Activities

COMPUTER TRAINING FOR VISUALLY CHALLENGED

Devnar School for the Blind is a centre for best computer education. This is the first institution in India, to start special computer training for visually challenged in the year 2001. We have the best faculty to teach computers with the help of special softwares.

Special softwares like JAWS, KURZWEIL, MAGIC etc, are being used for teaching computer courses. We are providing computer education from 6th class to 10th class. A class-wise syllabus has been prepared. We are training the children to operate the system using KEYBOARD with the help of special softwares.

Software for Visually challenged are:

1.	JAWS Job Access With Speech(JAWS) is a screen reading software and in short it is called JAWS. This software is specially developed for the visually challenged. It is based on Microsoft Windows operating system and useful for many Microsoft software products. JAWS basically converts the normal computer into a talking computer, thus enabling the blind person to work on computer independently. We will be using JAWS to learn different applications in Microsoft Office, learning different languages like C, C++, Java, etc and to access Internet like browsing, creating E mail ID, sending mails, opening the E mails etc. It can make visually challenged person comfortable to use Microsoft Office and other software products. Installation of JAWS is not complicated. However, to start with, instructor will install JAWS. The visually challenged person can install JAWS if he or she so desires. We will not make JAWS loaded automatically when the computer is switched on. The person who wants to use it will invoke JAWS.
2.	Kurzweil Kurzweil is a software used for reading printed text. A scanner is used to scan the printed text. The Kurzweil software commands the local scanner, connected to the computer, to scan the printed matter and obtains the image of the text page. The scanned image is in the form of photograph of the text page. This photographic text is then converted to actual characters by OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software incorporated in Kurzweil monitor screen. Screen reader transforms the text on monitor screen to voice. In this way the visually challenged person can listen to the printed text interpreted by screen reading software. The printed matter should be placed on the glass plate of the scanner facing the glass plate. The direction of the printed matter is immaterial as Kurzweil will take care and read it in the right direction.
3.	Magic Magic is the software used by a person with low vision. Here the text is magnified so that a person with low vision can see the text on the screen with the help of this software. The person can use mouse as he can see the magnified image of cursor on the monitor screen. MAGic has screen reader option also. Therefore, in addition to seeing the enlarged text, a person can hear what he sees.
4.	Low Vision Clinic enhances the learning abilities of the partially sighted children who use the zoom text on the monitor.
5.	Prisma Magnifier: Prisma is a teaching aid which magnifies the text and diagram on the monitor of the computer and it can be adjusted to the comfort level of children with low vision.
6.	Mountbatten Electronic Braille Writer: Our students use the key board to print the matter in Braille which is transcribed to normal text and vice versa in a matter of seconds. The equipment enables the student to write examinations on his own, dispensing with the usual practice of scribes as done hitherto.
7.	Science Lab: Even with Braille text - books and embossed diagrams, detailed structures are hard for the students to perceive, because of their intricacy and complexity. To combat this difficulty, Devnar Science Lab has more than 50 tactile models ingeniously prepared and originally designed by the Biology teacher, Mr. Egbert Dawson. The students are able to score more than 95% in science with the help of these assistive devices and the exhibit “fractional distillation of petroleum” won a silver medal in the 93rd National Science Congress.
8.	Devnar Printing Press prints all the text books in Braille for the benefit of visually challenged students studying in AP and are supplied free of cost. Devotional and religious books are also printed and Devnar School got entry into the LIMCA BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS for printing Bhagawad Gita in Braille. Printing of text books is sponsored by companies like Amway, U.B.S. and others. Dictionaries and grammar books are also printed in Devnar School and supplied to other schools. Stories in English, Hindi and Telugu add to the reading pleasures of students.
9.	Devnar Library: Devnar School Library is one of the best in India. The students use the library and enter the magic world of fiction and fantasy. There are also books on General Knowledge, encyclopedia, dictionaries, besides story books and novels. There are more than 5000 books in our library.
10.	Digital Library: Devnar School has a digital library which has compact discs of educational material prescribed in S.S.C. syllabus and also discs on general knowledge. Some story book CDs are also in the library. Students are provided with C.D. players also.
11.	Ramananda Centre for Advanced Learning and Research for the Visually Impaired is another branch of Devnar Foundation for the Blind. Here, the adult blind are taught income generating skills like leaf-plate making, candle making, weaving towels and napkins and making detergents, phenyl, envelopes and different types of office files.
12.	Physiotherapy Junior College offers a residential diploma course of two years duration which enables visually challenged students to get a diploma in Physiotherapy. This course is approved by the Board of Intermediate, AP, and is the second such institution in India.
13.	B.Ed and Post Graduation in Special Education: Devnar Foundation for the Blind is non-commercial voluntary organization involved in education and rehabilitation of Visually Challenged. This organization is conducting the following special education courses: 1. B.Ed Special Education in visually impairment 2. PG Diploma in Special Education in visually impairment 3. Foundation Course B.Ed and PG Diploma Distance Education (English Medium) programmes are being offered jointly by MP Bhoj Open University and RCI. Our Foundation aims to develop professionals for special education within a broad- perception of education.
14.	C.C.I.C Examination for office automation conducted by State Board of Technical Education and training is one of the new ventures of Devnar School. This course enables the Visually Challenged students to get a diploma in computer education. The visually challenged students who wrote the exam passed in merit.
15.	Dance School for the Visually Challenged is another feather in the cap of Devnar School. Visually Challenged students are trained by famous choreographers and dance masters. The students not only enjoy dancing but also give scintillating performances to delight the audience. One student won the 2nd Prize in the national classical dance competition held in Delhi.