Camp for identification of persons with disabilities underway

A three days programme for identification of persons with disabilities began at the campus of Institute of Child Disabilities (ICD), Lakhipur, Jiribam yesterday. The programme is being organised by National Institute  for the Mentally Handicapped (NIMH), Secunderabad in collaboration with Achievement of Rising Maiden (ARM) and State Commissioner Disabilities under the aegis of Department of Empowerment of person with disabilities and Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India.



Source: Imphal Times , 31st Oct 2015




Source: http://imphaltimes.com/news/item/4087-camp-for-identification-of-persons-with-disabilities-underway

De-constructing ‘normal’ and ‘abnormal’ with respect to people with disabilities

Day 1.2 of the sexuality workshop in Nagpur explored topics like dating, relationships and intimacy, busted myths regarding people with visual impairment, used Bollywood songs to explain consent, talked about harassment and safety and much more. Without further ado, we present you the workshop one tweet at a time






After a short lunch break we are back with our sexuality workshop where we bring both the women and men together and discuss dating, relationships, intimacy led by Nidhi Goyal. In order to make the session playful and explain the topic using innovative medium, we play popular Bollywood songs like 'chaar baj gaye', 'jaane do na' to explain consent and 'aankhon se tune' to bust the myth that you need sight to fall in love. Nidhi busts more myths like blind people only marrying blind and blind couple will have blind children among others.


More info about this blog can be trake from here : 

http://sexdisblog.org/2015/10/30/de-constructing-normal-and-abnormal-with-respect-to-people-with-disabilities/



Source : Sex Dis blog

Advocates for People with Intellectual Disabilities Say State Has No Plan For Them

Parents, grandparents and siblings who are struggling to care for adult family members with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities are asking for the state’s help to plan for the day they will no longer be able to protect and provide for their children.

They told members of the legislature’s Intellectual and Developmental Disability Caucus Thursday that the so-called waiting list for a spot in a group home or smaller residential setting is a smokescreen.

Instead, they say the Department of Developmental Services most often provides housing only when a guardian dies. It’s a system that leaves caregivers fearful about what will happen to their children when they are gone and leaves bereaved children alone to endure the transition to a new living situation.

Dawn DeMatteo, the single mother of an adult son with severe disabilities, told members of the legislature’s Intellectual and Developmental Disability Caucus Thursday that chronic underfunding by the state has left those who cannot care for themselves in a state of limbo with no end in sight.

According to DeMatteo, the situation became even worse when some parents - like herself - found out they’d become ineligible for placement at a group home once they accepted what they thought was temporary financial assistance to get by at home until a spot opened up.

DeMatteo said she uses DDS funding to pay for Anthony’s care while she goes to work to support her household. She didn’t know taking the money meant her son would be removed from the housing waiting list.

DDS spokeswoman Joan Barnish said in an email that the waiting list is reserved for people living on their own or with family who do not receive any residential supports. An individual receiving $20,000 or more in residential support would be moved to a different funding category.

State Rep. Mitch Bolinsky, R-Newtown, was one of many caucus members who showed support for the families when he called the system “alarming” and “borderline cruel” in the way it leaves parents to die without knowing what’s going to happen to their loved ones.

“Because we’re working without a plan. I have to advocate for a planning process to occur,” Bolinsky said to applause from the room packed full of advocates for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

There are more than 2,100 of the state’s neediest residents waiting for housing spots to open up so they can live among their peers in group homes or smaller residential settings operated by the Department of Developmental Services or private providers.

While lawmakers appropriated $4 million in additional funds to help address the housing backlog last year, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy took away $1.8 million when he announced the first round of rescissions in September.

The $4 million appropriation was the result of support from the Intellectual and Developmental Disability caucus as well as advocacy by caucus founder and Appropriations Committee Co-Chairwoman, state Sen. Beth Bye, D-West Hartford. The caucus, which began in February of last year as a bipartisan coalition of 27 lawmakers, is now up to 59 members.

The funding was earmarked for families with caregivers aged 70 or older.

There are 156 families that fall into that category, according to Christina Gellman of the legislature’s Office of Fiscal Analysis. By July, the needs of 83 of those individuals had been “fully met,” Gellman said.

Gellman could not specify how many future placements will be affected by Malloy’s $1.8 million cut.

“The cut will not affect any existing placements, but certainly it could delay a new placement and it limits available funding,” she said.

Another 80 placements - separate from the funding initiative for elderly caregivers - were possible because of vacancies created due to death, relocation or changes in living situations.

DeMatteo bristled at the term “waiting list,” which she said evoked the idea of standing in line at the deli counter of a supermarket where you know how many people are in front of you.

“It’s not a waiting list. I cannot call DDS and ask where I am on the waiting list, as you would be able to know if you were at the deli counter,” she said.

A June DDS report said that 638 of the 2,100 people on the waiting list have been identified by the state “emergency” or “priority 1” placements. Emergency status is for those who need immediate placement while priority one status covers those requesting placement within one year who have been determined to have the most pressing need for services.

The Department of Developmental Services differentiates between the “waiting list,” which they say comprises the 638 emergency and priority one individuals, and the “planning list,” which includes the rest of the 2,100 people who have requested services within 2 to 3 years.

However, advocates say all 2,100 people are waiting and, they fear, will continue to do so.

Despite the outcry from many on the waiting and planning lists who say they’ve been stuck there for years, Gellman told lawmakers that 27 of the families eligible for a piece of the $4 million appropriation declined residential supports.

Some lawmakers in the Intellectual and Developmental Disability Caucus questioned why that many families would decline services after signing up for the waiting list.

According to the email from Barnish, the 27 eligible individuals who declined a spot on the waiting list did so for a variety of reasons.

“Some of the families expressed that residential supports were not needed with their current supports in place. Other families explained that they had arranged an alternative care plan for a sibling to take over as primary caregiver when the parent could no longer do it. One individual moved out of state to live with a sibling when their parent and primary caregiver passed away,” Barnish said.

But DeMatteo and others tell a different story about why some people came off the waiting list.

Susan Bastien, a 65-year-old retired teacher from Cheshire, told lawmakers the Department of Developmental Services is putting her in a difficult position as she seeks placement for her adopted son, Patrick. She said the 34 year old is blind, quadriplegic, epileptic and has an intellectual disability, requiring constant care to monitor his tracheotomy tube.

But there’s no space available for Patrick in any of the state’s group homes tailored to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, according to his mother.

If she accepts a place for him at a nursing home with less comprehensive and individualized support, she said, the state would consider its obligation fulfilled and would remove him from the waiting list for more appropriate housing.

