While S Kavya, a student of Vidya Sagar, a not-for-profit organisation that works with people with disabilities, conceived the idea for action figurines and smoke-emitting chimneys, Shiva Sharan of Sir M Venkatasubba Rao MHSS moulded the towering skyscrapers for their joint project display on air pollution.
Many such endearing scenes of inclusion unfolded at the Inclusive Science Fair organised by Vidya Sagar on January 12, where children with and without disabilities shared with each other the joy of learning science.
Students of 14 mainstream schools joined their peers at Vidya Sagar to demonstrate working models that underlined the core principles of electrical conduction, the adverse effects of global warming, conservation of biodiversity and renewable energy while some displays boiled down the working of volcanoes to the visitors. The creativity of the participants shone through their handmade posters, colourful banners and articulate presentations that spelled out their agenda — spreading the message of inclusion.
While Kashyap, a student with a speech impairment, explained his visually captivating project titled ‘Pretty Patterns’ with a powerpoint presentation on his computer, the students of AMM MHSS and Vidya Sagar livened up the fair with their eloquent presentation on the life cycle of butterflies.
The special educators from Vidya Sagar collaborated with the teachers from other schools to plan the event.
Four schools — Anna Gem Science Park MHSS, AMM Matricluation HSS, Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan SSS and Sir MVenkatasubba Rao MHSS — were part of the joint project.
Speaking to Express, special educator Lakshmi Prabhakaran highlighted the theme of the fair.
“We wanted the children to open their minds and share ideas without inhibitions.
And we guided them through the process.” The fair was held as part of Vidya Sagar’s ‘Inclusion Week’ celebrations which aimed to create awareness about building community support for the inclusion of the disabled. Chief guest Dr Shanthi Battacharya, faculty, Electrical Engineering Department, IIT Madras, presided over the event.