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Computer Training for the Visually Impaired
Nov 2006 : Meet Manjula, One of the Vision-Aid students. Click on the link
below to watch Manjula demonstrate her newly learned skills . In this video,
(approx. 10 minutes duration) Manjula demonstrates how she can create a
document, save it, and then later go back and retrieve and edit the document
using a speech enabled assistive technology software called Window-Eyes.
Manjula also talks about what she has gained from her learning at the
Vision-Aid Center.
Click here to download video
below to watch Manjula demonstrate her newly learned skills . In this video,
(approx. 10 minutes duration) Manjula demonstrates how she can create a
document, save it, and then later go back and retrieve and edit the document
using a speech enabled assistive technology software called Window-Eyes.
Manjula also talks about what she has gained from her learning at the
Vision-Aid Center.
Click here to download video
Sep 2006: In Sep 2006. the first batch of students graduate from
Vision-Aid computer program. Four students accepted with pride and
happiness the certificates of completion of for the Introduction to IT
program. The students, all of them having no prior exposure to
computers were proud to talk about and display their newly learned
skills. Watch Manjula, one of the new Vision-Aid graduates demonstrate
her newly learned abilities.
Vision-Aid computer program. Four students accepted with pride and
happiness the certificates of completion of for the Introduction to IT
program. The students, all of them having no prior exposure to
computers were proud to talk about and display their newly learned
skills. Watch Manjula, one of the new Vision-Aid graduates demonstrate
her newly learned abilities.
June 2006 : This picture shows (From L to R) three of our diligent computer
students hard at work - Manjula (housewife with complete vision loss), Sridevi (an
aspiring job seeker with over 90% vision loss) and Baby (a summer trainee with
90% vision loss). They use Window Eyes and Zoom Text - special Assistive
Technology Software that can help the visually impaired on Computer
applications. At the rear is Ms. B.T.Revathy, the VisionAid computer faculty. This
batch has now completed 30 classes and plans to be here for another 15
classes. They work according to individually designed session plan that
progresses from basics (powering on and off a PC) to the more advanced (use of
Word Processing and other applications). Currently the VisionAid Vizag center
serves a total of five students with plans to increase to larger numbers in coming
months. At the conclusion of the 45-class session each student is presented with
a VisionAid Computer Training Certificate. Advanced Courses for students with
aptitude are also a part of VisionAid Vizag’s future plans.
students hard at work - Manjula (housewife with complete vision loss), Sridevi (an
aspiring job seeker with over 90% vision loss) and Baby (a summer trainee with
90% vision loss). They use Window Eyes and Zoom Text - special Assistive
Technology Software that can help the visually impaired on Computer
applications. At the rear is Ms. B.T.Revathy, the VisionAid computer faculty. This
batch has now completed 30 classes and plans to be here for another 15
classes. They work according to individually designed session plan that
progresses from basics (powering on and off a PC) to the more advanced (use of
Word Processing and other applications). Currently the VisionAid Vizag center
serves a total of five students with plans to increase to larger numbers in coming
months. At the conclusion of the 45-class session each student is presented with
a VisionAid Computer Training Certificate. Advanced Courses for students with
aptitude are also a part of VisionAid Vizag’s future plans.
Press Release : Jan 22, 2006.
(Click here for MS Word document Version of this Press Release)
Opening the Doors of Information Technology to the Visually Impaired
Lexington Based non-profit, Vision-Aid, celebrated the New Year and the festive occasion of "Shankranti" (the harvest
festival popularly celebrated in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India), with a milestone event in its young history - The
inauguration of the first phase of its Computer Center for the visually impaired in Visakhapatnam (Vizag) India.
On the bright and cheerful inaugural day in Visakhapatnam, India, twelve enthusiastic students arrived at the Vision Aid
center for the orientation. The Vision Aid Computer Training Specialist, Ms. B.T.Revathi who also works as a lecturer for
IT at Ms. AVN College, Visakhapatnam, introduced the program. Each of the 12 potential participants (10 Blind and 2
with significant vision impairment) spoke for a few minutes about their own background and expectations. The students
came from diverse backgrounds and age groups - some of the participants were school going children in the middle
and high school age group and others were adults in their mid 20's and 30's. It was a truly inspiring event for all the
Vision Aid staff members and supporters.
