And do not forget to teach formatting; your readers will be sighted and a badly formatted document is a serious turn off.
-----Original Message----- From: AccessIndia [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of kanchan Pamnani Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 1:42 PM To: AccessIndia: a list for discussing accessibility and issuesconcerning the disabled. Subject: Re: [AI] 2 Better Than 1? Being A Scribe For A Visually Impaired- Akanksha Mittal. Dont forget to teach grammar and spellings. Spell check is not the complete answer. Kanchan Pamnani Advocate & Solicitor 9, Suleman Chambers, Battery Street, Colaba, Mumbai - 400 039. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Prashant Verma" <[email protected]> To: "'AccessIndia: a list for discussing accessibility and issues concerningthe disabled.'" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 1:28 PM Subject: Re: [AI] 2 Better Than 1? Being A Scribe For A Visually Impaired- Akanksha Mittal. > Dependence upon scribes and misuse of scribes is indeed a real problem. > At NAB Delhi we have started a project titled "technology aided education > of > the blind" to make students independent in reading and writing thereby > eliminating the dependence upon scribes. > Under this project, our students of class 6 and above will get personal > laptops and students of class 3 to 5 will get computer training. > The target is to make sure all blind studetns of classe 6 and above are > able > to read the computer to read books and write their exams. > I hope in the years to come, our students will write their exams > themselves. > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: AccessIndia [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf > Of George Abraham > Sent: 17 March 2015 07:42 > To: 'AccessIndia: a list for discussing accessibility and issues > concerning > the disabled.' > Subject: Re: [AI] 2 Better Than 1? Being A Scribe For A Visually > Impaired - > Akanksha Mittal. > > Systems of examinations should change so that our dependency on other > people like scribes would be reduced. For new systems to work our > primary/secondary education also has to evolve to being more technology > based. VIs not being tech competent cannot be a reason to not use online > processes. VIs have to empower themselves. That is a challenge. In the > transition period, there would be a number of people who will find the > computer/online processes tough. We need to focus on empowerment. > > -----Original Message----- > From: AccessIndia [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf > Of Vamshi. G > Sent: 16 March 2015 19:54 > To: AccessIndia: a list for discussing accessibility and issues concerning > the disabled. > Subject: Re: [AI] 2 Better Than 1? Being A Scribe For A Visually > Impaired - > Akanksha Mittal. > > The problem with examinations on computers is the lack of knowledge of the > same for many visually challenged. I myself was not aware of screen > readers > till my 25th year. > > > > > On 3/16/15, Kartik Sawhney <[email protected]> wrote: >> Completely agreed >> >> On 3/15/15, bala9119 <[email protected]> wrote: >>> They say experience is the best teacher. And two experiences then are >>> better teachers, I guess. So here are two such experiences that gave >>> me two entirely different perspectives, yet zeroing down to perhaps >>> just one conclusion. The Staff Selection Commission conducts >>> examinations for graduates and post graduates for various government >>> posts, apart from UPSC and DSSSB. Examinations for the posts that can >>> be taken up by Visually Impaired Students have the provision of >>> Scribes to make the examination smooth and accessible to the students. >>> Keeping aside the whole debatable concept of "posts that can be taken >>> up by the Visually Impaired", here I am going to discuss two such >>> instances when I became a Scribe for a few Visually Impaired persons >>> appearing for the SSC Examinations. >>> >>> >>> >>> During my first attempt at writing the paper for a visually impaired >>> person, I went through three hours of emotional blackmailing by the >>> candidate trying to cajole me into filling up the answers for him >>> through my knowledge. I was caught in an ugly position where in the >>> name of philanthropy I was actually cheating with the consent of the >>> system! There are mathematical questions that a student with visual >>> impairment has to answer which perhaps cannot be solved without using >>> aids such as an Abacus or a Calculator. Having been accustomed to >>> using the Abacus, two of the candidates I wrote the exam for found it >>> difficult to calculate on their fingertips. >>> >>> Further, repeating the questions thrice and asking them to repeat >>> their choice of answers umpteen times leads to wasteful use of time. >>> In that sense, even the provision of extra time of 20-40 minutes for >>> the visually impaired