“I don’t want my son living in a nursing home. So I’m doing the
best I can at home,” she said. She worries most about those couple of hours at night when there’s nobody to monitor Patrick’s tracheostomy tube while she sleeps. 

“No parent should have to go to sleep at night wondering if they’re going to wake up and their child is dead beside them because there is no nurse and they have to get two hours of sleep,” she said.

State Rep. Gail Lavielle, R-Wilton, said it is “abhorrent and scandalous” for people to lose their spots on the waiting list for the reasons described by DeMatteo and Bastien.

Barnish said in an email that people who receive more than $20,000 but whose “needs are not met” are shifted to another list for “Other Residential Needs.”

“In FY15, approximately 130 individuals on the Other Residential Needs list had their needs met during the year and came off that list,” she said.

According to DeMatteo and Bastien, it comes down to what one considers meeting somebody’s needs.

DeMatteo said her son has care while she’s at work, but that’s not meeting his needs for a secure future.

Bastien said her son could go to a nursing home, but that’s not meeting his need for personalized, comprehensive care.

The Department of Developmental Services has a $1.1 billion budget. As of June, it provided funding for residential supports to 8,128 people. Over 80 percent received services through private providers while the remainder used public supports such as those available at the Southbury Training School or the state’s five regional centers.

 

Barnish said she did not have a readily available analysis of the amount the agency spends on private provider services versus public services.

“...although direct care costs in public are easily attributable and private sector funding is easily obtained, many associated administrative costs are spread out over both sectors, for example case management services,” she said.

Advocates, however, said last year that they found it costs between $338,730 and $442,265 per person for one year of public, out-of-home residential services. Private out-of-home services cost between $88,000 to $150,000, they said.

A March memo to lawmakers by a group of advocates found $14 million in potential savings by bringing public staffing ratios in line with those used by private providers. It also recommended operational efficiencies at Southbury Training school that could yield an additional $5 million in savings.




Source: CTNJ News , 30th Oct 2015

Type to speak

Facilitated, augmentative and alternative communication is allowing people with disabilities to break through the glass bubble that surrounds them .

C-H-A-M-M-I.

Chandima Rajapatirana’s first word, painstakingly spelled out, letter by letter, was a revelation. He had had no means of communicating in the 17 years that led up to this moment. Few suspected he had anything worth saying.

Raised by his Sri Lankan parents in the US, he was first diagnosed with autism at the age of four. Later, doctors added apraxia — a motor disorder that hindered his ability to control body movements — to the diagnosis. Chandima was mute. He would be forced to listen, unable to voice protest, as experts told his mother that her son was ‘retarded’ and should be institutionalised. He would bite, scratch and bang his head against the wall. All the while, he watched the world pass him by, and saw his ‘normal’ siblings discover it in ways he could not. Then, on the cusp of his adulthood, his mother, Anoja, finally found a communication technique that worked for him. Chandima began to type using Facilitated Communication (commonly called FC).

His first word was notable not only for breaking his silence, but by altering the way his family spelled his nickname — using an ‘i’ instead of a ‘y’ — he was demonstrating autonomy and will.

Today, Chandima can type independently, without support from his facilitator, if need be. He is a poet, author and an advocate for the rights of disabled people. In 2007, his mother Anoja and he returned to Colombo to open EASE (Educate, Advocate, Support, Empower), a small centre where they offer free support and education to people who have disabilities.

Parents visiting them are often astonished by Chandima. He is effectively bilingual, and can ‘speak’ in Sinhala by switching his English alphabet board for a Sinhala one. His collection of essays and poems, Traveller’s Tales (published this year) with brutal honesty addresses how he experiences anxiety and sensory overload; why he might have trouble in a crowd, or making eye contact, or even simply sitting still.

For instance, this is what it can feel like to try and have a conversation: “When I want to speak, my impulse goes to my body. Gyrating cursed limbs take over. My arms fling up, my hands join and wring... Speakers open their mouths and words pour out. I open my mouth and scream. Your sounds emerge modulated, shaped into words. Mine emerge unmodulated, unshaped, un-understandable squeals. The reality is that I sound like an animal. It is an awful thought. The awareness of how bizarre I sound kills the desire to speak.”

Though Chandima relies on FC, he tells me that he and Anoja are aware that there is no single technique to suit everyone. “Best you just say that I am not the last word, nor the first word, just one of many,” he types out.

**

Autism is a complex developmental disorder that appears in the first three years of life, impacting the brain’s development, its interpretation of sensory input, as well as social and communication skills. The condition manifests across a wide range of symptoms, which is why the diagnostic label is Autism Spectrum Disorder.

“Children with autism have varying communication challenges, and it is very case-specific, so it is difficult to generalise,” says Soharni Tennekoon, a Colombo-based speech therapist. Autistic children may be entirely non-verbal or may have a rich vocabulary on specific subject matters, she explains, adding that many have difficulty interpreting or employing the non-speech elements — eye contact, facial expressions and body language — that inform so much of our communication with each other.

Chandima’s friend Jennifer Seybert knows that an autistic person is as likely to misunderstand as to be misunderstood. Only diagnosed as an 11-year-old, she remembers: “I was tuned into the world around me but not being able to communicate was hell. I was locked inside a glass bubble, figuratively, pounding on the glass to let me out; however, all that was being noticed was my behaviour.” When her parents introduced her to FC she was already in her twenties. A new way to communicate brought with it a different kind of emotional turmoil. “Being locked inside of myself for 24 years, I had much to work through and process. Trusting a world outside of my autistic world was scary but I was determined to make this work,” she says.

‘Making it work’ for Jennifer, as for Chandima, has been about embracing an engaged and purposeful life. She earned a BA in Psychology in 2006 and a Master’s in Disability Studies in 2012. She is an active autism advocate as well.

It is only in recent years that we have begun to hear from people like Chandima and Jennifer. The few firsthand accounts of autism that existed were produced overwhelmingly by those described as high-functioning autistics, namely, able to converse using speech. In Autism and the Myth of the Person Alone, American educator and FC champion Douglas Biklen points out that the use of the term ‘high-functioning’ is problematic as it implies that someone who cannot speak has less intelligence than someone who can.

Douglas’s book includes a chapter on Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay and his mother Soma. Tito grew up mostly in Bangalore, and was home-schooled. Acknowledging that most people would consider Tito’s case severe, Douglas says, ‘the dominant view is that three-fourths of people with autism are mentally retarded. It’s not true, but that’s the view.’

Tito proved otherwise. He is the author of books including How Can I Talk if my Lips Don’t Move?, The Gold of the Sunbeams and The Mind Tree, which he wrote before he turned 11. He was anointed a miracle, and his mother the miracle worker.

