About 70 officers from various government departments who participated in a day-long orientation programme on Friday learnt first-hand that with technology, persons with visual impairment could work as efficiently as sighted persons.
The programme on providing equal opportunities for persons with disabilities was organised by the regional centre of the National Institute for the Visually Handicapped (NIVH) in collaboration with the Department of Welfare of Differently Abled Persons.
“While physically handicapped persons need a barrier-free environment, visually challenged persons require assistive technology to work efficiently. Today's programme was aimed at sensitising and orienting the government officers on recruiting persons with disability in group C (clerical) and D (messenger) category,” said NIVH Director I. Arivanandham.
The senior-level officers from various departments and directorates of the State government were briefed about the various government orders on reservation and employing persons with disability, identification of posts and maintenance of roster.
Two visually challenged persons, employed in NIVH demonstrated with technological devices that they were as capable as sighted persons.
M. Gopalakrishnan, a training officer with NIVH, explained that assistive technological devices were available in developed countries. “Indian companies could develop assistive software locally as the devices now being imported are expensive and unaffordable for most of the visually impaired persons. Persons like us need Braille, a white cane, computer with screen-reading software, mobile phone and scanner to read text.” He demonstrated how he used the computer to browse the newspaper. Secretary of the Department of Welfare of Differently Abled Persons S.S. Jawahar, and Commissioner for Differently Abled C.T. Manimekalai participated in the event.
