General

150 blind students provided free laptops

Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD) Minister Prafulla Samal distributed 150 laptops to blind students pursuing higher education at a special event held at the NCSCDA here on Wednesday.

Department Secretary Niten Chandra, Director Susanta Mohapatra and NCSCDA Assistant Director Ram Kishor Sharma graced as guests.

Stating that laptops with JAWS software were distributed to students, the Minister said the amount was enhanced from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 2 crore per annum from this year to provide free laptops to 250 such beneficiaries.

Visually impaired learners to get Braille books, finally

After years of neglect, visually impaired students will soon have full access to the required learning materials to succeed at school if national and provincial education departments adhere to an out-of-court settlement reached last week.

The government agreed that every learner is entitled to receive a textbook for each subject at the beginning of the school year. It will conduct an audit on the need for Braille textbooks and begin the process of producing and delivering study materials.

Team of blind climbers summit Mt Kilimanjaro.

In a trendsetting initiative, a team of blind and sighted climbers from India and Israel scaled Mt Kilimanjaro, the highest peak of Africa.

Fill up teaching vacancies in school for visually impaired: High Court to AAP govt

The Delhi High Court has directed the AAP government to “forthwith” appoint 10 contract teachers to vacant posts in a school here for visually impaired boys and provide the students with “assistive devices” like audio recorders to help them study.

The direction by a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao came on a PIL claiming there was 50 per cent vacancy of teaching staff in the school and that its building, which also had hostel facilities, was in a poor condition.

It is appreciable that differently-able are supporting colleagues: Abhishek

Even after being differently able, all are putting extra efforts for making other divyangs self-reliant, is not only appreciable but also motivating for one and all, said Rajnandgaon Member of Parliament Abhishek Singh.

He was addressing the concluding session of two-day workshop as chief guest organised at local Maheshwari Bhawan, Rajnandgaon. The work was attended by differently able (blind) officers from different parts of country. The differently able were given tips on career and other success in life.

HC urged to order study on easier access for blind.

NEW DELHI: A court-appointed amicus, looking for ways to improve access for students of Blind Relief School in Delhi, wants the government to do more.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/hc-urged-to-order-study-on-easier-access-for-blind/articleshow/65926347.cms

Visually-impaired NEET aspirant’s plea admitted

MADURAI: The Madras High Court Bench at Madurai allowed a petition filed by a partially-visually impaired medical aspirant seeking medical seat after he was rejected owing to a disability certificate which declared him 90 percent impaired.

Allowing the plea, Justice V Parthiban cited the Right to Persons with Disabilities Act, 2018 which ensures reservation for the differently abled persons and directed the Secretary of Selection Committee to allot a seat to the aspirant.

CBSE moots sign language, Braille as subjects for special kids

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/education/cbse-moots-sign-language-braille-as-subjects-for-special-kids/articleshow/65863927.cms

More to go blind – Ghana Health Service Report

About 300,000 Ghanaians are at risk of going blind, the Director of Institutional Care Division of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, has disclosed.

According to him, already about 200,000 individuals have gone totally blind with cataract being the leading cause.

Dr Kaba Akorieya revealed this yesterday at the official launch of the National Cataract Outreach Programme (NACOP) in the Eastern Region.

48 yrs on, visually impaired ex-serviceman gets pension

Chandigarh, September 14

For almost half a century, a visually impaired ex-serviceman ran from pillar to post in dire straits as he had to do without pension that had been rejected by the Defence Accounts Department even though the Army had recommended it.

Sepoy Mohinder Singh of the Sikh Regiment, now 70 years old and resident of Banur village near here, had joined the Army in 1968. In 1970, after having served for just two years and four months, he was invalided out on medical grounds due to failing sight.