students is sometimes not enough and sometimes >>> not legitimate. If the scribe is honestly not doing the candidate's >>> paper then the former applies and if the scribe is "helping" the >>> candidate with his answers then the latter. >>> >>> To err is human. And having to bear the brunt of someone else's >>> mistake in something that perhaps decides your mode of earning a >>> livelihood is exploitative. The visually impaired student places a >>> lot of trust in the scribe who is marking his/her answers and is >>> perhaps never going to be able to find out what went wrong if his >>> scribes just could not answer the same way the candidate wants >>> him/her to. Who is to blame? >>> >>> The second experience pointed to the inefficiency of the examination >>> system further. The scribes are paid a remuneration of Rs. 500 by the >>> Government for being present at the examination centre during all the >>> shifts in which the exams are conducted on a single day. Whether a >>> scribe actually writes an exam for a candidate or not is not the >>> concern. So technically, you can just plan a get together with your >>> friends one pleasant Sunday afternoon, decide to mark your attendance >>> as a scribe during the morning and afternoon sessions and get paid >>> for just two signatures and catching up with your friends. And that >>> is exactly what I saw a group of people doing there who were selected >>> as scribes without any preliminary screening apart from meeting the >>> minimum requirement of being a class 12 graduate. >>> >>> What happens on rainy days when the candidates do not appear for the >>> examination but the scribes do? The government pays a handsome amount >>> to people for no work done by them. One such rainy day was the second >>> time I decided to write the examination for a visually impaired, when >>> most candidates missed their exam owing to the rain. >>> >>> There is no denying that the government spends money in trying to >>> make the exams more accessible to candidates with special needs. How >>> much of this expenditure actually benefits them is the question. It >>> would perhaps do some good if the government spent the same amount of >>> money in providing the candidates with computers that would read out >>> the question papers to the candidates who can then mark the answers >>> with their own hand. Various countries like Spain actually use such >>> an approach towards examinations. >>> >>> Providing reservations to candidates with special needs is not the >>> solution. Giving them equal opportunity to perform to the best of >>> their capability is what is needed. In the words of an invigilator at >>> the SSC examination, "Getting jobs through the 3% reservation for >>> people with disabilities might succeed at giving them a livelihood, >>> but they are sometimes more a liability to the government offices >>> than assets". >>> >>> There is no denying that every person has the capability to perform >>> like any other. All that we need is an equal opportunity to do that, >>> which the current examination structure does not succeed in providing. >>> Directing the expenditure towards the development of better >>> infrastructure would perhaps be a more intelligent choice than just >>> spending it because you believe you have so much of it! >>> >>> Source: >>> > http://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2011/08/two-better-than-one-being-a-scribe-for- > a-visually-impaired-in-an-exam/ >>> -- >>> "It doesn't matter what we have, but it really matters what we do >>> with what we have." >>> >>> With Sincere Regards >>> >>> Balanagendran. D >>> IAS Aspirant >>> Skype: balanagendran >>> Twitter: >>> http://twitter.com/balanagendran89 >>> >>> >>> >>> Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing >>> accessibility of mobile phones / Tabs on: >>> > http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessin > dia.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.. >>> >> >> >> -- >> -Kartik Sawhney, >> Cell: +1-(650) 492-3220 (US), +91-9958499435 (India) >> E-mail ID: [email protected], [email protected] >> linkedin.com/in/kartiksawhney/ >> >> >> >> Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility > of >> mobile phones / Tabs on: >> > http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessin > dia.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.. >> > > > -- > G. Vamshi > Mobile: +91 9949349497 > Skype: gvamshi81 > > www.retinaindia.org > From darkness unto light > > > > Register at the dedicated AccessIndia list for discussing accessibility of > mobile phones / Tabs on: > http://mail.accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/mobile.accessindia_accessin > dia.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_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.o rg.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.o rg.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..
