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Chennai

Bangalore

Patna

Software for the Blind

The term information technology is usually associated with its value in US dollars. Though its applicability in social causes is enormous, not much actually comes to realization, as the sector lacks the ability to set cash counters ringing.

However, there are exceptions… The Multi-lingual editor, developed by R Kalyanakrishnan, an IT professor from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, is one such exception. He believes that technology is worthless if its benefits are not extended to the masses.

The editor was developed by the professor over ten long years, in order to take IT to the visually impaired. There was no grant of interest from any agency. The biggest hurdle on the way to education for the visually impaired in India is the English language. He says that to make the visually impaired literate is one thing.

However, the step after education is more challenging: providing them with employment. And that was the focal point on which the software was to develop: literacy, knowledge and a career, in that manner. With this software, one can use all the official Indian languages. Better still, it can convert from one language to another, making it "a national solution".

Besides, it also reads out each letter that is typed and later the word as well, making it possible for a person with blindness to work without any external help. The editor basically uses the phonetic base of each letter and word and then converts it to other languages with the touch of a key.

For example, if one is to convert the term 'India' to any national language, he needs to key in India and select an option to convert. The editor then analyses the pronunciation and uses corresponding alphabets in any given Indian language. The editor can also convert the text to Braille and make a hard copy of it for circulation.

With the exception of a national award by the Government of India, there is hardly any interest shown by authorities towards usage of the software to its full potential, despite providing the editor and training free of cost.

Krishnaswamy complained that they had presented their case at many forums, including a national workshop of Sarva Shikha Abhiyan. Except for the 500-odd individuals who evinced interest in their personal capacity, nothing has been done from the side of the authorities.

Source: Software for the blind overlooked. Indian Express, Chennai, 20th January 2006.

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Recognizing the achievements of the disabled...

A jury, comprising actor Jaya Bachchan, former Chief Justice of India J S Verma, actor-director Nagesh Kukunoor and social activist Mohini Giri, were in the city to select the winners of the Fourth Cavinkare Ability Awards. The awards were jointly organized by Cavinkare and Ability Foundation to recognise the achievements of persons with disabilities.

Jayashree Raveendran, founder-director of Ability Foundation, a cross-disability NGO striving to integrate and mainstream disabled persons said that there was a need to change the public perception of disability. The NGO engages in a spectrum of activities for people with disabilities ranging from publications, education, employment, culture, recreation, legislation and human rights.

The jury watched video clippings of the life and works of 13 persons short-listed from 250 nominations received from around 22 states in the country. Jaya Bachchan said that she wished she had the courage, and the positive attitude of these people.

She feels completely unable to select a winner. J S Verma wondered after watching each of them, do the things that he was unable to do if they could be called disabled. Bapi Bhattacharya, the fifth member of the jury, is a computer professional based in New York who has developed several softwares for the deaf and the blind persons.

He is deaf and blind and said that these people have contributed to the entire community through their work and these awards are a good way of recognizing their contributions.

While the Cavinkare Ability mastery Awards recognise the efforts of two disabled persons who set a high standard for themselves and went on to achieve it, the Cavin Kare Ability Award of eminence is given to a person who has demonstrated a commitment in service to others by going beyond individual achievements. The winners will be announced at the end of next month.

Source: 'Change perception about disability' Indian express, Chennai, 21st January 2006.

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Media and Disability

R. Rangasayee, Director, National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped, Mumbai, said that every year 21,000 babies are born with hearing impairment in India. Immunizing girls during adolescence and childbearing phases can help prevent 40% of these cases. Another 40% of the children are born with hearing impairment due to genetic problems.

This could be tackled by early identification and intervention, which could help the disabled improve their capabilities. He said that awareness of these aspects was of utmost importance and could be achieved only through mass media.

Source: Media 'can play key role in disability awareness'. The Hindu, Chennai, 18th January 2006.

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Conference to showcase facilities for dyslexic children

The Madras Dyslexia Association (MDA) will organise "Samyukth 2006", a conference of specialists to help learning disabled children. Dyslexia is a language developmental disorder. The MDA is concerned with creating awareness about dyslexia and offering remediation to dyslexic students.

Through this conference, the MDA aims to showcase the different facilities available in Chennai for the learning disabled child. The conference is for mainstream school principals, teachers, parents, special educators, doctors, clinical psychologists, speech and occupational therapists, counselors and research scholars.

Source: Meet of specialists for disabled children. The Hindu, Chennai, 19th January 2006.

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Inclusive Education Programs

For people with disability in India, education once remained a fantasy. Now with technological advancements, certain groups of the physically challenged have worked towards the establishment of integrated/ inclusive education in the last few decades.

R Ramachandran, Executive Director, Action on Disability and Development (ADD-India), a Bangalore-based advocacy agency, is satisfied with the progress of certain disabled groups - such as the visually challenged. However, he accepts schools are not all that forthcoming to admit intellectually challenged pupils.

Ruma Banerjee, Director, Seva in Action, who closely works in the government's inclusive education programme, feels integration works well in rural areas and in government managed schools than in urban up-market segments. She said that besides academic education, home-based education also provides children comprehensive rehabilitation facilities and the means of integrating them with the family's and the community's professional activities.

Ruma thinks that the state government's plans to train three teachers from mainstream schools (in each of the 202 blocks in the state) to handle children with disability studying in mainstream institutions, is a unique one, considering the shortage for special teachers.

In this context, Ramachndran feels that logistics would still be a problem as children have different disabilities, whose needs are not the same. So, despite adequate training, it will be difficult for teachers to handle them.

Gordon Faife, CEO, National Association for the Blind (NAB-Karnataka), feels integrated and inclusive models must co-exist with special schools, to support disabled children from poor families. He said that it should not be forgotten that most special schools are private institutions and therefore charge for the education, which the poor would otherwise get free in regular schools.

Hence, parents must be allowed a choice between the systems, to balance affordability with their child's educational requirements. Some social workers feel integrated and inclusive education must be carried out in phases, as the mainstream system is not ready to fully absorb all types of special childre

Source: Giving them a chance. Deccan Herald, Bangalore, 19th January 2006.

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An initiative for a Social Security Act

The Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Meira Kumar, said that her ministry would implement a national policy for disabled and bring a legislation guaranteeing social security for the elderly in the Parliament soon.

She said that the national policy for disabled had already been formulated and they will take effective steps to implement it at the earliest. In the new policy, additional toilets would be added for disabled in trains.

Separate toilets would also be constructed at train stations, and certain other facilities, including provisions for wheel-chairs, would also be made available for such travelers at all ports - stations, airports and bus terminals. The national policy also proposes to construct separate corridors in all the government buildings to facilitate the disabled to attend their duties or meet the officials without any problem.

She said that her ministry had identified 2.19 crore disabled persons in the country at present and the proposed social security bill for the old would be tabled in the Parliament soon.

Another initiative on the anvil is a Social security bill for older persons, which would make it mandatory for the offspring to take care of their old parents or grand-parents failing which suitable legal action could be taken against them.

She added that the parents who have transferred the ownership of the property to their sons and daughters would have the right to reclaim ownerships. She also released in braille the Right to Information Act on the occasion.

Source: 'Shield for old & disabled soon'. The Hindustan Times, Patna, 16th January 2006.

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