The Enabling Center, a programme of inclusive education and development for children with special needs, was located at Lady Irwin College, New Delhi. The Center was a project of the Department of Child Development at the college. It began in 1988 as a laboratory for students of Child Development and related fields.The aim was to provide students with an opportunity to study and to understand children with special needs. It intends to equip the students with attitudes and skills required for future professional challenges in Child Development. Financial support has been received from the Department of Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development under its scheme, "Experimental and Innovative Programmes for Education at Elementary Stage, including Non-Formal Education".

PROGRAME ACTIVITIES
It was an inclusive education programme for children between 5 and 15 years of age catering to both disabled and non-disabled children and adolescents, both boys and girls, studying together. The Center provides education, training and counseling to children with special needs. The Center reaches out to children from economically disadvantage families that were unable to access the services of special education.

Rehabilitation

The Center had facilities for pre-vocational training wherein students develop behavioral, manual and cognitive skills necessary to learn vocations. The emphasis was on preparing adolescents for responsible adulthood.

Extension and Outreach

The family support programme was an integral part of the center. Regular contact with family was maintained through home and community visits, workshops, seminars, formal and informal discussions, meetings and recreational outings.

Research and Training

Research and documentation have remained intrinsic to the Center's programme. Continuous documentation of children's activities, their developmental progress and various teaching methods has been the strength of the programme. Sahcharan, the annual parents' magazine, was an essential medium of information exchange between educators, parents and other community members.

Staff

The programme was staffed by educators and other personnel with training and experience in the field of special education. The team consists of:

A speech therapist and occupational therapist also visit to provide regular therapy to the children.