New tech helps visually-challenged students write SSC in digital mode

Vijayawada: For the first time in Andhra Pradesh and in India, visually-impaired students attended the SSC final examination without the help of scribes (reader or writer). In all, six students attended the examination and wrote the answers on computers by typing on keyboard.

The state education department has imparted training to these children on use of Non-Visible Desk Top Access (NVDTA) software which helps children hear the lessons and questions on computers. Six SSC students, Divya Sri, Polimera Chatrika, Ekula Sowmya, M Sridhatri, Uppara Nagaratnamma and Chunchugari Pavani, attended the SSC final examination at the government high school in Raptadu mandal of Anantapur district on Monday, the first day of the SSC examinations. These six girl students belong to Rural Development Trust inclusive high school of Anantapur.

The Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan extended technical help to these children to learn and practise the subjects Maths, Science and Telugu. The state education department is planning to conduct the digital examinations to all visually-impaired children by 2025 and the first test was conducted on Monday.

Students after many months of practice are able to understand the questions and write the examination on computers with keyboard. The whole process of practising and writing the examination on computers is known as Digital Examination.

The printed examination question paper was converted into digital question paper which was audible to the students.

The digital question paper was uploaded in the computers by the examination centre staff and it helped the students to answer typing the keyboard. It was a memorable and joyful day for these six girl students as they attended the examination and answered the questions without the help of others, the readers or writers.

Earlier, the visually-challenged students wrote the examination with the help of scribe (reader or writer). But, for the first time in the state, six students appeared the SSC examination independently wrote themselves.

The Non-Visible Desk Top Access software is very useful to the visually-impaired children to learn other subjects and prepare for other examinations. The Sarva Shiksha officials said Rural Development Trust (Anantapur) with the help of Chakshumati NGO imparted training to 400 teachers on usage of Non-Visible Desk Top access software technology.

According to education department, 1,350 visually-impaired children are studying in the government schools. The state government is planning to distribute Tabs to these children and giving devices free of cost and sanctioning allowances.