Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) Disability and Community Based Rehabilitation Syllabus - Mumbai University 2026

About this course

Social work is a human service, since its beginning, as a profession it worked in the fields of health, mental health also dealing with the issues of disability. Though the values and objectives of social work remain constant across the settings, cultures, communities, the issues of disability offer its own unique realities and complexities. The magnitude of the problem of disability is vast, and its impact is huge on the individual, family and the community. India still has a long way to go to achieve the objective of inclusive society. Therefore, it is necessary to include community-based rehabilitation for social workers so that they develop the knowledge and skills required to work in partnership with people with disabilities, families, community and other stakeholders such as government on disability related issues in our country

Course objectives

• Understand concept of disability, types of disabilities, causes and prevention of disability.
• To learn to analyse the impact of disability, disability legislations and government schemes.
• To define the concept of community-based rehabilitation and its application in the field of disability.

Learning outcomes

• CO 181 Comprehend the concept of disability, its types, causes and prevention.
• CO 182 Analyse challenges faced by persons with disability and their families
• CO 183 Discuss key disability legislations and government schemes.
• CO 184 Apply the concept and strategy of community-based rehabilitation to prepare intervention plan in the field of disability.

Unit I: Introduction to Disability and Community Based Rehabilitation

• Disability Perspectives (Medical, Social, ICF, Rights-Based) and Definition, Types of Disabilities
• Concept of Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) & its role in early identification & intervention of disability

Essential readings

• Addlakha, R. (2013). Disability Studies in India: Global Discourses, Local Realities. Routledge
• Bacquer, A., & Sharma, A. (2014). Disability: Challenges vs Responses, New Delhi: CAN Publications.
• Davar, B. (2015) Gendering Mental Health: Knowledges, Identities and Institutions. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Chavan BS., Ahmad, W., Gupta, R. K. (Ed.) (2022) Comprehensive Textbook on Disability New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers
• Ghai, A. (ed.) (2018) Disability in South Asia: Knowledge & Experience. New Delhi: SAGE
• Karna, G. N. (2001) Disability Studies in India: Retrospects and Prospects. New Delhi: Gyan Publishing House
• Ramaswamy, B. (2013) Introduction to Disability: Basic Concepts and Issues. New Delhi: Kanishka Publishers.

Unit II: Policy & Institutional Framework of CBR

• Disability Legislations in India (including The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017)
• Policy Framework Creating Enabling Environments (Disability Schemes, Mobilization of Local Resources, Disability Sensitization at Community Level)
• Inclusive Development with CBR (CBR Approaches / Strategies & Stakeholders)
• Challenges & Opportunities for CBR in India.

Essential readings

• Chavan BS., Ahmad, W., Gupta, R. K. (Ed.) (2022) Comprehensive Textbook on Disability New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers
• Dhawan, S. (2011). Handbook of Disability and Rehabilitation. New Delhi: Arise Publishers and Distributors.
• Government Legislations on Disability Schemes and Programmes for Persons with Disability
• Nagar, S. B. (2017) Essentials of Community-based Rehabilitation. New Delhi: The Health Sciences Publisher.
• World Health Organization (2010). Community Based Rehabilitation: CBR Guidelines Geneva: WHO. https://www.who.int/publications/ i/item/9789241548052
• Kacker, S., Rao I. and Kapoor, R. (2020) Community Based Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities & Their Inclusion: A Handbook for Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies in India. Kindle Edition