Mrs. Radha Nandakumar
Founder Chairperson of Gurukulam Trust & Centre Head
• Special Educator • Community-Based Rehabilitation Professional • Writer • Trainer • Involved in Customizing Curriculum • Guidance and training for Teachers in Mainstream and Special Education
Started as a parent volunteer in 1993, took up formal education and training in the field of special education (B. Ed-Sp. Ed- Locomotor Impairment and Cerebral Palsy), worked in various special schools, helped in the initial setting up of three schools. One of the trustees of CARENIDHI trust, through which involved in CBR (community based rehabilitation) in communities at New Delhi till 2010.
Was one of the core writers in a multimedia kit developed by CEMCA (commonwealth education media centre for Asia) as a guide to help the caregivers at the resource poor communities worldwide.
Contributed on a regular basis, as a resource person to guide the field workers in the CBR and in their news letters until 2011 and continue to be a resource person in training the parents and the teachers One of the writers, to rewrite the course materials, for the course PG Diploma in Disability Management for the medical practitioners in multiple disabilities (Autism, ADHD, Cerebral Palsy, Deaf Blindness and multi sensory impairments), course developed by Indira Gandhi National Open University. Involved in setting up of question papers/ question banks at Indira Gandhi National Open University.
Worked as academic advisor and special education consultant, as a resource person through the organization called KaRe LEARNING CENTER, until 31st OCTOBER 2018, visiting their early intervention centres and four mainstream schools which support inclusion. The type of job involved assessments, recommendations to the schools for admissions, setting short/ long term goals, guiding the strategies and methodologies through a periodical monitoring mechanism, evaluating and reviewing at the end of every three months. It also involved simplifying/ customizing the curriculum to the individual levels, and formulating child based evaluation system. The nature of job also involved providing guidance to the parents and orientation programs to the teachers. Conducted workshops in reading, writing and number difficulties, and talks for parents.
Online consultation to parents from Delhi Contributed on a regular basis to Parenting magazine and Newspapers Worked across almost all the disabilities and age groups ranging 6months to 63 years old.
Created awareness on autism in April 2018 by giving concept and story to a short film, which was produced through the crowd funding of parents who are part of VOICE WhatsApp group.
PERANBUDAN (Tamil film) on YouTube https://youtu.be/wcV9fbU2eVA
Presented four papers in inclusive education
- Admission strategies
- Early intervention
- Curriculum adaptations
- Classroom practices
At the National Conference held at Vadodara, Gujarat in December 2018, presented a paper on inclusive education at the international symposium “Innovations in providing sustainable inclusive development” held at Bharatidasan University in February 2019.
Started an integrated centre , along with three other mothers, by registering under a TRUST name called GURUKULAM. The centre was started in February 2019.