Taking the plunge…
Deep into the last swirl of their course, our ATE trainees are being evaluated for their individual and group sessions. Specific
group curriculum is planned for these sessions, and intensive internship has the batch on its toes.
A short rendezvous with Dinakaran (Kutty, as he is popularly known) and Valarmathi, our trainees from the current batch,
cast a bag of mixed emotions. While both of them swear by the gravity of internship in the entire course, perhaps with more
importance than theory, they do admit that the sessions carry a lot of anxiety.
Says Kutty, “I feel I have widened my horizon in the field of disabilities, and I am proud to have taken on an aggressive
autistic child to work with. It’s a big challenge that I am enjoying thoroughly. I have been recommending the course to
friends for all the valuable learning it imparts”.
Flip side? “The group session’s duration could be increased. There certainly is a lot of pressure especially during group
internship in the supervisor’s presence, as you’re required to be alert to and aware of every child in the group. One needs
to be mentally prepared to adapt to the class’ dynamics on the spot. But all these can only add to your experience and help
you grow.”
How’s the rapport between the trainees? Valarmathi is quick to add, “All of us have been very supportive of one another. After
every review, we are quick to share our class’ experience and the evaluator’s feedback with everyone and this helps the peers
with their preparation. It’s a very cohesive unit and the supervisor’s feedback is truly an eye-opener!”.
On a lighter note, Kutty says he wandered the streets of T. Nagar with his wife, shopping for ‘Flowers’ to be used as internship
material for his group of 4 children. His wife is amused at his school-child-like dedication. Way to go!
Kaleidoscope Learning Center (KLC) News
The sports day for Kaleidoscope Learning Center was held on the 4th February 2006, where every child participated, every
child was the winner and every child was celebrated. There were whole school games, races and individual star performances
by our cyclists, skaters, and “Somersaulters”! The parents’ game was a huge success and the programme ended with the
sound of the drumbeat. The staff stayed back and enjoyed a simple breakfast together.
The classes have been looking depleted in strength as the ATE internship is in full swing and it is a common sight to see
individual sessions going on all over the school. The afternoon music sessions have become a lot more structured with the
use of name tags and the green mat. Children are relating well to taking turns on the green mat.
V-Excel Remedial Center (VRC) News
Effective communication is emerging as the key to working with children with ASD. The focus for us at VRC has evolved into
a journey towards a deeper understanding of the condition in general, and of our children in specific. The teachers are
working hard and smart towards their quest to decipher the different modes in which our children express their needs and
emotions.
Inclusion is a monumental challenge that we are facing with our children. The pressing need is a more sentient involvement
of mainstream schools, and it’s a call for catapulted effort to churn their co-operation. The challenges that our children
have to overcome are in the areas of
Time management
Handwriting
Appropriate expression of answers in writing
Learning in a group
Learning the conventional way
Test/exam taking difficulties
Stress related to exam-preparation
Bridges Learning Academy
The children appearing for the NIOS exams are working very hard on the intensive program designed by their teachers.
John Noel and Naveen have been introduced to vocational training at “Impression Printers”, a printing press in Vadapalani.
The enthused boys are being trained in various activities like graphic design, typing, etc.
An agile and sprightly Dr. Dog session with Dr. Baggeo had the primary children on their toes. They were able to identify
the different parts of the dog and even spell out its feeding habits.
It’s thanksgiving time for BLA and the note of gratitude extends to:
Mr. Varun for doing wonders at training the children to play the keyboard.
Ms. Anuradha, our newly appointed dance teacher who is getting the primary children to groove in rapture!
Mr. Rijesh and Mr. Jiji of YMCA, our sports instructors who come twice a week to train our children to
play team games and exercise with hoops and dumb-bells.
Mr. Sathyamurthy, our prominent art teacher, who is helping the children make their own set of picture flashcards.
Other News
Dr. Kamali Sripall, a cherished well-wisher and friend of V-Excel, has graciously consented to offer General Health
Screening of our children needing medical attention. Her valuable advice on dietary and nutritional remedies is immensely
helpful and we are looking forward to tread further on this holistic approach.
Our SSA (Sarva Siksha Abhiyan) wing sprung into action, and this time on the trays, it was biscuits! Nearly 2,000 packets
of Sunfeast cookies (courtesy, ITC Ltd.) were distributed to the Government Schools in the 9 blocks of Coimbatore Rural District.
In addition, footwear were also distributed to the children.
‘Project Classmate’, a joint effort by ITC and V-Excel Educational Trust, was set sailing with the ‘Furniture Distribution
Function’ on 15th Feb, 2006, presided over by Sri P. A. Naresh, Chief Educational Officer, Coimbatore. Held at Velliangadu
Govt. Higher Secondary School, Karamadai, a total of 206 sets of desks and benches were distributed to 5 schools in Karamadai
block. It’s just the beginning!
Contact Info :: India:
V-Excel Educational Trust
#1 Norton 2nd Street
Mandaveli Chennai 600 028
Tel: 91 - 44 - 24620243
91 - 44 – 24956373 E-mail us or visit us at www.v-excel.org
Contact Info :: USA:
Academic Concepts, Inc.
1403 Merrywood Drive
Edison, NJ 08817
Tel: (732) 572-3748
Tax ID: 22-3632715 E-mail us
Volunteer Info:
Volunteers are an integral part of our success. Our most pressing needs are in the areas of occupational and speech therapies, and
as teacher aides. We also require assistance in library management.
If you have any of these and are interested in volunteering at V-Excel, please contact us.
Squint (Strabismus)
* What is squint? Normally the two eyes move parallel to each other in all the directions of gaze.
Squint is a misalignment of the two eyes so that both eyes are not looking in the same direction. In other words the two
eyes don’t look straight in the primary gaze. It is a common condition among children. It may also occur in adults.
At birth the eyes don’t move together. One eye moves differently from the other till the first few months. After that the baby
starts fixing the eyes on the light which is called light fixation and the eyes start moving together.
* What causes squint?: Six muscles control the movement of each eye. Each of these muscle acts along
with its counterpart in the other eye to keep both eyes aligned properly. A loss of coordination between the muscles of the
two eyes leads to misalignment. This misalignment may be the same in all directions of gaze, or in some conditions the
misalignment may be more in one direction of gaze. In adults, lack of coordination occurs either because the eye muscles
themselves have been damaged, or because the motor nerves, which control the eye muscles, have been damaged, usually as a
consequence of diabetes, brain injury, brain tumour, high blood pressure, or myasthenia gravis.
* How does squint impact the brain?: The brain, used to receiving and combining two very similar
pictures, cannot cope with two very different pictures, so the person sees both. In most children who squint, the brain simply
ignores information from one eye and only information coming from the other is seen; if efforts are not made to correct the squint, the unused eye becomes lazy and effectively useless.
* Can squint be fully cured? Squint eyes in infants can be normal up to the age of 6 months. An
eye surgeon should see any squint persisting beyond that age as soon as possible. Depending on the type of the squint, the
treatments vary. Some squints need surgery, and if the eye surgeon feels a surgery is necessary, it should be done without
delay, otherwise, the brain will start to ignore the images from the squint eye, and the eye will eventually go blind.
Says Kutty, “I feel I have widened my horizon in the field of disabilities, and I am proud to have taken on an aggressive
autistic child to work with. It’s a big challenge that I am enjoying thoroughly. I have been recommending the course to
friends for all the valuable learning it imparts”. 
