Society for the Welfare of the Intellectually Disabled, Bangladesh (SWID Bangladesh) is a government recognized National Philanthropic organization established in 1977 with the initiative of a group of parents and philanthropist of the society. SWID Bangladesh is promoting 541 special and 10 inclusive schools in 61 districts under 8 divisions, Upazila and rural areas. It is a pioneer organization in the field of Neuro-Developmental Disabilities (Children with Intellectual Disabilities, Autism, Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy) working with special education and vocational training to develop their skills in self-help, cognitive, social & communication, games & sports, cultural, painting and scout activities for rehabilitation and protection of equal rights and social dignity also to bring them into the mainstream of the society for their welfare .It is organizing clinical services in assessment & detection of disabilities, counseling, speech therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy, teachers & parents training, SWID Laboratory Model School and SWID Special Education Teachers Training College (B.S.Ed. Course) under National University. SWID conducts ‘Basic Training Course’ on Special Education & Special School Management for the Teachers/Parents/Volunteers. It is organizes Annual Divisional & National Sports and Cultural Competition for the students. The Govt. of Bangladesh is funding for 565 teachers-staff salary of 50 schools which has been approved by our Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The rest of 297 schools in consideration of the Ministry of Social Welfare. There are 600 trained Teacher-staff are working for the 45,000 students throughout the country.

In brief Home Activities

Society for the Welfare of the Intellectually Disabled, Bangladesh (SWID Bangladesh) runs following programs:

(a) National Institute for the Intellectually Disabled and Autistic (NIIDA):

(a) Special Education Teachers Training College: This division caters various programs for the improvement of human resource development. Teachers and other staff of SWID, other NGOs, and parents are trained; (b) SWID Laboratory Model School: A Laboratory Model School for the intellectually disabled autism, Down syndrome and Cerebral Palsy is running now with an Inclusive school will start functioning very soon to facilitate practice teaching and research program within the operation and activities of SWID Laboratory Model School;  (c) Research and Publication: Different information and disability related educational materials are published and research conducted on the different issues of intellectual disability; (d) Clinical services: Psychological, speech and physical assessment, speech therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and medical treatments of the intellectually disabled, and guidance and counseling to the parents; (e) Sports and cultural programs: Intellectually disabled children are trained on sports and cultural activities and competitions are organized within the country and participation in international events; (f) Awareness programs: Workshop/seminar and other programs are organized on intellectual disability; (g) Academic program: monitoring educational programs at school level, development of educational materials and curriculum, training of the teachers, parents and others.

(b) Special Education Programs:

One of the main objectives of SWID Bangladesh is to create facilities for education of the intellectually disabled children. Intellectually disabled children need special education and no mainstream organization of the country is capable of providing such education to them, so SWID Bangladesh itself has organized Schools for the Intellectually Disabled for catering special education to the intellectually disabled children.

Key features of the special education program:

              I.      Special curriculum - The special education system follows special curriculum, different from existing mainstream curriculum, to fulfill the unique needs of the intellectually disabled children of different level of severity. Considering low level of behavioral competency and significant sub-average mental age comparing to his/her chronological age of the intellectually disabled children, SWID has developed such a curriculum to follow in the Schools for the Intellectually Disabled under SWID Bangladesh.

           II.      Special qualification of the teachers- Teachers with higher educational qualification preferably graduation is engaged and trained on teaching of intellectually disabled children.

        III.      Teacher-student ratio- Children with intellectual disabilities need individualized attention for effective teaching. To ensure effective teaching SWID maintains 1:7 teacher-student ratio in the classes of Schools for the Intellectually Disabled for the intellectually disabled children.

        IV.      Supportive services- Special education of the intellectually disabled children needs extra professional supports which include assessment of intellectual disability condition, speech therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy for the intellectually disabled children, and counseling of the parents. To meet these needs Psychologists, Speech Therapists, Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapists are engaged with the special education program of SWID Bangladesh. Sports teacher and music teachers are also engaged with the special education program to develop intellectually disabled person.

          V.      Special physical environment- Considering the need for close contact and supervision and space to play, the physical environment including furniture is designed for the classes of intellectually disabled children.

        VI.      Parent involvement- Like all other children, the intellectually disabled children spend most of their time with their parents, and many behaviors/skills need to be taught at home. Therefore, parents require to be trained to train their children at home. And also to comply with the principle of involving parents in the decision making regarding their intellectually disabled wards.

     VII.      Class division- Considering the nature of special education and characteristics of the intellectually disabled children (low level of behavioral competency and significant sub-average mental age comparing to his/her chronological age) classes of School for the Intellectually Disabled of SWID Bangladesh are divided into following categories:

Other activities under the special education programs are:

q  Advocacy to establish social and educational rights of the intellectually disabled;

q  To develop model for special education;

q  Development of curriculum and teaching materials for the education of the intellectually disabled.

q  Advocacy and assisting the government for inclusion of persons with disabilities in regular mainstream education and create necessary and appropriate arrangement for persons with disabilities in mainstream educational curriculum by the government.