The main campus of ACT was inaugurated on 5th August 2005 by the then President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. This facility is the nodal point of the activities of the Trust. The premises house the Main School building and an administrative block. This is also the hub of our unique Home–Based Rehabilitation Programme.
Functional 5 days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the school provides the children with an ecosystem that is both nurturing and therapeutic in a regular school atmosphere. In the 5 hours that the kids spend here they are given all the support required to mitigate their challenges. The school functions under 9 units, each dealing with a specific aspect of rehabilitation.
This unit caters to the needs of children between the ages of 6 months to 6 years with delay in Developmental milestones. Here suitable goal-oriented training is imparted. In the matter of rehabilitation, “The earlier the intervention, the better.” Currently there are 12 little ones being cared for in this Early Intervention Unit.
This department is devoted to Developmental Physiotherapy. In addition, toilet training, functional academics, exercises to improve respiratory, tactile, speech and visual ability, etc. are also undertaken.
Here our trained staff helps these children to regain developmental milestones, improve muscle tone balance and posture, prevent deformity, and improve communication, adaptive behavior, and functional academics. Currently there are 7 children in this unit.
Adarsh is the only NIOS accredited Special School in Kochi for conducting NIOS exams. After qualifying in the Secondary Level Examination, many of them go for vocational trade training which can fetch them gainful employment opportunities in the future. Today Adarsh has on its rolls more than 50 students attending classes under NIOS. Since the beginning of the programme, close to 95 students have been mainstreamed into regular schools from Adarsh- a matter of immense joy and pride for us!
A multi-disciplinary team consisting of the student’s parents, educational specialists, medical specialists, occupational therapists, speech/language therapists work together to plan and coordinate necessary services. At present in the main centre, over 30 individuals with multiple disability are undergoing habilitations in 4 classes.
This unit caters to the needs of Autistic children under the supervision of a group of Psychologists, Special Educators, and speech therapists trained in autism rehabilitation. The objectives of this wing are to: improve communication, social and cognitive skills. Their curriculum is customized to meet the unique requirements of each child with regard to hyperactivity, attention span, academic training and ADL (Activities of Daily Living).
There is also the larger goal to provide customized behavior management programs, to explore and develop the strengths in each child as also to sensitize parents on Autism. At present over 45 pure Autistic children in 6 classes are undergoing rehabilitation in the Autism wing.
A large team of nearly 55 highly motivated, well qualified and committed staff consisting of special educators, psychologists, behavioral therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists, development therapists, occupational therapists and assistant teachers are the backbone of the Adarsh Special School. Their dedication, ingenuity and innovative programmes are what make us truly unique. Each of these technical teams work in tandem to formulate customized rehabilitation programmes for each child, besides carrying out group therapies for common needs.
As in any other regular school, co-curricular activities are given a great deal of importance at Adarsh, too. A wide range of activities are made available to the children to help them discover and develop their abilities. These include –
Computer classes - At Adarsh, the computer lab is supported by Tata Consultancy Services, who have provided specialized modifications that make the computers valuable tools of communication for our children. Building upon their early skill development here, several have gone on to take up data entry jobs as adults.
Dance - A trained classical dancer works with our children to enhance movement by making it a joyful and energizing process. The children have made their mark at cultural competitions and fests, much to the pride and delight of the entire Adarsh family.
Music - A music teacher uses melodies to bring calm, peace and serenity into the minds of the children struggling with various challenges. Our music room has helped several children to discover their musical talent, winning accolades across various forums.
Art - Under the able guidance of one of our former students and present Art teacher, several children have discovered the therapeutic value to drawing and painting. Not only does this colourful medium help them to express themselves, but also plays a role in developing fine-motor skills.
PE - Games and sports are an integral part of the curriculum at Adarsh. Both indoor games like chess and carrom to outdoor sports like athletics are available to the children here under the guidance of a trained Physical Education master.in the playing field, too, our children have made a mark at several competitions.
Multisensory Play Area: A multisensory play area for children with Autism supported by UST Global.
Digital Therapeutic Innovation: An advanced Digital Therapeutic Innovation Centre supported by M/s.Punarjeeva Technology provides IT-integrated rehabilitation for children.
Immersive Rehabilitation Platform: A digital therapy platform supported by M/s. Johnsons Controls was set up to assist children with Vestibular, Proprioceptive, and Neuro-Motor Sensory impairments.
Transportation: The Adarsh Rehabilitation Centre (ARC) is the transportation hub of the Trust, providing 4 vans and 7 hired mini-buses to pick up and drop our children at their doorsteps. This facility is available for the individuals at ACE also.
Adarsh Charitable Trust, X/584 B, Puthiya Road, Opposite Agasthya Ashram, Kureekkad-682 305
Ernakulam, Kerala, India.
