Thiruvananthapuram: ‘Chakshumathi,’ an organisation engaged in the welfare of the blind, has launched a programme to dispel the myth that the blind or those with visual impairment cannot study mathematics or science.
It started a five-day programme, ‘Eyes free science summer camp’ for visually impaired students at Vakkom Maulavi Foundation Trust at Thekumoodu here on Friday.
“It is a myth that a person with visual impairment or blindness can’t study mathematics or science. Teachers in our modern education system neglected students with visual impairment in science and mathematics classes. Our governments gave optional subjects instead of mathematics and a walkover for science subjects,” Mr Ram Kamal, managing trustee, ‘Chakshumathi’ told Deccan Chronicle.
‘Chakshumathi,’ an assistive technology centre and a non-profit organisation, decided to explore the possibilities of modern technologies to overcome the barriers and make science and mathematics studies accessible to these special needs children. They have been conducting summer camps since 2013 for these children and prompted them to ask within them, “why not science?”
Now their camp products are working in science and technology professions and many are pursuing higher studies in science and technology streams and excel their sighted peers, said Mr Kamal.
The camp has broken the barriers of mindset of the students and their families and is free for visually impaired students from standard 7 to 10.
