Digital Empowerment of Students with Visual Disabilities
Saksham is implementing a transformative initiative focused on the digital empowerment of students with visual disabilities through assistive technology solutions for education and independent living. The project aims to bridge accessibility gaps and create equal learning opportunities for visually impaired students across Maharashtra.
The initiative supports visually impaired students by providing accessible technology, digital learning tools, tactile educational resources, and specialized training. The project focuses on enabling students to become more independent in their education while improving digital literacy, academic performance, and future career readiness.
The project will benefit 120 visually impaired students (blind and low vision), aged 13–18 years, studying in government and private blind schools across Nagpur, Nanded, Nashik, Jalna, Latur, and Pune in Maharashtra. The initiative especially focuses on students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, including children from BPL families and those with limited educational support.
The project includes:
- Distribution of laptops equipped with screen readers (INDO-NVDA)
- Provision of tactile STEM learning materials
- Conversion of textbooks into accessible digital formats
- Training sessions for students on assistive technology usage
- Capacity-building workshops for special educators
- Development of accessible digital libraries through Sugamya Pustakalaya integration
- Ongoing technical support and monitoring for beneficiaries
Through this initiative, Saksham aims to:
- Enhance digital literacy among visually impaired students
- Improve access to accessible educational content
- Increase independence in learning
- Strengthen STEM education accessibility
- Build the capacity of special educators
- Improve opportunities for higher education and employment readiness for visually impaired youth
The project is being implemented in collaboration with selected blind schools across Maharashtra. The implementation includes planning, device distribution, educator training, classroom integration, community engagement, and post-implementation support. Special emphasis is placed on integrating assistive technology into daily classroom learning and enhancing access to STEM education.
Schools Covered
The project is being implemented in eight schools for visually impaired students across Maharashtra, including institutions in Nagpur, Pune, Jalna, Latur, Nashik, and Nanded.
Duration
The project duration is 12 months, with continued support mechanisms to ensure long-term impact and sustainability for the beneficiaries.