Indore: As a relief for the visually impaired college-goers as one of its first, Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV) is now in planning to develop educational content for them.

The varsity will also be arranging for additional resources in terms of books and even audio books for the students.
At present, the visually impaired college goers are primarily dependent on recordings during their classes and their classmates.
While there are audio notes available. However, those are mostly arranged by Non Profit Organizations (NGOs) and not by the varsity or higher educational institutions (HEIs).
Sharda Bamne a visually impaired by birth who hails from Betul and has been in Indore for studies could never get any course book in Braille post class eight.
“I’ve completed my postgraduation and now I’m pursuing B.Ed. . For the educational content I completely depend on my class mates who help me with recording the educational content,” said Bamne who added that the university has never provided any audio notes or Braille text books.
The varsity has taken this decision after University Grants Commission’s (UGC) advise for the varsities to develop and arrange educational content for the visually impaired.
Resources including Braille-print books, large print books, tactile books, audio books to “meet the needs of visual impairments.” The commission also stated that the resources must be provided free of cost.
“As per the instructions of the commission the varsity will work towards the educational content for visually impaired and also arrange for additional resources in order to enhance their quality of education,” vice chancellor of DAVV Dr Renu Jain told TOI.
Even the l ibraries of the varsity doesn’t consists of any educational content in Braille.
Despite the inclusion with the mainstream students, visually impaired students have been witnessing discrimination in an unintentional manner. The students not only witness lack of educational resources but at many instances writers too,” Dolly Joshi, teacher and developing officer at Mahesh Drishtiheen Kalyan Sangh told TOI.

Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/davv-to-develop-educatio...