Together they appeared on 60 Minutes II, featured in the BBC documentary Tito’s Story (2000) and were in the pages of The New York Times, National Geographic and People.

Soma has since collated the techniques that worked with Tito into her Rapid Prompting Method (RPM). Today, over 600 clients between the ages of two and 50 have come to study with Soma, who ‘begins by identifying in individuals how and which of the senses dominate.’ Her approach is in many ways unique and parents have attested that the results are quick and dramatic. But like FC, it is not for everyone.

Whether it’s FC, RPM — or any other augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategies that offer options for speech — what isn’t on offer is a cure. In an email, Texas-based Soma says, “I wouldn’t advise ‘hard work’ to folks who are already doing hard work. I wouldn’t advise ‘patience’. It is easy to advise. Many times impatience works wonders too. I would suggest — keep going because the way is the way through. There isn’t a way around.”

**

In the Chennai office of Avaz, an AAC app has been evolving steadily. In 2011, it got its inventor, Ajit Narayanan, on to MIT’s prestigious TR35 list of the most exciting young innovators in the world. The Avaz app is meant to be a part of a child’s daily life, and relies on a clever augmentative picture communication software to help parents and teachers work with children. (The price — $99.99 — and the need for a device such as a tablet computer to run it may be one reason why the app is downloaded by more people outside India.)

As the company works to build an Indian market, the head of its product development team, Narayanan R, argues not just for basic communication but also language that is richly expressive and nuanced. “Imagine if Stephen Hawking was always given a vocabulary of eight pictures to communicate with everyone around him. How much research would he have contributed?” Narayanan asks.

One must believe, regardless of appearances, that a child is capable of communication. “The first rule for any speech therapist/special educator is to presume competence,” says Narayanan. “A lot of times, it’s the disability of the medium that we use to make them ‘understand’. Hence it’s not their inability, it’s the medium’s inability to get through to them.”

In Narayanan’s experience though, it is worth making the effort: “It gives them tremendous self-belief and enables them to achieve more. They can participate in classrooms, socialise with peers, write stories, and express pain, anger and love.” Certainly, to be heard for the first time can be a profoundly empowering experience. In a testimonial on the Avaz site, a young man named Mukund writes that on being able to communicate for the first time he knew: “we could live like other human beings. We knew we could belong to the world of human beings.”

**

The one thread that runs through these diverse narratives and emerging techniques is the commitment to return agency to autistic people themselves. Cynthia Blasko, an autism advocate and communication trainer in the US, thinks it is high time we did so. “We have done a horrible job historically, when it comes to including people with disabilities in the discussion about their development, because there has been a belief that they cannot participate,” she says.

Blasko, who is also the parent of an autistic child, believes individuals with autism could benefit greatly from being told about their diagnosis and how it may affect their sensory experience. “We need to teach how current neuroscience explains some of the differences in how the autistic mind works… how psychology and sociology and modern linguistics all contribute to our self-perception, as well as others’ perceptions.”

Back in Sri Lanka, MM Nirmala Priyangani, a seamstress and single mother, travels hours by bus to bring her daughter Ashini to the educational programme run by EASE. Bus rides used to be a nightmare — Ashini would often pinch and bite strangers around her. The mother-daughter duo would be accosted by hostile stares and comments. Unsurprisingly, they often chose to stay secluded at home. But there too, in outbursts of rage, Ashini would physically attack her brother, and throw his books on the floor.

Nirmala suspected — and her friends and neighbours could never resist confirming — that Ashini’s autism was the result of vengeful karma. But things have changed since they became regulars at EASE. Being recognised as an intelligent being by her family has gentled Ashini. Nirmala knows they have much to learn about autism and each other, but just to have been given the chance seems like a miracle. “I used to think that her autism was a punishment for my sins,” Nirmala says, tears in her eyes, “but now I am glad I have this child, because I can love her. She is not a punishment, she is a gift.”

Today, Ashini is less aggressive and happily spends time with her brother. Her family thought that the 13-year-old girl was severely ‘retarded’ and never expected her to speak. But recently when her grandfather dropped a cup of tea, she gasped, “Aiyo!” A single word proved just how far Ashini had travelled.

Smriti Daniel is a Colombo-based journalist





Source : The Hindu Business Line, 30th Oct 2015

Defying disability, ex-airman soars - JEDDAH

• 
                                      Mohammed Al-Sharif ... Handicap is just a state of mind
  

         

              

A young Saudi has become the first person with a disability to take up paragliding in the Middle East.

Mohammed Al-Sharif startled people on Thursday in Riyadh when he participated in a paragliding event, a local publication reported. Al-Sharif is a former air defense officer who was paralyzed in an accident in 2005.


He did not allow this to hold him back and has now also become a specialist in entertainment therapy and a skilled trainer in the use of wheelchairs. He custom-built his own paragliding outfit, and is a registered trainer at the Aviation Academy in Riyadh.


Al-Sharif said he does it as a hobby on the weekends. He urged people to view those with disabilities as normal rather than with pity or as able bodied. He said the public must try to find the proper balance. He said “special needs” is a medical term that should not be used to describe people with disabilities continually.

Prince Sultan bin Salman, chairman of the Disabled Children's Association, said that efforts are continuing to help people become more functional, and that they should form a body to help themselves.


Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Mohammed, chairman of the Amal charitable organization, said that the sessions were aimed at improving the lives of people with disabilities, in line with the directives of the government.




Source: Arab News, 30th Oct 2015

Waiting Shelter to Come Up Outside Passport Seva Kendra - Coimbatore

The Regional Passport Office in Coimbatore has decided to construct a temporary shelter outside the Passport Seva Kendra for persons accompanying passport applicants.

MDMK youth wing secretary V Eswaran had written to Chief Minister’s cell seeking a waiting shelter for public at Passport Seva Kendra in Coimbatore. His petition was forwarded to the Regional Passport Office in Coimbatore.

In his reply to Eswaran, Regional Passport Officer S Sasikumar said, on an average around 750-800 applicants per day are visiting the Passport Seva Kendra for submission of passport applications. Also some applicants like senior citizens, children, physically challenged are accompanied by a family member.

“The applicants were entertained in a staggered manner by giving prior appointment with date and time through online registration of applications at the website of the Ministry of External Affairs. In the existing system, applicants are supposed to report at the PSK just 15 minutes ahead of the appointment time,” he added.

He further said, “During the appointment slot, only applicant can be entertained inside PSK due to security reasons. But, steps were already taken to allow senior citizens, infants and physically-challenged to be accompanied by one or two persons.”

