A software to answer the prayers

Good news for visually impaired students in Bhutan and the world.

Here is a story I copied from Bhutan Observer the second private news and media company in Bhutan.

Trashigang: Starting this year, teaching and learning of Dzongkha for the visually impaired at the National Institute for Disabled (NID), Khaling will become easier with the launching of the new Dzongkha Braille translation software.

Dorji Tshewang, Curriculum officer of the Ministry of Education said the main reason for launching the software was to make available the new text books for the visually impaired students.

Till now, the visually impaired students had to share text books since there were no sufficient text books hampering their performance. Lopen Karma Norbu of NID said the students had a difficult time rotating the text books of Dzongkha and English.

“From this year, it would be more convenient for the students with individual text books and I feel that they will perform better,” he added.

Dorji Tshewang said the software would also help integrate the school for disables with normal schools in future.

Earlier, teachers had to punch Dzongkha text books into Braille. But the software, which was developed by IIT Kharagpur, India, will enable teachers to translate Dzongkha text books into Braille.

Teachers and lecturers were not trained to translate the text books but this year, they are trained to do so.. Some 18 teachers and lecturers of NID and NIE are attending a 20-day orientation programme at Rangjung Higher Secondary School. The orientation was funded by the Royal Government of Bhutan and UNICEF with the budget of Nu.04 million.

With one translation, teachers would be able to Braille-emboss many numbers of text books. The English Braille translation software was first introduced in 2002.

Kishore Kumar, the coordinator of the workshop said previously, teachers had to manually punch the text books, which was difficult.

“The Dzongkha Braille translation software would reduce the burden of punching text books for teachers,” he said. He added that they can now have library with books in Braille other than text books for the visually impaired.

As of today, there are a few library books in Braille, which was donated by some well wishers in 1950s.

There are 51 visually impaired students in NID. Three are studying in Sherubtse College. As per the survey conducted by the Community Rehabilitation Centre, about 10 percent of the country’s population were disabled.

All rights reserved with Bhutan Observer.