First-Ever ‘DAISY’ Textbooks Launched For Visually Impaired Students In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: In a first, International development organization ‘Sightsavers,’ in collaboration with State Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, on Wednesday, launched the first-ever Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY) text books for the visually impaired students of Odisha.

Inaugurating the initiative at Nayapalli High School here, State Project Director, OPEPA, Bhupendra Singh Poonia said, “This innovation will benefit a large number of print disabled students who are currently studying in general schools along with their sighted peers.
In a mass schooling environment teachers often find it difficult to reach out to each and every student in the class room; this innovation will empower the print disabled and visually impaired students in their regular classroom transaction and their above all academic performance.”

Speaking on the occasion, Programme Manager, Sightsavers Akbar, Mehfuz Alam informed that the organization has piloted this initiative with 200 students spread in Khordha, Koraput, Dhenkanal and Cuttack as part of its National Inclusive Education programme.

The organisation is planning to scale up this ICT base education for the visually impaired students across the state in collaboration with state SSA & RMSA, he added.

In his address, first visually impaired OAS officer Sannyas Kumar Behera raised the issue of unavailability of Text to Speech application in Odia language.  He said that Odisha visually challenged students are facing challenges in their accessibility due to unavailability of such application. Behera requested the state government to take this as an important priority towards disability inclusion.

The programme was also attended by Joint Secretary, Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Deba Prasad Das.