ICTs empower visually impaired and blind! |
| The IT Industry can employ visually impaired persons in various functional responsibilities involving administration, front office, telephone operators, legal as well as medical transcriptions, e-servicing as well as client servicing If these unfortunate souls are imparted appropriate training, they can even be employed at senior levels. One such training tool developed by a group of visually challenged persons from the US called "JAWS" is a screen reading software i.e. whatever is typed or appears on the screen is read out (in robotic voice and standard accent and pronunciation) to the visually impaired people. Next JAWS helps the blind people to type in not more than 10 to 15 days after using the software and obtaining relevant training. Support in Braille is also available. In India, a visually impaired person Mr. Ram Agarwal is selling JAWS. Mr. Agarwal has been aggressively arranging product demonstrations for those interested. Academically inclined visually challenged students also like doing research by "reading: books, newspapers and magazines since the material is read out for them in robotic voices. The Indian National Association for the Blind (NAB), Bangalore has been using JAWS to offer visually challenged persons an entry-level program to become familiar with computers. MS-Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email and Internet are offered under the aegis of 180-hour program duration. The Textbooks are transcribed in Braille. NAB's basic IT literacy program is affiliated to the National Institute for Information Technology (NIIT) who conduct a certification test; and upon successful qualification in the test indeed imparts NIIT certification. Due to successful piloting of JAWS at the NAB as well as due to attractive placements all those who have passed from NAB; there is a renewed hope amongst the NAB trainees about their future prospects. Six women trained at NAB have recently been provided different jobs in different reputable organizations. Per Indian law-Persons with Disabilities (Equal opportunities, Protection, Rights and Full participation) Act 1965jobs have to be reserved for the disabled people. Consequently the Indian Banks, Postal Department, Railways, Geological Survey of India, Central Excise and Customs have requisitioned NAB and even several private companies have deputed their visually impaired employees to be trained in IT using JAWS. The
visually impaired people in India would remain forever grateful to
NBA's pioneering efforts in imparting IT literacy to their people.
Datamation Foundation 361 Patparganj Industrial Area, Delhi-110 092 (India) www.datamationindia.com Ph# 91-11-2167230 / 2167973 / 2169162 / 2168017 email : csharma@giasd101.vsnl.net.in |
