TEACH addresses the educational challenges faced by deaf and hard of hearing students by providing essential support. With a focus on both academic and personal development, TeachEdu founded by Aman Sharma and team empowers deaf students, equipping them with the skills needed to succeed in both education and life.
Through their efforts, students previously limited by their disability are now achieving remarkable milestones, including pursuing higher education at renowned universities. TeachEdu's mission is to establish an inclusive educational system where every individual can thrive, advocating for collaboration to ensure everyone reaches their full potential.
99% of universities and colleges are not accessible in our country, for the deaf and hard of hearing.
When I talk about accessibility it is, there are no teachers who are trained in sign language, trained to teach in a bilingual way.
The curriculum, the system of teaching or the classroom that assistiveness has to be happen, it is totally absent. And on the other hand when it comes to the students, because this is not ready, the higher education system, 99% of students are dropping out, after 10th standard.
And, as you know these special schools, pan India across, the focus on language has never been.
We, we speak about, there's a language deficiency among our students.
Yes, the disability limits them to attain a language skill, but it is also about how we teach, the intervention or options that we give, either be it a Sign Language user or a Cochlear implant, to the whole absence of that area among the deaf and hard-hearing students.
So, this is has been option and where TEACH has been working with.
TEACH has been working with 250 students in Mumbai and 30 students in Delhi, in total 280 students.
What we have been doing, is one area, is working on their holistic model.
After 10th today, they come here and study till graduation.
But we know, only education will not solve the purpose and that is why, there is a, we believe in holistic development.
So, at one end they are doing education that is the graduation.
Other end they are doing the skilling, which they personally like to aspire to, which is just directly attached to their aspirations and third is their whole “building their personality”.
On the other hand, we have to work with some corporates because inclusion is, something is important.
I personally believe it is a mindset. Inclusion is a mindset. It is not a policy.
It is not a rule.
So, we work with 15+ corporates just to build that mindset in these organizations and that's why our internship and placements happen.
So, this is what we have been doing from last 8 years, in Mumbai and Delhi now.
I have to share, students today not only work in India, just go abroad in countries like Dubai and are settled there and students who aspire to do further studies, are actually going to Gallaudet (University) to study further.
So that is the massive change that we have been able to bring in, from last 8 years.
The vision that we have, is to build an equitable ecosystem and for that, we will need partnerships, collaborations, by individuals and organizations and if we are able to build that, the worry that parents have for deaf and hard-of-hearing students “what would happen to my child?, “where he/she will go? will be eliminated.
The aspirations that each child carry today and with a doubt, whether I will be able to make it or not. I am sure through us, he or she will be able to make it.
So, this is the magic that we all can do.
