Parents of disabled kids, activists see future in digital learning

“I was very happy when my marks came out. I trained under Shankar Subbiah sir in Chennai, who taught me how to use technology for my studies. I hope that other children with disabilities would also learn how to use technology like me and become independent,” said Oviya.

According to her mother, Kokila Vijayaraj, her daughter found her love for learning only once she was able to access the right technology to suit her special needs. “When Oviya was in Class 5, we moved to an inclusive school in Chennai. We visited the Anna Library to find Braille books. That was when we were introduced to the assistive technology expert Mr Subbiah. That was the first time I saw her joy for studying,” she said.

Assistive technology and training is crucial for children with disability, according to K Raghuraman, co-ordinator, Karna Vidya Foundation, an NGO that teaches visually-impaired technical and computer skills.

“This gives visually impaired children the self-reliance to write their examinations, without the need for a scribe,” he said.

Meanwhile, a survey conducted by an Indian community-based organisation Swabhiman revealed that 43 per cent of children with disabilities plan on dropping out of online classes due to the difficulties posed by online classes.