“The Passport Seva Kendra is functioning in the ground floor of a multi-storey building on a rental basis. Other floors of the same building are occupied by some other offices. Hence, feasibility for providing a shelter with basic facilities, exclusively for the passport applicants and their accompanied family members, is practically very difficult and will attract adverse criticism from other occupants of the same building,” Sasikumar added.

However, steps were taken to provide shelter to the accompanying persons outside the PSK and a temporary shelter is being constructed. It will be put to public use soon, he said.

In addition, permanently all these facilities can be provided to the passport applicants, once Passport Office and PSK are moved to an own building for which the process is in pipeline, he added.


Source : The New Indian Express, 23rd Oct 2015

'No Govt-run Home for Differently-abled Kids'

The 2011 census puts the number of differently-abled children below the age of six in the State at 60,000. While nearly 7,000 children in the same age group are mentally challenged, at least one per cent of them is believed to be destitute. But all of them fall under the category of children with special needs.

However, despite this significant number, there is no government-run home for such children.

“The number of destitute and mentally challenged children below 18 years is much higher. Despite our repeated requests to the Social Defence and Social Welfare departments, nothing has been done to address the plight of these children,” said Chezhian Ramu, former Vellore district Child Welfare Committee chairperson.

According to Section 2 (d) of the Juvenile Justice Act of 2000, a child in need of care and protection also includes a child who is mentally or physically challenged or suffering from terminal or incurable disease with none to support.

Rule 47 of the Model Rules for management of juvenile and special homes stipulates that every State Government should run at least one home for a cluster of closely located districts for the destitute mentally challenged and children with multiple disabilities.

These homes should have a comprehensive care and rehabilitation centre involving local communities and NGOs, and should include specialised services with inputs from experts or academic institutions. Despite the stipulation, activists say the State government has not opened a single home so far.

However, there are three government-aided homes run by NGOs - Bala Vihar and Arunodayam in Chennai and Arivagam in Mayiladuthurai - which take care of both mentally and physically challenged children. Arunodayam is a reception home where children are lodged temporarily and Bala Vihar, according to activists, has stopped taking in children referred by the government.

Therefore, the only home that still admits mentally-challenged destitute children is Arivagam, Mayiladuthurai.

However, this home has a challenging task at hand with a large number of children and scanty resources.

“We now have 228 children, including the hearing and visually impaired, physically and mentally challenged. Our capacity is 100 and 83 of them are bedridden and require medical attention. They need periodic medical tests and treatment. We do not have sufficient aid to provide, so we shell out money from our pockets and take them for treatment,” said M Gnanasambandam, superintendent, Arivagam Children’s Home, Arivagam After Care Organisation, Mayiladuthurai.

He added that many children either run away or go on leave with their families without returning or die without proper medical care.

“What else can we do. I still admit children with special needs. But what happens after that becomes questionable, as we do not have the required staff and facilities which deprives these children the services needed for their survival and rehabilitation,” he added.

The plight of Arivagam and other NGOs and the need for a State-run home was also pointed out in the Comptroller and Auditor General Report 2008. However, activists claim that the situation remains unchanged till date.

“How is it possible for three NGOs to take in all mentally challenged children from the whole of Tamil Nadu,” questioned Chandra Thanikachalam, vice-president, Indian Council for Child Welfare.

“The absence of more such homes makes these children face trouble in getting admission and their guardians too face problems visiting these homes from different parts of the State. We need a different set-up,” Thanikachalam said.



Source : The New Indian Express, 24th Oct 2015

Low-key Dasara Ends on a High Note

The 405th edition of the world-famous Dasara, that had taken off on a low key, ended on a grand note with lakhs of people turning up to witness the finale of the Navaratri celebrations.

The number of tableaux was down by fifty per cent. But milling crowds lined up the 4.7 km-stretch of the procession route to get a glimpse of the presiding deity Goddess Chamundeshwari being carried in the golden howdah.

People cheered ‘Jai Chamundamma’ when elephant Arjuna carrying the howdah with the Chamundeshwari idol walked majestically past them.

The Vijayadashami procession was the first for the newly coronated scion Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, who was dressed in a silver sherwani.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah offered puja to the Nandi dhwaja at the Balarama Gate of the palace at 12.10 pm. In his message, Siddaramaiah sought the blessings of Goddess Chamundeshwari for good rain and welfare of the people of the state. Defending the government’s decision to hold a low-key Dasara and cut down on the expenses following farmer suicides and prevailing drought situation, he said they have not compromised on the tradition of the centuries-old cultural event. “I am happy people have accepted our decision and turned up in good numbers,” he added.

Siddaramaiah and his cabinet colleagues arrived at the palace in an open jeep and flagged off the procession. The elephants, led by Balarama, comprised accompanied Gopi, Abhimanyu, Vikrama, Harsha and Prashanath. The procession, that was cut down to 60 cultural troupes and 27 tableaux, came alive with the vibrant culture of the Vijayanagar kingdom. Folk artistes and tableaux were informative and threw light on integrated farming methods, judicious use of water, benefits schemes of the Revenue Department, various loans available from the government, power conservation and so on.

The government made use of the occasion to showcase the D Devaraj Urs centenary celebrations, conservation of forests and health programmes of the government. The tableau which showcased Mysuru bagged the first place. Tableaux on social justice and empowerment of downtrodden communities and the centenary of University of Mysore added colour.

As the procession rolled out of the Mysuru Palace premises, the CM offered flowers to the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari idol in the golden howdah. It was followed by a 21-gun salute and singing of the National Anthem to mark the beginning of Jamboo Savari. Though the Dasara festivities began with a stand-off between the royal family and the district administration over fixing the dates for the Ayudha Puja and Vijayadashami procession, it ended on a happy note.

In a First, CM Touches IDOL

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah surprised many of his cabinet colleagues by touching the Chamundeshwari idol placed in Golden Howdah during inauguration of the Jamboo Savari.Though it is a practice that the Chief Minister, the district Minister and the Mayor offer flowers to the presiding deity from a special podium erected at the Mysuru Palace, Siddaramaiah went an extra mile to bend and touch the deity placed inside the Golden Howdah. It was followed by other dignitaries who also tried to touch the feet of the presiding deity. Siddaramaiah, who has clarified that he is neither an atheist nor a theist, had never done so in the past.

Special Arrangements

Special arrangements were made for the visually challenged get a feel of the Dasara procession, thanks to an initiative of Kalpavruksha Trust, which had provided a separate seating gallery for the physically challenged persons near Ayurveda College. Nearly 150 disabled and physically challenged people who had come from places like Tumakuru, Gulbarga, Belgaum and Chikkamagaluru were treated to a running commentary in Kannada of what was passing in front of them, to help them get a feel of the festivities

Foreigners left in the dark

Despite the Jamboo Savari attracting people from across the world, there were no English boards for the global audience. Absence of signages in any global language piqued the foreign tourists as they had to depend on the local people to understand the goings-on. Foreign guests said they encountered difficulties in getting the tickets as there was very little information on the internet.