Prof Srinivas Devadas, Assoc. Head of Computer Sciences at MIT, who serves as a volunteer Director of Vision-Aid
(USA) and his wife Sulochana, inaugurated the center on Jan 12, 2006. Dr. Devadas spoke to the gathering of 12
aspirants and explained how Computers and IT can help change their lives
Center President Mr.M.S.Raju and IT Instructor Ms. B.T.Revathi presented a brief outline of the course, which would
start in February, while the assembled students listened with rapt attention. The newly created center will offer a
10-week intensive program titled "Introduction to Information Technology" for people who are Blind and Visually
Impaired. The program will use Assistive Technology - software called Window-Eyes for Blind Students and ZoomText
for Low Vision Students to enable them to use computers.
After completing the course, students will be not only familiar with basic computer and keyboard usage but will also be
able to use PC packages like Microsoft Word to create documents and use Web Browsers to access the Internet and
send or receive email.
Computer Assistive Technology helps to level the playing field for the Blind and Vision Impaired. With sophisticated
screen reading and magnification capabilities, such software can help the visually impaired to do virtually everything
that a normally sighted person would be able to. With computers at their disposal, visually impaired persons are no
longer limited by their disability and can reach for the sky - some have gone on to become expert programmers
employed in leading IT firms like IBM which offer equal employment opportunities to people with disabilities.
The goal of the first phase of this program is to provide an introduction to Computers and Information Technology.
Students who display aptitude will be encouraged to learn more advanced techniques at both the Vision-Aid centers
and with Vision-Aid partners.
Response to the new program has been overwhelming. Many candidates are on the wait list for future courses.
25-year-old Pilla Sridevi, who is totally blind has completed her MA in English by correspondence but finds no avenues.
She wants to start a home-based document-processing career if she can learn computers. 30-year-old Ravikrishna
Chitta also blind, is a school teacher with Bachelors degrees in Arts and Education (BA BEd). During the orientation,
Ravikrishna told the staff that is frustrated that his own learning is impeded because there is no flow or adequate
literature in Braille in Vizag. He wants to level up with computer skills so that he can learn through the Internet, and is
particularly interested in accessing Computer encyclopedia. He hopes to continue teaching students despite his vision
loss with the help of his newly acquired skill.
The Government of India mandates that 3% of all its jobs should be reserved for visually challenged persons.
Unfortunately, most of these positions lie vacant because there are no qualified candidates. Vision-Aid hopes to
change this by helping to create a pool of qualified candidates who can take up gainful employment in both the
government sector and the booming IT and Call Center industry in India.
This program was made possible thanks largely to the generous support of individual donors and also a $1,000 grant
from IBM, which helped to offset the cost of the expensive Assistive Technology Software that needs to be used for this
program.
Students pay a nominal fee (less than $1 per class) and even this is partially or fully waived for the low and
middle-income groups in the form of need-based scholarships. The first phase of the center has 2 PC systems for
students fully equipped with the required software. In future phases Vision-Aid hopes to make more computers
available.
This program is one of the many Vision Rehabilitation programs offered by Vision-Aid on a charitable and
non-profitable basis in under-served regions. . For more details on other programs please visit
www.visionaid.org/services.html
(Click here for MS Word document Version of this Press Release)
Opening the Doors of Information Technology to the Visually Impaired
Lexington Based non-profit, Vision-Aid, celebrated the New Year and the festive occasion of "Shankranti" (the harvest
festival popularly celebrated in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India), with a milestone event in its young history - The
inauguration of the first phase of its Computer Center for the visually impaired in Visakhapatnam (Vizag) India.
