Ravenshaw University has planned to set up a Centre for Disability Studies (CDS) for promoting directed academic activities on disability related issues as well as enabling effective capacity-building and mainstreaming of the differently-abled.
The Centre would offer specially designed programmes for developing human resources in the field of disability along with courses both academic and skill development for the disabled students. It will also promote research and technology development in various fields and issues relating to disability.
“While the focus is on provisioning equal rights and opportunities to the disabled, there is a lack of appropriate academic modules, educational technologies and capacity building mechanism for their special needs. The Centre would strive to bridge the gap between the mainstream and the disabled,” coordinator for differently-abled students, Ravenshaw University, Priyabrata Majhi said.
In a bid to build the platform for the Centre, the University in collaboration with Institute of Social Work and Research, Bhubaneswar has planned to host a conference of the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment in December.
The two-day conference on December 9 and 10 will be attended by more than 200 visually impaired persons, including academia, researchers, experts in the fields of disability, policy makers and activists from the country and abroad.
The conference is expected to have participation from Asian countries, USA and UK along with UN representatives on disability issues.
The aim of such international conference is to explore new ways and means for ‘Equity of Education’ of the visually impaired persons in all academic institutions of higher learning in Asia.
The conference report will help the government adopt an appropriate policy and resultant programmes for the visual impaired persons while laying the base for CDS in Ravenshaw, Majhi said.
The University is also set to establish a modern resource centre for the differently-abled.
The Centre will be equipped with state-of-the-art computers and learning media including audio books, Braille scanners and printers and internet access.
The Centre will also carry out activities on skill development of the students, Majhi said.
Source : The New Indian Express , 09th September 2013
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