In India and across much of the world, students with disabilities are still largely viewed through a lens of limitation. In fact, they have been placed in the margins of our education system. This is not due to a lack of care but because of a limited understanding of what inclusion truly means.
At Bethany, we believe every child has the right not just to learn, but to thrive. It’s time we stop thinking of disability in education as a problem to accommodate and start treating it as a difference to empower. Because when we shift our focus from a support-only mindset to one of active inclusion, equity, and empowerment, we begin to unlock potential, not only in children with disabilities but in the entire learning ecosystem.
The Reality Check: Disability and Schooling in India
Back in 2011, the Census of India reported that nearly 65.8 million children of school-going age (5–19 years) live with one or more disabilities in the country. Fast forward to 2021–22, and data from UDISE+ shows that just over 3 million of these children were actually enrolled in school (Classes I–XII). That’s barely 1% of the total enrolment.
And it gets more worrying.
According to a 2019 UNESCO report, only 61 percent of children with disabilities have ever attended a formal school despite policy mandates. Even among those who do, just 9% complete secondary school.
In other words, most children with disabilities tend to drop out by the time they reach primary or secondary school. And even if they remain enrolled, many fail to achieve basic literacy and numeracy.
This failure isn’t for lack of support. It’s not like the system hasn’t tried. In fact, over the years, India has introduced some major reforms, like the Right to Education Act 2009 and the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), that have made it clear that no child should be denied admission because of disability.
The more recent National Education Policy (NEP 2020) even echoes the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016) by declaring inclusive education as a system “where students with and without disabilities learn together”. It talks about building barrier-free infrastructure, providing assistive devices, and setting up resource centres to support all types of learners.
Sounds promising, right?
But here’s the catch: implementation is still far behind.
For example, less than 40% of school buildings in India have ramps, and only 17% have accessible toilets (Inclusive Education Initiative). And it’s not just about physical access. In one survey, only 59% of schools had a steady electricity supply, let alone trained special educators, accessible learning materials, or classrooms equipped to meet diverse needs.
In fact, according to a 2019 UNESCO report, only 0.22% of Indian teachers are trained as special educators. That means with so few specialists available, children with disabilities typically receive little to no specialised instruction, and often fall through the cracks, despite legal guarantees of inclusive education.
In short, these figures or factors are not just numbers: they represent young lives stifled by barriers that keep them from fulfilling their potential. And these barriers have made it “hard for the right to inclusive education to be translated into reality”.
From Support to Empowerment: A New Way Forward
Given all the challenges we’ve just looked at, it might seem like the best we can do is simply support children with disabilities, give them a few special classes, maybe some extra help. But that’s only half the journey.
True empowerment goes further.
It’s not just about helping children with disabilities. It’s about enabling them to take charge of their learning, their goals, and their future. It’s about shifting how we see disability: Not as a problem to fix, but as a natural part of human diversity.
That shift starts with changing mindsets.
A UNICEF study found that many teachers in India still view disability through a medical lens, focusing on what a child “can’t” do, and quietly lowering expectations for them. At Bethany, we reject that view completely. We believe every child has unique strengths, passions, and ways of learning. And when you build on those, amazing things happen.
What True Empowerment Looks Like
At Bethany, true empowerment in our classrooms means giving students real agency, voice, and ownership in their learning journey. Here’s how we’re trying to do that:
1. Universal Design & Accessibility
A school should never be an obstacle course. That’s why we work to make every part of the campus barrier-free, with ramps, lifts, accessible washrooms, and flexible classroom setups. But it doesn’t stop at infrastructure. We also ensure that learning materials are available in accessible formats.
2. Assistive Technology & Tools
Technology is a powerful enabler. Whether it’s audiobooks, speech-to-text apps, sign-language videos, communication devices, or even simple tools like pencil grips and line guides, the right tech can dramatically boost a child’s autonomy. At Bethany, we actively equip classrooms with inclusive tools and train teachers and students to use them effectively.
3. Individualised Education Plans (IEPs)
One-size-fits-all doesn’t work in real life, and it certainly doesn’t work in education. For students with disabilities, we design Individualised Education Plans (IEPs) that play to their strengths and interests. These plans are created in collaboration with families, special educators, and most importantly, the students. An IEP might include goals for communication, social skills, life skills, or academic milestones.
4. Teacher Training in Inclusive Pedagogy
At Bethany, inclusive teaching is a core part of professional development. Our teachers learn to differentiate lessons, use multi-sensory techniques, and manage mixed-ability classrooms. These are practices fully in line with NEP 2020.
5. Peer Support & Inclusive School Culture
We encourage buddy systems and cooperative learning so that classmates support each other. In sports, clubs, or group activities, all students are encouraged to participate together, often with adapted rules or equipment so everyone can join in. Over time, this normalises differences and chips away at stigma.
In short, we believe true empowerment isn’t about special treatment. It’s about designing schools that work for everyone, where inclusion is baked into the system, not added as an afterthought. In education terms, this approach is known as Universal Design for Learning, and it’s the foundation of true inclusion.
At Bethany, this belief runs deep. Our ethos, shared with our sister schools, is focused on the individual and holistic development of every student. That’s why we align everything — our teaching, our policies, even our infrastructure — with the single goal of building a school that’s not just accessible, but truly empowering for every child.
This commitment comes alive through dedicated initiatives like our Learning Lab, which provides personalised academic support and intervention for students who learn differently, and the LEAP program, designed to help children with special needs reach their fullest potential through structured, inclusive learning experiences. Together, these initiatives demonstrate that at Bethany, inclusion is more than a vision. It’s an ongoing commitment reflected in how we teach, support, and nurture every learner.
Looking Ahead: A Shared Mission to Empower
Building truly inclusive schools isn’t the work of a single person or institution. It takes all of us: educators, parents, policymakers, and students. There are no shortcuts, but there is hope.
We invite every school, teacher, and policymaker reading this to rethink what you define as inclusion. Ask yourself: Are you supporting our students or empowering them?
Because when we stop merely supporting and start empowering, we don’t just change the lives of students with disabilities. We create places where every child can live up to their fullest promise.
And isn’t that what education is meant to do?