Jamboo Savari Delayed

The Jamboo Savari, the main attraction of the ten-day Dasara festivities, was delayed by one hour. The death of a person atop the Chamundi Hill forced the priests to bring Chamundeshwari idol one hour late after the cremation was held.  However, the temple priests rushed with the idol to Mysuru Palace at 1.30 pm. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, royal family scion Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, District Minister V Srinivasa Prasada and others offered flowers to Chamundeshwari placed in golden howdah  at 3.07 pm instead of 2 pm.



Source: The New  Indian Express, 24th Oct 2015

Give the disabled a fair chance

Janice McGraneis a sister of St. Joseph (SSJ), a spiritual writer, and former board chair for Liberty Resources, Philadelphia's independent living center.

In ancient Greece, any baby born with an indication of a disability was tossed from the cliffs into the sea. While this strikes us today as horrifyingly barbaric, there are those in our society who strongly advocate a similar, although presumably more humane, fate for newly born disabled infants.

            Pope Francis blessing Michael Keating, 10, of Elverson, at the Philadelphia airport last month

One of these advocates is Professor Peter Singer, of Princeton University. In a recent radio interview broadcast in Philadelphia and New York, Singer shockingly advocated that we should acknowledge the necessity of "intentionally ending the lives of severely disabled infants." His argument is that disabled infants will have no quality of life and will supposedly diminish the happiness of others in the family. And, of course, keeping disabled children alive is too costly for our society.

On the other hand, Singer believes strongly in animal rights. After being asked if he would save 200 pigs or one child from a burning fire, the professor responded: "Suffering of animals at some point is so great that you should decide to free the animals and not the child. One must not burn countless animals in order to save a child's life."

I am a Catholic nun, a sister of St. Joseph of Philadelphia. I firmly believe in the church's ethic of life: All human life, no matter the condition, is sacred.


I am also a woman with a rather significant level of disability from years of living with rheumatoid arthritis. Both as a Catholic and a disabled woman, I find Singer's philosophy quite frightening. What is even more frightening is that this utilitarian view - you are what you do - is becoming more widespread in our country.
A primary concern about Singer's view regarding the killing of disabled infants is how highly subjective it is. Seen from a stance of morality, this is plain and simple murder. And it raises myriad questions:

How disabled does the infant have to be to warrant death?


Exactly who makes this horrendous decision to kill the disabled child? The doctors? The family?

How will the child be killed?


Will hospitals have to put policies into place for killing disabled children deemed too "severe"?


Then there's the highly subjective term severe. Myriad people with supposed "severe" disabilities live happy, productive lives and contribute to society. I am only one of thousands of people who do so. Would we have been deprived of Helen Keller's wisdom and insight because her deafness and blindness would have been considered too "severe" to allow her to live in the utilitarian philosophy of Singer?


It is clear that we are working from two completely different moral frameworks here. One views human life, including imperfect human life, as sacred; the other framework decidedly does not.


It is not difficult to see how this purely utilitarian approach can start spreading up the ladder to all disabled individuals. In our throwaway society, it is all too easy to dispose of anything that does not work, that is not whole and perfect. Are we now to consider people the same way?

John Hockenberry's book Moving Violations: War Zones, Wheelchairs, and Declarations of Independence recounts how he became a paraplegic from a car accident while in college. A neighbor asked his mother, "Is John going to kill himself because he can't walk?"


Far from committing suicide, Hockenberry went on to become a reporter for National Public Radio. From his wheelchair, he has covered volcanic explosions, wars in the Middle East, and currently hosts a news show, The Takeaway. Hockenberry's life shows not only what is possible even with a significant disability but also the resiliency of human nature.

Philadelphia has just experienced the inspiring visit of Pope Francis, who went out of his way to embrace disabled people, including the severely disabled. His message of inclusion embraces all, even those, especially those, who are the most vulnerable and marginalized.


I have learned a great deal from living with the ups and downs of my chronic condition. One thing is that the best judge of a life is the person who lives it. But the most important lesson is that, when a person is given the chance to live, a serious disability does not keep one from living a meaningful life and contributing to society.



Source : Philly , 25th Oct 2015

Fashion industry spreads its arms, becomes inclusive

Senior citizens, physically-challenged individuals, transgenders, plus-sized women and people with skin conditions are sashaying down the runway in various fashion weeks across the globe.
Some of them have also become the faces of popular clothing brands. The glamour industry is seeing a major shift towards body positivity and becoming inclusive.
Here's a look at how the spirit of humanity is being celebrated in the sartorial world:


Message of peace
At a recently-concluded fashion week in Tokyo, designer Takafumi Tsuruta roped in models from different walks of life to depict the adverse effects of nuclear weapons. Disabled comedian Yusei Terada, visually-challenged accordion player Sota Nii and Akako Ozawa, a singer with muscular dystrophy, wore the designer's creations.
Small is beautiful
Bucking the fashion show stereotype of tall, willowy models, earlier this month 15 women, less than four feet four inches tall, walked the runway at a special fashion show in Paris. Some time back, the same show was held in New York. It will be organised in Tokyo next year
Plus-size glory

 
American model Ashley Graham has featured on the covers of several fashion magazines and in the campaign of a leading denim brand. She was the first plus-size model to be featured in a sports magazine's swimsuit issue. This year, she partnered with a Canadian plus-size clothing retailer to launch her own line of lingerie.
Against all challenges

Rebekah Marine, a 28-year-old model from New Jersey who was born without a right forearm and wears an i-limb quantum prosthetic hand, participated in a fashion week in New York last month.Jamie Brewer, an actress, activist and model who has Down syndrome, also walked the ramp.
Skin deep
Canadian model Chantelle BrownYoung, also known as Winnie Harlow or Chantelle Winnie, who suffers from the chronic skin condition vitiligo, featured in an Italian clothing brand's SpringSummer campaign earlier this year. She is also the brand representative of a Spanish casual clothing brand.
 

Source : TOI , 23rd Oct 2015

The iPhone setting that changed this man's life

Todd Stabelfeldt is sending his wife a romantic text. He taps his chin on a button mounted on his wheelchair, then grins, pleased with his wooing.

Todd Stabelfeldt uses buttons, a joystick, and Switch Control settings to control his iPhone 6 and run his business

A quadriplegic since he was 8, Stabelfeldt can't move anything below his neck. Now a 36-year-old engineer and business owner, he's turned his wheelchair into a powerful mobile communication hub using switches, a Bluetooth headset and an iPhone 6.

