The University of Mysore has proposed to set up a national institution, a nodal centre in the country, exclusively for the visually imapired to enhance their skills and increase their employability in the market-driven corporate world.
The university said it is committed to provide inclusive education and training to students with special needs.
One of the major goals of this project is to generate employment and make the visually impaired self-reliant. The university claimed that this will be a first-of-its-kind institution of education for the visually impaired among the universities in the State.
The proposal, submitted by the university through the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Board (PMEB), is before the Karnataka State Higher Education Council. “We are awaiting a reply from the government on our proposal,” said Lingaraj Gandhi, director, PMEB.
According to the university, the digital divide has relegated visually impaired students to the background. Interestingly, the technology is disabled-friendly as new software and learning tools are developed for the benefit of such students.
“There is a need to create opportunities in universities to establish computer centres for the visually impaired to provide education and training in ICT along with various soft skills. Universities have the responsibility of facilitating education and training to disadvantaged students in higher education,” said the university’s concept note.
Preparing students who are employable and self-reliant in the competitive job market is the main objective, according to the note.
Aimed at offering specially designed professional courses and developing skills and knowledge in assistive technology and ICT, the centre proposes to develop a collection of learning resources such as Braille software, talking studio, Braille books and periodicals.
Also aimed at designing and developing instructional material for the visually impaired and creating a database of question banks of competitive examinations in Braille form, the centre plans to provide training to teachers/special educators and prepare a database of visually impaired people in all districts across Karnataka.
Besides evolving strategies for teachers in special school settings to assist in enhancing the quality of education for the visually impaired and to educate parents, social workers and preschool teachers, the centre will encourage adoption of ICT education for the visually impaired in regular university curricula.