On the bright and cheerful inaugural day in Visakhapatnam, India, twelve enthusiastic students arrived at the Vision Aid
center for the orientation. The Vision Aid Computer Training Specialist, Ms. B.T.Revathi who also works as a lecturer for
IT at Ms. AVN College, Visakhapatnam, introduced the program. Each of the 12 potential participants (10 Blind and 2
with significant vision impairment) spoke for a few minutes about their own background and expectations. The students
came from diverse backgrounds and age groups - some of the participants were school going children in the middle
and high school age group and others were adults in their mid 20's and 30's. It was a truly inspiring event for all the
Vision Aid staff members and supporters.
Prof Srinivas Devadas, Assoc. Head of Computer Sciences at MIT, who serves as a volunteer Director of Vision-Aid
(USA) and his wife Sulochana, inaugurated the center on Jan 12, 2006. Dr. Devadas spoke to the gathering of 12
aspirants and explained how Computers and IT can help change their lives
Center President Mr.M.S.Raju and IT Instructor Ms. B.T.Revathi presented a brief outline of the course, which would
start in February, while the assembled students listened with rapt attention. The newly created center will offer a
10-week intensive program titled "Introduction to Information Technology" for people who are Blind and Visually
Impaired. The program will use Assistive Technology - software called Window-Eyes for Blind Students and ZoomText
for Low Vision Students to enable them to use computers.
After completing the course, students will be not only familiar with basic computer and keyboard usage but will also be
able to use PC packages like Microsoft Word to create documents and use Web Browsers to access the Internet and
send or receive email.
Computer Assistive Technology helps to level the playing field for the Blind and Vision Impaired. With sophisticated
screen reading and magnification capabilities, such software can help the visually impaired to do virtually everything
that a normally sighted person would be able to. With computers at their disposal, visually impaired persons are no
longer limited by their disability and can reach for the sky - some have gone on to become expert programmers
employed in leading IT firms like IBM which offer equal employment opportunities to people with disabilities.
The goal of the first phase of this program is to provide an introduction to Computers and Information Technology.
Students who display aptitude will be encouraged to learn more advanced techniques at both the Vision-Aid centers
and with Vision-Aid partners.
Response to the new program has been overwhelming. Many candidates are on the wait list for future courses.
25-year-old Pilla Sridevi, who is totally blind has completed her MA in English by correspondence but finds no avenues.
She wants to start a home-based document-processing career if she can learn computers. 30-year-old Ravikrishna
Chitta also blind, is a school teacher with Bachelors degrees in Arts and Education (BA BEd). During the orientation,
Ravikrishna told the staff that is frustrated that his own learning is impeded because there is no flow or adequate
literature in Braille in Vizag. He wants to level up with computer skills so that he can learn through the Internet, and is
particularly interested in accessing Computer encyclopedia. He hopes to continue teaching students despite his vision
loss with the help of his newly acquired skill.
The Government of India mandates that 3% of all its jobs should be reserved for visually challenged persons.
Unfortunately, most of these positions lie vacant because there are no qualified candidates. Vision-Aid hopes to
change this by helping to create a pool of qualified candidates who can take up gainful employment in both the
government sector and the booming IT and Call Center industry in India.
This program was made possible thanks largely to the generous support of individual donors and also a $1,000 grant
from IBM, which helped to offset the cost of the expensive Assistive Technology Software that needs to be used for this
program.
Students pay a nominal fee (less than $1 per class) and even this is partially or fully waived for the low and
middle-income groups in the form of need-based scholarships. The first phase of the center has 2 PC systems for
students fully equipped with the required software. In future phases Vision-Aid hopes to make more computers
available.
This program is one of the many Vision Rehabilitation programs offered by Vision-Aid on a charitable and
non-profitable basis in under-served regions. . For more details on other programs please visit
www.visionaid.org/services.html
(c) Copyright, 2006. Vision-Aid. All Rights Reserved.
Vision-Aid
A Non Profit Organization serving the visually disadvantaged in Under-Served Areas
A Non Profit Organization serving the visually disadvantaged in Under-Served Areas
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