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Visually-impaired artists exhibit paintings

Reina Newton Tefs; Naples Sun Times; June 29, 2005

"I like to paint with bright colors because they are easier to see," Janet Ray explained at a reception on June 10. Ray started painting five years ago when she noticed a painting displayed at the Visually Impaired Persons of Southwest Florida (VIP) centre. To see the painting she had to put on her 'coke-bottle' glasses and step close to the wall. The artwork inspired her to give painting a whirl because she knew that the artist who created it was legally blind, like she was.

Growing number of assistive products aid seniors, disabled

Rachel Brand, Rocky Mountain News; Colorado; June 10, 2005

Voice recognition technology that turns on lights and opens doors. Reading glasses that double the size of a television screen. A talking microwave oven.

Once designed to help blind, paralyzed and cognitively disabled Americans, such products now are finding a second home among seniors.

Now, 'listen' to the newspaper on the phone

Jeff Branscome; Fredericksburg ( Virginia ); June 9, 2005

In Fredericksburg (Virginia, America), blind and visually impaired people can now keep up to date on local news and events by punching some numbers on the telephone.

A special talking library for visually impaired book-lovers

isa Backus, Special to the Herald; Connecticut ; June 6, 2005

The Connecticut State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, which contains about 55,000 different titles, allows anyone who may have a difficult time reading the printed word to receive books on tape on a regular basis.

Library Director Carol Taylor said about 80 per cent of the patrons are seniors who are not legally blind but have some type of problem reading.

Blind waiters serve at restaurant in Paris

http://www.danslenoir.fr/accueil_an/accueil_an.php; Paris

There is a very unusual restaurant in Paris called Dans le Noir? (or In the Dark?) in the Marais district. The whole point of eating there is to alter your senses and your sensibilities. You and your companions eat in darkness and are served by blind waiters.

Harry Potter in Braille

Geoff Adams-Spink, http://news.bbc.co.uk; July 3, 2005

Visually impaired fans of Harry Potter were able to buy Braille and large print copies of the latest book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince , at the same time as sighted readers. The Royal National Institute of the Blind is taking orders for Braille copies of the novel, out on July 16.

A.T.M.s for visually impaired users get noticed

Tracy Kitten; http://atmmarketplace.com/news_story_23359.htm; June 8, 2005

Audio-enabled A.T.M.s, or automated teller machines, have been on the market for a while, but A.T.M. users rarely run across them. Some financial institutions have initiated pilots but most of those initiatives have fallen off the radar.

Zen-inspired sensory enhancement

Stefan H. Verstappen, http://www.chinastrategies.com/blind.htm; July 15, 2005

A book by Stefan Verstappen, Blind Zen: A case study in sensory enhancement for the blind and vision impaired , tells the story of how a blind woman's efforts to learn self-defence led to a unique experiment to adapt martial arts and eastern philosophy to develop new skills and increase self-confidence.

Delhi University organises counselling for disabled students

Rumu Banerjee, Times News Network, New Delhi; June 17, 2005

Shroff Eye Hospital opens paediatric ophthalmology clinic

www.cybernoon.com; Mumbai; June 20, 2005

Shroff Eye Hospital , which specialises in eye care, has recently opened a paediatric ophthalmology clinic in Mumbai. It has been established as a result of the findings of the Shroff Eye Vision Screening Programme of 2003-04, which found that vision problems affect one in 20 pre-schoolers and one in four school-going children.

Fourth Visually Impaired Cricket Tournament concludes in Lucknow

Express News Service

Delhi , powered by an experienced player like Sushil Gaur emerged the champion, outplaying Uttar Pradesh in the final of the Fourth Visually Impaired Cricket Tournament held at K.D. Singh 'Babu' stadium, in Lucknow , on June 6. Later, at the prize distribution function, Justice Jagdish Bhalla gave away the prizes to the winners. Man of the Series went to Alok Singh of Uttar Pradesh and Sushil Gaur of Delhi .

Blind students need space in mainstream education

Sagnik Chowdhury, http://cities.expressindia.com; Kolkata; June 27, 2005

The Society for the Visually Handicapped (S.V.H.) organised a 'Helen Keller deaf-blind awareness day' on June 26, on the eve of Ms. Keller's birth anniversary. S.V.H. hosted a participatory workshop for visually impaired and totally blind persons studying in mainstream educational institutions in West Bengal .

Indian visually impaired athletes steal show at Manchester

Puneet Singh Gill; Ludhiana; June16, 2005

Four Indian visually-challenged athletes -- Gurpreet Singh, Rajinder Singh, Vivek Monga and Balwinder -- have notched impressive victories at the British Open Athletic Meet held in Manchester . They have won three gold medals and one bronze in this prestigious competition. The meet, which began on June 5, concluded on June 12.

Talking on phone from Mumbai, Gurpreet Singh said, "We are more than satisfied with our performance at the meet since all four of us won a medal each."

Atlas boon for sightless students

www.telegraphindia.com/1050824/asp/calcutta/story_5142766.asp; Kolkata; August 24, 2005

After a successful trial in the Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys' School, the National Atlas and Thematic Mapping Organisation is set to bring out a Braille atlas in Hindi. Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal will release the atlas on August 29 in Kolkata.

Profiting from perseverance

He manages two businesses in Kolkata, is the author of several well-known books, and has been honoured with several awards. He is also India 's first visually impaired chartered accountant. Meet Dilip Loyalka, a self-made man.

Dilip Loyalka's visual impairment has not made any difference to his life. On the other hand, his life has been a source of unending inspiration to others. By his own example, he teaches them the meaning of confidence and independence, and the value of determination and hard work.

A nightmarish bus ride

Travelling on Delhi 's buses is, to say the least, a harrowing experience for most. For some, as Rajesh Kumar shows us, it becomes a terrifying nightmare.

"It was a great learning experience for me": Revathy Menon

Ability Foundation organised a wonderful film festival, included in which was an innovative '60 seconds to fame' competition on 'Inclusion'. George Abraham met Revathy Menon, who is one of the persons behind the festival, and asked her a few questions.

George Abraham: What sparked off the idea of the festival?

It's India, but is it home?

Ajitha G.S. tries to uncover what India means to different generations of visually impaired citizens

It's my country. It's where I belong. It is home. It's where I was born and it's where I want to die. It's where I feel safe. It's where everyone's like me. It's where I can get through life without worrying about being a 'second-class citizen'.

Accessible mobile phones

Kiran Kaja looks at cellphone technology which will make them accessible to persons with visual impairments.

In the early 1990s, when mobile phones were still new, blind and visually impaired users had very little problems accessing them. The phones were large, the keys were big and making and receiving calls was easier. More importantly, mobile phones were only used for their intended purpose – conducting voice conversations.

Radio signals help marketeers recognise disability

Johan Bostrom; IDG News Service; May 23, 2005

Some cafes and retail stores in Seattle have begun individually marketing products and services to passersby using radio frequency identification (R.F.I.D.) technology. The first target group is visually and hearing-impaired individuals who can benefit from positioning and navigation applications added to the system.

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