
conduct a site analysis.
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

18. Preliminary research
Meetings with special educators to discuss issues, needs and
requirements
Observations- based field research of activities in the existing school-
classroom sessions, recreational activities, etc.
Study of existing rehabilitation centres for CWSN
Combine multidisciplinary research findings to create an optimum
design plan
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

19. Conceptual Design Proposal
Based on the extensive study carried out
by the members of DRDF a conceptual
design was arrived at .
This design addressed accessibility and
inclusive physical environment options.
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

20. Conceptual Design Proposal
•Innovative Colour
Concepts
•Building as a learning
tool/ aid
• Built in tactile
experiences
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

21. Conceptual Design Proposal
Along with occupational and physiotherapy, the need for speech
therapy, sensory integration and low vision was also envisaged and
provisions made for the same.
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

22. DRDF approach towards inclusive
school designs
 Sustainable approach
 Use local resources and skills
 Provide required training to locals
 Environmentally friendly, affordable building methods
 Renewable energy sources
 Contextual model, takes into account local issues and needs
 Child friendly spaces
 Vibrant learning environment
 Incorporate learning aids into the design
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

23. Source: BaLA (Building as Learning Aid)

24. Source: BaLA (Building as Learning Aid)

25. Methods for creating self-
sustainability
•Economical, cost- effective
available tools for implementation
•Takes into account rural, urban
context
•Environmental factors
•Solar panels for harnessing solar
energy in hot, arid regions
•Rain- water harvesting methods
•Locally available, affordable
building materials- eg.
stone, bamboo, cob construction

26. Short- term plans
 Region- wise survey and design
 Implementation through pilot projects at urban and
rural levels
 Create the Best Contextual Design Models for inclusive
schools
 Initiate project- based discussions and consultations
with central, regional and nodal agencies under MHRD
(SSA)
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

27. Mid- term plans
 Use post- implementation
research findings from pilot
projects to progressively
improve the Best Practice
Model to suit the national
scale.
 Scaling up of operations
and domain of influence by
the development of
resource teams across the
country to provide similar
solutions
 Work with local
organisations and individuals
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation

28. Long- term plans
 Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan(RMSA)
Opportunity to expand scope to design at the secondary
school level
 Develop design based training modules for MHRD and
other associated agencies
 Document research findings on implemented design
projects and make the information free and accessible
to all
Ministry of Human Resource and Development Disability Research and Design Foundation