"Then
suddenly, I knew not how or where or when, my brain felt the
impact of another mind, and I awoke to language, to knowledge,
to love, to the usual concepts of nature, good and evil...
I was actually lifted from nothingness to human
life.”
--Dr.
Ms. Helen Keller (1880-1968)
“I
seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad.
Perhaps there is just a touch of yearning at times; but
it is vague, like a breeze among flowers.”
--Dr. Ms. Helen Keller
M.A.
Rangoonwala Foundation Computerised Mini Braille Press -
Byculla (est. 2002)
An
integral function of the Helen Keller Institute is the
Computerised Mini Braille Press, a pioneering project for the
deaf and deafblind of
India
. Many deaf and deafblind work for the Helen Keller
Computerised Mini Braille Press doing various computer-related
programming and designing.
The young deaf adults are trained in graphic design and
produce cards and tactile graphic educational material.
The blind, being proficient in braille, help to
proofread the material and instruction in braille. The high
functioning deaf-blind learn to use various Advanced
Technological Equipment such as the Power Brailler, Braille
Embosser, Tiger Advantage and Mountbatten Brailler.
With these resources, our deaf-blind persons produce
tactile/graphic materials such as greeting cards, calendars,
and other educational materials including science experiments,
cards, a Human Anatomy, an Indian Atlas, and other books in
Braille and Print. Other
aims include: Braille skills; English Language Development;
and tutoring for S.S.C. (Secondary School Certificate).
The
Braille Embosser produces braille prints and is used primarily
to print our newsletter "Deafblindness in
Asia
- A Communication Link".
Pradip
Sinha (Deafblind) uses the Power Brailler.
It helps the deafblind to read the text from the screen
on Braille. 
A
deafblind person communicates with a layperson using an Electronic
Braille Display
Computer
Education Program at HKIDB - Vashi (est. 2002)
The
Vashi Institute was developed for the education and betterment
of young deaf and deafblind students of
India
. Deaf
students have been introduced to computers at an early age and
are first taught the basic operational functions.
They are encouraged to use their imagination to incept
images onto the screen.
Using
a state of the art touch-screen computer, three
deaf-low-vision students work together to learn the
intricacies of the computer
The
deaf-blind students
face greater challenges in learning and must be taught with
specialized computers. They
first learn to use the Braille typewriter
For
the younger deaf-low-vision students, sophisticated
touch-screen monitors help with essential concepts such as
identification. Video
enhancers enable low-vision students to read their books on a
magnifying monitor.
Program
for the Deaf
is also monitored under the K-10
project. This
project envisages giving full computer education training to
the staff, and in turn, the staff teaches the deaf students,
as seen below. The
K-10 project also monitors how the staff imparts computer
education to the students.
Helen
Keller Institute for Deaf & Deafblind
Aditya Birla Centre, Vashi, Navi Mumbai
Tel: 2778 2193 / 2778 2214 / 2778 1226 / 2778 2108
Email: hkivashi@vsnl.net
hkidbttc@vsnl.net
Website: www.helenkelleridb-mumbai.org
