Chennai: Structured assessments for dyslexic students are essential towards securing a valid and objective diagnosis. However, assessments are not the intervention itself; they are the starting point, not the ending, stated Drishti co-founder Dr Smita Desai.
She was speaking at a symposium on ‘Concessions and exemptions for specific learning disabilities (Dyslexia)’ organised by Madras Dyslexia Association here recently.
Commenting on referring such children to other schools, Dr Smita said, “The students can continue in the regular school as cognitive functioning is adequate, but he/she will need to be provided with certain classroom modifications and provisions during evaluations/examinations.”
Echoing similar recommendations, Secunderabad NIMHANS former director and UK University of Northampton visiting professor Dr Jayanthi Narayanan, said, “Persons with specific learning disabilities have always been in the mainstream, many a time unnoticed; if identified, the education has been and will be in the regular schools only. Hence the system needs to be prepared in providing them with the right environment to learn and bring out their optimum potential.”