The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Audio textbooks for visually challenged persons launched

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Sunday, Dec 07, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Audio textbooks for visually challenged persons launched

Staff Reporter

“They require right opportunity to serve society”

Photo: K.Pichumani

New aid: Principal Secretary, Social Welfare, N.S.Palaniappan (right), presenting the audio version of textbooks for the visually handicapped to a student in Chennai on Saturday. (From left) Nethrodaya founder C.Govindakrishnan, Force 1 Guarding Services Managing Director Shibu Issac and Velammal Group of Institutions chairman M.V.Muthuramalingam are in the picture. —

CHENNAI: Holding an audio version of his Standard XII textbooks firm with both hands, 18-year-old visually challenged P. Balaji of St. Joseph’s School, Cuddalore, listened with rapt attention to a verse from Thirukkural on the audio textbook.

“The audio version will help me study without the help of others,” said the teenager, who wants to become a Tamil scholar.

He was one of the visually impaired students who received the audio CD of the school textbooks from the Principal Secretary to the Department of Social Welfare N.S. Palaniappan at the career guidance meet in Chennai on Saturday.

“Thousands of visually challenged students in the State will be able to study better with this initiative of providing them with the audio version of the textbooks by non-governmental organisation Nethrodaya,” said Mr. Palaniappan.

“The government has been spending Rs.1,700 crore every year for the welfare of persons with disabilities in the State,” said Mr. Palaniappan. There are around 2.5 lakh visually challenged people in the State.

“The effective implementation of the three per cent reservation for persons with disabilities is still a challenge,” said A.Chidambaram, Vocation Guidance Officer, District Rehabilitation Centre, Tirunelveli.

Many persons with disabilities had joined the Education Department as teachers because of reservation provisions, said Mr. Chidambaram. But the implementation of reservation for the people with disability has been poor in the recruitment for higher services such as Group-I services, he added.

“The visually challenged require the right opportunity to serve society. Their potential can be tapped to create a better society,” said C. Govindakrishnan, founder of Nethrodaya.

Chairman of Velammal Group of Institutions M.V. Muthuramalingam, Managing Director of Force 1 Guarding Services Pvt Ltd. Shibu Issac and patron of Nethrodaya R.S.Vasan participated.

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