He averages a phone call every six minutes and sends more than 100 texts a day. He's not much for social media other than LinkedIn (LNKD, Tech30), but loves to check his elaborate smart-home set up, read books, listen to podcasts and look up recipes online. Frequently outside on the move, he uses the Strava app to track how many miles he racks up.

Stabelfeldt accomplishes some of this with Siri and the rest by tapping the physical buttons and a joystick mounted on his wheelchair near his head. He is able to control the entire iPhone interface, thanks to an iOS setting called Switch Control.

Also known as switch access, it's an accessibility feature for people with physical disabilities who can't use a touchscreen in the traditional way. It turns a complicated user interface into something that can be controlled with basic inputs.

At its simplest, Apple's (AAPL, Tech30) Switch Control works by automatically cycling through the elements on an iPhone screen. A blue outline moves on its own between the apps or menu options. When it hits the desired spot, users trigger their "switch" to select it. The same system works with a keyboard and auto-suggest to type out text.

The setting is hugely customizable to accommodate a wide variety of needs and situations. A switch might be something external like a button or breathing tube, or the entire touchscreen itself can become a simple switch and the front-facing camera can detect left or right head movements. It can be set up to work with just one switch or as many as the user wants.

A self-described geek, Stabelfeldt has 12 switches. With practice, the switches can be as speedy as any collection of shortcuts. Watching Stabelfeldt use his iPhone is a blur of apps opening and closing, texts and emails coming and going.

"It's mind boggling to be able to use a smartphone to be in charge of one's story," said Stabelfeldt. "To not need somebody else to be in charge."

Independence has been hugely important to Stabelfeldt since the day his young cousin accidentally shot him with an antique rifle. At 16, the C4 quadriplegic moved out of his parents' house, eventually getting a degree and becoming a software engineer.

Switch access on computers is not new, but it has only recently been built in to touchscreen smartphones. Apple (AAPL, Tech30) added its Switch Control to iOS 7 in 2013. Google (GOOG) brought switch access to Android 5.0 in 2014.

Until a year and a half ago, Stabelfeldt mostly used computers for work. Now, his phone has become his primary work device. He uses it to run his business managing remote servers and work on a foundation that helps those with disabilities find independence through technology.

His favorite part of the iPhone isn't work, but connecting with his family. After he first set up his phone, Stabelfeldt used Siri to send a quick text to his wife.

"Tell my wife, 'I love you,'" Stabelfeldt recalled saying. "I'm a grown ass man. I want to tell my lady I love her."



Source : CNN Money , 21s Oct 2015

TamTam Technology – Incredible New Assistive & Monitoring Hardware Announced

TamTam Technology recently announced a Kickstarter campaign for the creation and application of a remote control instrument without the presence of a person close to the elderly only, by an ongoing review of its psycho-physical state. The beneficiaries of the project are the elderly, who are alone and fragile. The TamTam instrument detects, through a system of sensors installed at home, a series of information about the status and autonomy of the person being monitored. The occurrence or otherwise of an act or even the system communicates information and, consequently, allows a medical staff who work remotely the choice of one share over another. The added value of the project is the realization of a prototype client-server application that allows to support and to follow discretionarily, where necessary, and without a real physical presence, a person who is in a condition of dependency, to detect when an event occurs or does not occur, with the best support methodology available at the time choose the next most appropriate practices for the proper management of any emergency.

It appears the need to assist people without invading their sphere of confidentiality is increasing, ensuring proper support to all those who experience this need without distinction of sex, discrimination and marginalization. Not only the elderly who live alone need to be supported in their daily lives, but also the families who live with one or both aging parents have the same problems if the latter are left alone during the day in the house because of labor problems, the children, the school of the children or other commitments and, not least, for economic problems. The instrument will provide assistance to any person in need of medical care and monitoring, overcome discrimination and without prejudice to any and all social condition by providing equal dignity of every man and every woman. Therefore, it is quite clear that the system can be offered to all social strata.

Given that the project initially involves 20 subjects to be monitored in psycho-attitudinal appropriate use of these technologies and that, in the future, based on the results of the technical experimentation – health achieved will be used for patients with different diseases and different gravity, it is easy to imagine a long list of recipients not only sites in their homes, but also in inpatient facilities, shelter and hospitality in the most diverse living conditions. The monitoring system reveals the status at the time in comparison with that note in order to predict and adopt the best medical care in real time not otherwise be proposed in different conditions. However, before this technology can help thousands of elders, TamTam Technology needs help. That’s why they launched this Kickstarter campaign. The goal of this project is to raise €150,000 by November 29, 2015.

To help bring this innovative hardware to market, please visit the Kickstarter campaign or click here. Perks will be delivered between December 2016. 

Please keep in mind this is an “all-or-nothing” deal, which means if the campaign does not reach the funding goal then the project cannot move forward. So know that any amount given can make a difference, and this is an incredible opportunity to be a part of a special campaign! Help TamTam Technology reach the goal by sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks. The more people know about this, the more support the campaign will receive.

Distributed by :  Crowdfundersseo

Media Contact
Company Name: TamTam Tecnology
Contact Person: L.O.A.D. – Dario Ugenti and Ernesto Nataloni
Email: info@loadonlus.org
Phone: +39 388 928 6524, +39 345 430 6212
Country: Italy
Website: www.loadonlus.org

Source : Press Release Rocket , 23rd Oct 2015

Mentally-challenged Poor Children Suffer in TN

There are over 60,000 differently abled children below the age of six in Tamil Nadu, according to the 2011 census. Nearly 7000 children in the same age group are mentally challenged and at least one per cent is believed to be destitute. All of them fall under the category of children with special needs. Despite the huge number, there is no government-run home for such children.

"The number of destitute and mentally challenged children below 18 years is much higher. Despite our repeated requests to the Social Defence and Social Welfare departments, nothing has been done to take care of the sorrowful plight of these children," said Chezhian Ramu, former Vellore district Child Welfare Committee chairperson.

According to Section 2 (d) of the Juvenile Justice Act of 2000, a child in need of care and protection also includes a child who is mentally or physically challenged or suffering from terminal or incurable disease with none to support.

Rule 47 of the model rules for management of juvenile and special homes stipulates that every state government should run at least one home for a cluster of closely located districts for the destitute mentally challenged and children with multiple disabilities.

These homes should have comprehensive care and rehabilitation centre involving the local communities, NGOs and should include specialized services with inputs from experts or academic institutions. Despite the stipulation, activists say the state government has not opened a single home so far.

However, there are three government-aided homes run by NGOs - Bala Vihar and Arunodayam in Chennai and Arivagam in Mayiladuthurai - which care for both mentally and physically challenged children.

