Last Updated on July 30, 2023 by Vishnu Nambiar
Do you want to become a special education teacher? If yes, this post will be of help to you. Here, I’ve compiled a list of best special education courses in India. Both students and parents may use this list to find the ideal course.
Here, you will find the names of popular special education programs in India. Apart from the names of courses, you will also find additional details such as – their duration, eligibility criteria, scope, admission process, fees, colleges and more. You may also check – courses after 12th arts stream.
In India, there exists different types of special education courses. They can be classified into different types on the basis of factors such as – academic level and format of the course.
Let us take a closer look at the classification of special education programs in India –
Types of special education programs in India
As I mentioned before, special education programs in India can be classified into different types on the basis of multiple parameters. Course format and academic level are the two main parameters.
Based on the academic level, special education programs in India can be classified into the following types – UG, PG and Doctoral Degree. UG stands for undergraduate level and PG stands for postgraduate level.
Based on the format of the course, these programs can be classified into the following types – Integrated (Dual Degree) programs, Bachelor’s Degree programs, Master’s Degree programs and PhD programs.
Let us find out more details about the domain of special education. Here is everything you need to know about it –
Special education: An Introduction
Special education deals with teaching, training and instructing children with disabilities. Children with disabilities require special assistance, care, attention and training.
Regular teachers are not skilled enough to teach children with disabilities. This is where special education teachers come handy. Special education teachers are trained in areas such as – implications of a disability, teaching techniques and methodology, curriculum development and research, communication skills, assistive devices and techniques etc.
In short, special education teachers are specifically trained to deal with children with disabilities. They are capable of educating children, help them acquire key life-skills, and ensure their overall development.
Education, skills and training acquired through special education teachers help these children live a more fulfilling and productive life!
Let us check out the list of courses now. Here it is –
List of special education courses in India
Special education courses are technically teacher training programs. But these programs differ from regular teacher training programs in many ways.
As I mentioned before, special education programs can be classified into different types on the basis of course format. Let us check out each course format and take a closer look at them. Let us begin –
1 Integrated (Dual Degree) Special Education programs
These special education programs have been crafted keeping the needs of 12th pass students in mind. Since these are integrated courses, students who have passed 12th standard are eligible to apply for admission.
Integrated programs are also known as Dual Degree programs. These courses consist of two academic programs. Two academic programs are bundled together to form a single course!
BA B.Ed. Special Education and B.Sc. B.Ed. Special Education are two main examples of integrated special education programs. These programs are four years long. Students who have passed 12th standard are eligible to pursue this course.
2 D.Ed. Special Education programs
D.Ed. stands for Diploma in Education. It is a Diploma certificate course. Students who have passed 12th standard are eligible to pursue this course.
Here are some of the notable D.Ed. Special Education programs – D.Ed. Special Education (Visual Impairment), D.Ed. Special Education (Deafblind), D.Ed. Special Education (Hearing Impairment), D.Ed. Special Education (Mental Retardation).
The course is two years long. For more details, check out this guide – D.Ed. Special Education courses in India.
3 B.Ed. Special Education programs
B.Ed. stands for Bachelor of Education. Though it is a Bachelor’s Degree course, technically, it belongs to the PG level.
Students who have completed Bachelor’s Degree are eligible to apply for B.Ed. Special Education admission. The course is two years long.
Here are some of the notable B.Ed. Special Education courses available in India – B.Ed. Special Education (Visual Impairment), B.Ed. Special Education (Deafblind), B.Ed. Special Education (Hearing Impairment), B.Ed. Special Education (Mental Retardation).
4 M.Ed. Special Education programs
M.Ed. stands for Master of Education. It is a Master’s Degree course. Candidates who have completed relevant B.Ed. course are eligible to apply for M.Ed. Special Education course. The academic program is years long.
5 PhD programs
PhD is a Doctoral Degree course. It is a research based program. Candidates who have completed relevant Master’s Degree course are eligible to pursue PhD program.
Colleges
Here are some of the popular colleges offering special education courses in India –
- Rehabilitation Council of India
- Sanskriti University
- NIEPID
- ICFAI University
- RIMT University
- Amity University
- Manav Rachna University
- MIER College of Education
- IGNOU
- IPU
Admission process
Reputed institutes select deserving candidates through selection tests or interviews. Deserving candidates are selected on the basis of their performance in the test or interview. Some colleges are also known to carry out donation based and direct admission process.
You may also check –
Rehabilitation Science courses in India
Audiology and Speech Therapy courses
Fees
Course fees depends upon factors such as – type of training institute, scholarship status of the candidate and course duration. D.Ed. course from a private college could set you back by 10-50K INR per year. B.Ed. from a private college can set you back by around 10-60K INR per year.
Career prospects
Special education teachers are usually hired by – special schools, NGOs, home-based learning programs etc. You may even start your own special school or learning center after completing this course.
I am Vishnu Nambiar a career and educational blogger from India. I am also a full time educational consultant having more than 12 years of experience in the educational sector.
I share articles related to courses, colleges, careers, exam tips and more here.