Education

DEEDS provides free education to empower the deaf in India taking them one step closer to living independently. Following are the educational projects undertaken by DEEDS towards our mission.

Bajaj Institute of Learning (BIL)

School & Hostel for deaf children

Bajaj Institute of Learning is a co-educational institution in Dehradun. It was set up in Oct 1999 to impart education and vocational training, totally free of cost, to deaf children pan India, through the medium of Indian Sign Language.

BIL follows the CBSE (NCERT) board from class 1 to 8 and the NIOS system for classes 9 to 12.
Students are taught by a team of well qualified special educators. Some of our teachers, being deaf and ex-students themselves, are able to encourage and connect well with students.
Our classrooms follow the bilingual method which constitutes using English as well as ISL to teach the deaf.
Our students have free access to an audio diagnostic center with trained audiologists for hearing assessment and therapies required.
We have qualified psychologists who frequently carry out assessments of students and provide counseling when needed.
Various vocational courses are also conducted at BIL like tailoring, baking and computer training.
Career guidance and employment support is also provided to all our ex-students.
BIL also has a fully equipped hostel for boys providing three meals, tea and snacks. We are planning to build a hostel for girls soon!
Students at BIL can take part in indoor recreational activities as well as outdoor games and sports at its state of the art sports complex.
Like any school, our students are encouraged to take part in various co curricular and extracurricular activities for their holistic development.

DEEDS College Preparatory Programme

Only 5% of deaf in India receive basic education of which very few receive higher education. We believe the right to education is the prerogative of all citizens and thus DEEDS set up a Higher Education programme to give the deaf the opportunity for further studies. As a normal graduate program is not designed for the special needs of the deaf, DEEDS overcame this stumbling block by setting up a DEEDS Junior & Degree College in Commerce.

Currently we have 200 students enrolled in the college. The students are taught subjects in Commerce through ISL by our specially trained faculty. This program enables the deaf to qualify for HSC Board Examination and subsequently to become Commerce Graduates in a secure environment. Our students are enthusiastic about learning and have shown tremendous results & success!

Basic English Literacy Course (BELC)

The Basic English Literacy Course started in 2006 for special schools for Deaf. It offers free coaching in English Language to the Deaf students. Improving the English literacy skills of deaf people is the stepping stone to help them to pursue further education and work opportunities. The programme teaches the English language, spoken and written, across 15 schools in Mumbai and two centers for adults, through the medium of the Indian sign language. Over 2,500 students have benefitted so far!