The Arunabh Research Project

Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD) Educational Effects on ASD Children in India 

 

     The purpose of this research is to find, transfer and implement Autistic Spectrum Disorder(ASD) technologies, therapies and trainings from the United States to the Arunabh School in Indore, India. ASD is a neurological disorder that occurs in children throughout the world and has no known cause or origin. Special schools are founded to help alleviate many symptoms of ASD such as limited social attention and low control over emotions. In India, many ASD children do not acquire much needed education as the infrastructure for special education is lower than that of many developed nations. Arunabh is an underprivileged special children's school that focuses on ASD education and has implemented proven therapies, trainings and technologies used in the US from the study.

     To gain insight into the best therapies, technologies and trainings for Arunabh, the researcher consulted therapists, ASD schools and specialist centers. The researcher helped transform Arunabh’s curriculum by adding new therapies -sensory, compression, Applied Behavioral Analysis(ABA), speech, early intervention, family support, communication cues- and technologies -iPads, Switch Control, Optical Character Recognition(OCR) translating devices, and voice-text applications. The researcher helped initiate Arunabh’s vocational training center -naturopathy, waste management, gardening, and assembly. These practices have been implemented specifically to aid the cognitive and social development of the ASD children in Arunabh. This study has greatly benefitted Arunabh students by providing higher special educational standards. These new practices from the research can be implemented in special schools in developing countries around the world to further ASD education.