Well done Vibhu, your achievements are a showpiece for us. With determination and adequate support and reasonable accommodation nothing is impossible. And before my mail is labelled as only a congratulatory mail, let me add some information. Visually impaired students should take up computer science related subjects in school if they have interest. However, it is important that they are well supported and guided by the school, an NGO or an expert. At times it is necessary to work out alternative methods for accomplishing the tasks given in the syllabus. The software tools used in the school may not be accessible but the same results can be achieved with alternate tools that are accessible.
As per my information CBSE purchased screen reading software and established a special examination centre for Vibhu and Kartik. They had earlier discussed with me the possibility of holding the examination in the well-equipped computer labs of an NGO. I think it would have been a good option. Nevertheless our young starts faced the challenges with courage and have come out shining. The students of NAB Delhi who are also studying through integrated system have also scored very well. Avichal is the top scorer among them with 92%. The bar is being raised by our youngsters every year. Now there is competition among the visually impaired for the best seats in colleges.<smile> Congrats once again to Vibhu and other students for their brilliant results. Prashant -----Original Message----- From: AccessIndia [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of vibhu sharma Sent: 30 May 2013 10:11 To: accessindia Subject: Re: [AI] Empowerment by CBSE for Visually Challenged - Effort Done! Dear All In continuation to my earlier mail, regarding my class XII examines and results, I must share with you that, in class XI, when I had to choose the five subjects that I wanted to study, I chose Multimedia and Web Technology. I faced a lot of reluctance from lot of people, because it was felt, that I would not be able to handle this subject due to the usage of software like Photoshop and Flash, and questions of screenshots. At that time, Mr. Dipendra Manocha and Mr. Prashant Verma, most determinably supported me, the two worthy members of accessindia. In fact, Mr. Dipendra Manocha constantly wrote convincing letters to explain how I could handle the subject, and Mr. Prashant Verma himself, went with me to the CBSE office to convince them to give me alternate questions in lieu of the questions that required a visual input, or to explain the screenshots in words, so that I could write the HTML, vbscript or ASP codes. I took home tuitions for this subject, and Mr. Verma met and guided him. Today, after two years of their constant support and help provided to me particularly in handeling this subject, I have emerged as a subject topper in this subject with 93%. I attribute my achievement to them, and want to thank them for their continuous support and guidance. A big thank Sirs Thanks and regards Vibhu Sharma On 5/28/13, vibhu sharma <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear All > > Greetings! > > In March this year, I appeared for CBSE Class XII exams. The results > were declared yesterday. I have been a student of Delhi Public School, > Rohini. > > I am glad to share with you all, that with the grace of god, and > never-ending support of my parents and teachers, along with the school > principal, Ms. Rita Sen, I got an aggregate of 90%. While my subjects > were English, Psychology, Sociology, Political Science, and Multimedia > and Web Technology, I stand a subject topper in Multimedia and Web > Technology with a percentile of 93%. > > In fact, I was the first visually challenged student to have written > my Class XII Board exams on the computer with the help of JAWS along > with my Question Paper provided to me on computer itself in accessible > format such as Microsoft Word. > > As if now, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), allowed > the visually challenged students to write their answers on the > computer, but the Question Paper was read out to them by someone else. > Once, I started using computer with the help of Screen Reading > technology, I always felt more independent, and I felt that if someone > else read out my Question Paper to me, it restricted my freedom to > move through my Question Paper independently. So, I put this forth to > my school principal, who diligently helped me to pursue it with the > board. > > So, the computer that was provided to me, was loaded with JAWS. A CBSE > personnel was present at the center as well. The Question Paper was > scanned, edited and then given to me after which, I was given the time > to answer my paper. In fact, it is noteworthy, that all the time, that > went into scanning and editing, was not deducted out of the student's > time to answer the paper. The students, who gave their exams under > this provision were given 15 minutes to read the Question Paper, three > hours to answer it, under the board examination scheme, and an > additional hour given to persons with disability. > > While it is a dream come true for all of us, it is my pleasure, as > well as a responsibility to share with you that my school Principal, > had helped me pursue it with the board. Naturally, it wasn't an easy > task, but for more than a year, my school Principal, Special Educator, > and my parents along with me, had been pursuing this with the board > and finally we have been successful. > > In fact, I had to go to the CBSE office several times, to give them a > demo of how I used computer, to explain them why I wanted it, and how > it made persons who are visually challenged independent. Of course, > there were disappointments, worries, but we never gave up, and > finally, just 2 days before the Board Exams, the CBSE took a giant > step in the empowerment of the visually challenged individuals by > allowing all visually challenged students to use computer with JAWS, a > major policy change! Giving the visually challenged students their > right to answer their papers independently! > > I hereby acknowledge and thank my school principal, Mr. Vaneet Joshi, > the chairman CBSE, Mr. M. C. Sharma the Controller of Examination, > CBSE, and the members of the committee that was formed to resolve > this. > > Thanks and regards > Vibhu Sharma > Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessind ia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] 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.. Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessindia.org.in Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] 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..
