Balavidyalaya Trust - The School for Young Deaf Children

Established in 1969, Balavidyalaya, the school for young deaf children, is a free, non-residential, oral early intervention center located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Admission is open throughout the year for deaf children below the age of 3 years regardless of race, religion and gender. There is no lower age for admission.

The children are fitted with and wear amplification devices such as hearing aids or cochlear implants throughout their waking hours.

To begin with, the teacher-student ratio is 1:1 and soon the children are grouped, and the ratio is maintained as 1:4.
The school follows its own formulated methodology, DHVANI - Development of Hearing Voice and Natural Integration, that helps the children to comprehend speech and use speech as the mode of communication. The 3-year-old children are gradually

helped to develop reading, writing and numeracy skills. When they become 6 years old, they are ready to leave Balavidyalaya and join the 1st standard of any regular school of the parents' choice.

The school is recognised by the Government of Tamil Nadu, is registered under the PWD Act 1995 and functions under the Department of Welfare of the Differently Abled. The school is under the aegis of the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India.

All services in the school are offered completely free.

The school believes in the philosophy that it is the birthright of every child to speak.

All children, including those with severe or profound hearing loss, acquire language and speech skills. The barrier imposed by the hearing loss is overcome through appropriate intervention, which is the aim of the school.

The school offers two mediums of instruction - English and Tamil. Spoken English fluency classes are conducted in the school for the caregivers when required.