CHENNAI: In a novel initiative named ‘BLINK’, students of IIT-Madras have been working with city organisations to transform the pedagogy of the visually impaired, particularly for those in primary and secondary schools. The campaign has reached out to over 200 students so far and the team is currently looking to expand its reach to other cities in Tamil Nadu.
Students identified lack of Braille literacy as a primary pedagogical issue and aimed to make Braille learning fun and interactive to tackle this problem. They have developed 3D printed interactive puzzles as an alternative to traditional forms of Braille learning. Currently, the team is printing these puzzles at the institute’s 3D printing lab at the Engineering Design Department, but plans are afoot to outsource production.
The team has received positive reviews from their partners, particularly Nethrodaya Trust.The team is focusing on ensuring a well-rounded curriculum for visually impaired. They have collaborated with Master Yourself Academy, to train visually impaired students in communication and arts.
The team has received good support for this initiative. Another aspect that the campaign is focusing on is integration of visually impaired students with the rest of society. The team conducted cricket matches for the blind and chess exhibition at IIT-M in October where institute students played alongside the visually impaired. BLINK has received the support of NGOs, such as Samarthanam Trust, Indian Vision Institute, Green Life Foundation and Nethrodaya, the release said.