Arunodayam is a reception home where children are kept only temporarily and Bala Vihar, according to activists, has stopped taking in children referred by the government.

So the only home that is still admitting mentally-challenged destitute children is Arivagam, Mayiladuthurai. But this home is battling with a large number of children and scanty resources.

"We now have 228 children, including the hearing and visually impaired, physically and mentally challenged. Our capacity is 100 and 83 of them are bedridden and require attention of doctors. They need periodic medical tests and treatment. We do not have sufficient aid to provide, so we shell out money from our pockets and take them for treatment," said M Gnanasambandam, superintendent, Arivagam Children's Home, Arivagam After Care Organisation, Mayiladuthurai.

He added that many children either run away or go on leave with their families without returning or die a silent death without proper medical care.

"What else can we do. I still admit children with special needs. But what happens after that becomes questionable, as we do not have the required staff and facilities which deprive these children the services needed for their survival and rehabilitation," he added.

The plight of Arivagam and other NGOs and the need for a state-run home was also pointed out in the Comptroller and Auditor General Report, 2008. However, activists claim that the situation remains unchanged till date.

"How is it possible for three NGOs to take in all mentally challenged children from the whole of Tamil Nadu," questioned Chandra Thanikachalam, vice-president, Indian Council for Child Welfare.

"The absence of more such homes force these children to face a lot of trouble in getting admission and their guardians also face difficulties visiting these homes from different parts of the state. We need a different setup and approach for these children. While the state has been progressing in other areas, I hope something concrete comes up in this too," Thanikachalam said.




Source : The New Indian Express , 22nd Oct 2015

Startups electrifying India's automobile dreams

A clutch of startups have emerged to create robust electric and robotic automobiles. They are innovating on core elements of these vehicles, including the battery. These are big bets, and so most are starting small. But the ride is beginning to accelerate, and could change the way India commutes. Less

In early 2013, two IIT-Madras batchmates, Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain, quit their jobs and went back to their alma mater.

Their intention was not further studies. They wanted to make a battery -- one that could be used in electric two wheelers, and which would be far superior in performance than the available ones.

The IIT-Madras startup incubator welcomed them and even provided Rs 5 lakh in funds. That was the start of Ather Energy, which expects to commercialize a high-performance electric scooter in the coming months at a little less than Rs 1 lakh, a price which they say is no more than for an equivalent petrol scooter.
For the two friends, the objective was simple. They wanted to make an electric scooter that feels like a petrol one -- much like what Tesla Motors in the US did with cars. The idea has attracted many, and Ather's funders now include the Central government, Tiger Global, Flipkart founders Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, and Silicon Valley-based big data firm Aerospike's co-founder V Srinivasan.
The scooters will have a top-speed of 72 km per hour and a remarkable 90% battery charge in an hour. The vehicle produces 7 bhp power, only marginally less than the current petrol-based scooters. It will come with a smart dashboard that will enable users to create personalized profiles and choose riding modes, and it will have onboard diagnostics capabilities.
"We expect to start taking bookings by the end of this year. The manufacturing facility is currently being set up in Bengaluru," Mehta says.
Global warming, growing urban pollution and the Tesla inspiration has encouraged several entrepreneurs in India to look at creating new-age vehicles. This might have been unthinkable in India some time ago. But with copious amounts of funding in the startup ecosystem, and a new-found confidence in innovation capabilities, entrepreneurs are treading brave new paths.
Hemlata Annamalai's Coimbatore based Ampere Vehicles, which has received funding from Ratan Tata, sells electric vehicles including cycles, scooters, trolleys and special purpose vehicles for the differently-abled. Most of these are targeted at customers in rural areas.
Annamalai's focus on electric technology goes back to a conference in Tokyo where an auto executive observed that the era of the internal combustion engine would end before long. That convinced her that it was possible to make cost-effective electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers in India. "China was already the leader in e-vehicles, so for us, R&D became a conscious effort in the development of our vision," she says.
Annamalai had done an engineering degree from Bharathiar University in Coimbatore and had then worked at a couple of software firms including Wipro. She had a long stint in Singapore, and it was from here that she decided to return home with her family to establish Ampere. She calls that move the risk of a lifetime. "But we were clear - we wanted to make a difference and solve the problem of rural transportation with affordable electric mobility." She has so far sold 18,000 vehicles.
The crux of any electric vehicle is the battery. And most electric two-wheelers in the country today are powered by batteries imported from China and are usually lead acid battery packs, whose capacity degrades progressively. A typical electric scooter in the market today gives a top speed of 25-40kmph and mileage of 50 kms per charge.
It takes eight hours to charge once. But within a couple of years, their capacity goes down to 15 kms after a full charge.
Battery cost in most cases is roughly one third of the vehicle. For these reasons, Indian companies that distributed these vehicles imported from China, have shut down.
So much of the focus of ventures like Ather and Ampere have been on building better lithium-ion batteries. Ampere has been doing its own R&D to crack the battery problem and even produce them locally , though some components may still be imported from China. Ather too has built a significantly better lithium-ion battery, and Mehta says they are continuing to improve it.
IIT-Kharagpur incubated Auro Robotics is an equally adventurous venture. It's the brainchild of three twenty-something friends working on robotics - Nalin Gupta, Jit Ray Chowdhury and Srinivas Reddy. "At the time of graduation we were clear we wanted to continue in this field," Gupta says.
The venture, which was part of the Summer 2015 batch of Y Combinator, one of the most prestigious startup accelerators in the US, is building driverless vehicles, mostly to provide shuttle services for in-campus travel.
The team has developed a three-dimensional mapping system that helps the shuttle navigate roads safely and smoothly. The lithium-ion battery powered vehicle is also equipped with a GPS system, multi-layered scanners, radar, and a long-range camera.

Currently, they are doing a pilot programme at Santa Clara University in Silicon Valley and will soon start another pilot in a retirement community in the Bay area. The focus on in campus initiatives have allowed the venture to bypass government regulations that would be applicable on public roads, and test their vehicles quickly .

 

Bengaluru-based Lithium, founded by urban development expert and former Nasa scientist Ashwin Mahesh and former Honeywell senior director Sanjay Krishnan, is reworking the Mahindra Reva electric car with technology to make it usable as public transport. Public vehicles carry heavier load, there is more wear and tear, there is more usage of the car, and the car needs to be charged more often.

"All public vehicles were originally created for the retail market. If you want to customize it for public transport, it's millions of dollars of investment. But an electric vehicle is like a Lego box; you can provide different bodies to it," says Krishnan. "Lithium customizes each car engine to improve longevity and the operating metrics of the car, and tune it for public service. It's all about product engineering," he adds.

