Knowledge of Specific Learning Disabilities among Teacher Educators in Puducherry, Union Territory in India

Though India has attained the literacy rate of 74 percent as per the 2011 Literacy Census Data, it still far behind to provide individual attention in Formal Education as well as NonFormal Education. The effort initiated by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, India strengthens the education quantitatively in the 10 & 11 Five Year Plan through inclusion of the Special Needs Children. In the present, 12 Five Year Plan India concentrates on Inclusive Growth in the education. Specific Learning Disabilities (SpLD) is one among the categories under inclusion in the mainstream and requires attaining inclusive growth. When we talk about inclusion of SpLD, lot of question arises: Are the teachers prepared to handle the SpLD? Does the teachers trained to teach SpLD? Do the teachers have the conception of the SpLD? The present study investigated the Knowledge of the SpLD exists among the Teacher Educators in Puducherry, a Union Territory of India. The study found that the teachers in the inclusive classroom require skill training to impart education to the SpLD. The data shows that the knowledge about the SpLD in an inclusive education set-up is average and recommends the Government of India to implement intensive and rigorous training to fulfill the educational needs of the Special Needs Children.