Hi all, Posting this on behalf of Vision-Aid. Feel free to share on other groups that you may be a part of.
-------- An Exciting Program from Vision-Aid Computer Programming Classes for the Visually Challenged Applications for Fall Semester 2018 Open. Limited Enrollment. Apply soon! Overview Are you a visually impaired or blind person who wants to learn computer programming? Vision-Aid is continuing with an exciting program to teach Python programming. After successfully teaching computer programming for the visually impaired in 2016, 2017 and spring semester of 2018, we are thrilled to offer an even more comprehensive program in the Fall semester of 2018. There have been some recent changes in the program and admissions policy. Please review this message carefully. Schedule The Fall session class begins on September 4th, 2018 and ends on December 31st, 2018. The course will run for around around 14 weeks. Opportunity to participate in Hackathon Students who successfully complete the course will be invited to attend a hackathon for the visually impaired organized by iStem, Vision-Aid and other leading organizations in India. All travel and lodging expenses for the conference will be borne by Vision-Aid and sponsors, and students will have a unique opportunity to meet with the top IT companies in Bangalore, the technology hub of India to explore employment opportunities and to gain valuable experience in this unique event. Completing students will also be eligible for scholarships, internships and more. Financial Aid for MIT/Stanford Online Courses For students who successfully complete this program, Vision-Aid, in collaboration with iStem, will further offer scholarships and mentorship, to pursue advanced programming courses from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Stanford Universities in the US and other leading institutions via the edX.org and Coursera platforms. (Note: Many of our students have successfully obtained such certificates via this program). Students will also be eligible to apply for internships and placement opportunities. About the Course During this program, the students will be introduced to computer science and programming concepts using Python, one of the most popular languages for getting started with computer programming. Students in this Vision-Aid program will learn from the experts in the field using the best online learning resources. The classes will be offered over SKYPE/ZOOM. Each student will be paired with a teacher who will work with the student to guide them through the course material. The course will have a midterm and final exam. Students who complete the course will be awarded with a Vision-Aid certificate in Programming. Cost Vision-Aid is pleased to offer this course free of cost to the students. However, students are required to have their own laptops/computer and a good internet connection. Please note this semester we have waived the advance refundable deposit requirement which was required in the past. Admission Criteria No prior computer programming experience is necessary, but some pre-requisites do apply. The application form will outline these pre-requisites. After receipt of your application, Vision-Aid will conduct an assessment and enroll qualified students. Each admitted student will go through a screening process via a personal conversation /interview. After admitting the students, we will do a complete assessment and then students will be placed in beginner or advanced classes. Starting in this semester, students will be required to complete a placement test and interview as part of the admissions process. Time Commitment and Coursework Completion Requirements This course is an intense programming course. It will require a minimum of 10-15 hours of dedicated study and homework each week. Students who do not put in the required time and effort may find it very difficult to complete the course and master the concepts. Therefore, regular attendance and time commitment are very important. A student should apply to the course only if they are sure they can invest the needed time for the entire duration of the course. Once admitted a student MUST commit to attending all classes regularly without exception. Any student who misses more than 2 classes without prior written permission from the program coordinator may be automatically dropped from the course and asked to reapply to the next round of classes, and someone on the waitlist will be allocated their space. There is no minimum passing grade required, however, students are required to submit all homework assignments, mid-term and final exams on time. Only a teacher can recommend an extension if needed. Why you should join? We believe in training the students, so they can be lifelong learners, and reach their highest potential. We encourage and guide our students to participate in Hackathons such as the iStem hackathon at IIIT Bangalore. Vision-Aid students have earned MOOC certificates from MIT and Stanford and some have also secured excellent advanced learning and employment opportunities. Please view the following Videos of some of our Vision- Aid star students – Aditi and Bhargav. https://youtu.be/KNhyKfJ1Xck How to apply Please fill out the form below. Please note that the demand for the course in prior semesters has been strong and we have quickly filled up the course and reached wait list status. Admission of qualified students is on first come first serve basis. You are encouraged to apply early if you are really interested! Click the link below. https://tinyurl.com/zsj35th Application Deadline The applications are due by Aug 20th, 2018. The admission results will be announced by September 1st, 2018 and classes will start by September 4th, 2018 and will run through December 21, 2018. Questions? If you have any additional questions on the program, please send us an email to i...@visionaid.org. Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/accessindia@accessindia.org.in/ To unsubscribe send a message to accessindia-requ...@accessindia.org.in with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in Disclaimer: 1. Contents of the mails, factual, or otherwise, reflect the thinking of the person sending the mail and AI in no way relates itself to its veracity; 2. AI cannot be held liable for any commission/omission based on the mails sent through this mailing list..