Mohan Kumar, partner in venture capital firm Norwest Venture Partners, is cautiously optimistic about these ventures. "Fast forward a few years from now, you will need innovation. Startups have come up because the large companies are happy with the status quo. They might not deliver a VC kind of return, but it is a bet I would take if innovations are happening in core technology like battery longevity and capacity, faster charging and software optimization for better output," he says.

However, he notes that lack of government encouragement and infrastructure facilities like ample charging spots could adversely impact these startups.

Source : TOI, 23rd Oct 2015

Next-gen London Taxi unveiled, may head to India

The iconic London Taxi company has unveiled the next generation of the London Taxi in the UK. The prototype is called the TX5. London Taxi Company has been bought out by Geely, a Chinese automobile manufacturer, who also own Volvo Cars.

                    Rows of London Taxi prototypes, the TX 5.



Geely claim that the new prototype has been developed from scratch, however some styling cues were taken from the iconic London cab which is evident when one looks at the car. Despite it being instantly recognizable as a close cousin to the London cab, the new taxi has been designed with features that fit the requirement of modern travelers and comply with government restrictions. The TX5 has been designed from the ground up.

Earlier, London Cabs were not only iconic but they were known for being cramped. Now the core feature of the design was to improve the comfort level for the drivers and passengers. Rear doors are hinged at the back like a Rolls Royce Wraith or Phantom. These are called Suicide doors and make it easier for the passengers to get in and out of the cars easily.

Moreover, there is space for a forward facing wheelchair making it easier for senior citizens and differently-abled people. Additional features of the prototype include a panoramic glass roof, Wi-Fi internet capability and charging points for drivers and passengers. The TX5 is a six seater which is an upgrade from the standard taxi. 

As reported by IndianCarsandBikes, the Tx5 is, in essence, a hybrid vehicle powered by an electric motor.  The batteries are also equipped by a range extender to reduce range anxiety and improve reliability.

Moreover, the TX5 is a zero emissions vehicle, thereby complying to London laws where all taxis have to be zero-emission vehicles by 2018. The TX5 comes with a four cylinder petrol engine that acts as a range extender.

The TX5 prototype taxi was unveiled in the presence of the Duke of Cambridge, Duchess of Cambridge and the Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is on a four-day visit to the UK. The taxi will go on sale at the end of 2017 and will be exported to the international market by 2018. 

Source : India today , 22nd Oct 2015

50 Couples get hitched in eco-friendly mass marriages organised by Inner Wheel Club of Delhi Midtown

The Inner Wheel Club of Delhi Midtown under an initiative against dowry and to provide the support to the under privileged girls conducted a mass marriage ceremony where 50 couples tied the nuptial knot. The function was attended by more than 300 guests including family members and friends.

While all the Hindu couples came from Delhi some brides and bridegrooms came from other regions i.e. Gurgaon, Ghaziabad, Faridabad, Bareilly, Hapur, Varanasi etc. Among the brides two were widows and married again whereas one of them is physically challenged. The simple ceremony began with traditional Jaymala. The ceremony was marked by austerity as the newly-wed couples along with their families, friends and relatives took lunch from the community kitchen provided by the Inner Wheel Club of Delhi Midtown.

All the 50 couples were given the counselling on family planning before the function begins and the registrar was also present there to give the marriage certificates on the spot to all the couples. Inner Wheel Club of Delhi Midtown also provided the basic items to the couples like bed, gas cylinders, blankets, bedsheets, utensils etc.

Speaking on the occasion, Mrs. Asha Walia, District Chairman said, “We feel proud facilitating it for financially weaker section and we also take it as our responsibility towards the society. We always try to reach out to the maximum people with all possible support. These marriage ceremonies are all about having a lifetime relations with all these couples. We will be providing other helps to them in future as well.”

Sharing her experience about the ceremony, Mrs. Neena Jain, President, Inner Wheel Club of Delhi Midtown said, “It’s difficult to express the feelings during such marriage ceremonies as we feel connected like a family with all the couples. We also make sure to fulfil our responsibilities of providing them the family planning counselling, marriage certificates, basic items for a small family so they do not face any issues in future. We also keep In touch with them and ensure a smooth and happy married life.”

Inner Wheel Club of Delhi Midtown has been conducting mass marriages from last 40 years and till now has done more than 150 such ceremonies. Dr. V. Mohini Giri, Chairperson, Guild For Services has been very helpful in finding the couples and giving them regular counselling.



Source : India Education Diary , 25th Oct 2015
   

Project aims to meet growing demand for special education professionals

To increase the number of highly qualified and certified professionals in the early childhood special education field, Northern Arizona University has launched a graduate level program to train scholars to meet the unique needs of children with disabilities.


NAU was awarded $1.25 million by the Office of Special Education Programs to help launch Project STRIDE, Strengthening Rural Inclusive Diverse Early Educators. During the five-year program, 25 teaching scholars will earn master’s in education degrees to help fill the demand in communities across Arizona.


“We believe this project offers individuals from rural and culturally diverse communities the opportunity to become highly credentialed early childhood special educators,” said Karen Applequist, professor of education specialties in NAU’s College of Education. “Scholars will be trained in evidence-based practices that best support young children with disabilities and their families.”


The program aims to prepare teaching professionals to educate children under age eight with differing abilities and special needs by delivering a unified curriculum.


STRIDE scholars will participate in summer orientations focused on topics such as cultural diversity and assistive technology. All coursework will be delivered online. Scholars must complete 10 credits of internship or student teaching with children with disabilities under age five.


NAU is only one of two graduate programs in the state that prepares professionals in early childhood special education. For information, contact Karen Applequist.


Source : Northern Arizona University , 21st Oct 2015

Check out the wheelchair that can climb stairs

This wheelchair might drastically reduce the difficulties faced by the physically disabled.

The world has been many technological revolutions and innovative inventions. Here's one more to that list - a two wheeled wheelchair that could prove really useful for people with physical disabilities.

This Scalevo chair uses two rubber treaded tracks which is mounted on its bottom. The wheelchair can climb up and down the stairs with a slope between 17 to 34 degrees without the user losing the balance and staying upright throughout.

It balances on two main wheels and uses retractable tracks which makes it easier to rotate and change direction quickly.

Source: viralthread

It has been created by a student team of 10 studying Mechanical and Electrical engineering at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. They are planning to come up with a campaign to make this product available for the masses.

Everything on the wheelchair is automated. While climbing the stairs, the velocity needs to be controlled, but the alignment and leveling of the wheelchair is automatic. There is back facing camera attached so that the user can view the back and have a safe drive.

What do you think of this innovation?

Source : India Today , 22nd Oct 2015