Fighting disability with will power

Fighting disability with will power

What technology can do to help differently-abled people lead a dignified life

CMN Correspondent

Monday, September 01, 2008

BANGALORE, INDIA: Who is a disabled person? Or what is disability? Do we realize that a person who is disabled in the conventional perspective is actually 'differently-abled'?

Interaction with those who attended the Techshare India 2008, a road show with focus on assistive technologies held at Mobility India in Bangalore on Friday gives a broad perspective of the 'disabled-friendliness' of the technologies of our time – be it a gadget, software or a machine.

Jointly organized by Barrierbreak Technolgy in Mumbai and Royal National Institute of the Blind in UK, this road show proclaimed the right of the differently-abled people also to lead a dignified life.

"Considering that India alone has 60 million disabled people, it is imperative that accessible technologies are made available to people with disabilities and it is the endeavor of Techshare to create an environment and ecosystem that supports this need," says Shilpi Kapoor, Managing Director of BarrierBreak, a firm that provides solutions in the field of accessibility for people with disabilities.

The people with disabilities have a different kind of ability too. And that level of ability was highlighted in the road show, which also had on display different means of assistive technology that help them be part of the mainstream. From a wide range of power wheelchairs to a set of software that help people with disabilities in professional front, especially IT sector.

"Now I don't feel that I am disabled person, I manage my works without much problems," says Kameshwari, who works as systems operations specialist with IBM in Bangalore.

This girl from Hyderabad was trained in computer and other soft skills after she completed her BCom by Enable India, which focuses on employment, pre-employment services and supplemental education for people with disability.

"The question is of getting a job that suits your abilities and develop your skills accordingly," says Kameshwari. "At IBM, I am happy because my job is semi-technical in nature, which involves more of networking and interaction with people."

Same is the story of Deepa, who is a graphic designer with EMC. "My strength is my fingers, says the girl who is suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and cannot move without a wheel chair.

"It took me more than three years of struggle to get a job. And now I feel really at home in my office," she says.

However, it is a fact that most of the establishments are yet to recognize the needs of the people with disabilities and their right for a dignified life in the society.

The same is the situation when we design a gadget or software, avers Shilpi Kapoor, "When we develop a technology or a gadget, we should take into consideration the needs of the people with disabilities as well. Technology should be able to make a difference in the lives of such people."

She said her company focuses on many IT related courses with special focus on people with 'different ability'. Designing accessible websites, software and e-learning flash are some of the courses offered by the group.

"We have a group of people who suffer from visual impairment, learning disability and mobility impairment to conduct user testing," she adds.

"People with disability should be given due importance in any profession, based on their skill," says Anil U Joshi, program director, Human Ability and Accessibility at IBM. "IBM supports such initiatives for persons with disabilities, because we believe IT and ICT will have a long-lasting impact in improving the quality of life of the society at large as also persons with disability."

"Disability is a matter of perception. If you can do just one thing well, you're needed by someone," tennis legend Martina Navratilova had once said. Such initiatives on assistive technologies for the 'differently abled' underscore the need to change our notion about disability.

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