Question

discuss ways in which Science and Technology have changed life of particularly in the contest of differently abled children​

Answer 1

This year’s National Science Day, celebrated to commemorate the discovery of Dr. C V Raman’s ‘Raman Effect’, is themed around ‘Science and Technology for Specially Abled Persons’. One billion people, or 15% of the world’s population, experience some form of disability today, and the prevalence of disability is highest in developing countries like India. A report by World Bank estimates that about 110-190 million of them experience significant disabilities.  ‘Persons with disabilities’ or PwDs include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which may hinder their full and effective participation in the society.

For an individual with a disability to experience life to the fullest, it’s not sympathy that is needed, but the ability to live independently with dignity. Children with disabilities are among the most stigmatized and excluded group around the world. These children are likely to have poorer health, lesser education at school and lesser economic opportunities when they grow up. They are more likely to live in poverty and deal with greater inequalities than their well-abled peers. What can technology, the revolution that we are so proud of, do to empower these children and provide a level playing field? How can we, as a society, help in the inclusion of PwDs in the mainstream?

Technology for the Specially Abled

Assistive technology (AT) is any item, piece of equipment, software program, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of persons with disabilities. A person who has difficulty in moving could use a walking stick, crutch, walking frame, wheelchair or tricycle; a person with visual impairments could take advantage of eyeglasses, magnifier, magnifying software or a screen reader on a computer, a white cane, GPS-based navigation device, read and write with Braille script, etc. all in an attempt to make life better. While there is no dearth of assistive technologies available in India, they tend to be expensive and unaffordable to most.

With the government’s ‘Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan)’, a nation-wide campaign for achieving universal accessibility, there is a push to integrate PwDs in the society.


Specially Abled in Science and Technology

It is often perceived that children with disabilities settle down with a career outside of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). “The percentage of visually impaired taking up careers in commerce or arts is more when compared to science”, says Mr. Muthu Raj, Assistive Technology Expert at Cheshire Homes India. Can mainstream careers in STEM be a really viable option for these children?

“A student with disability who is interested in pursuing a career in STEM should be able to use his/her hands, to think abstract and have verbal and non-verbal communication skills”, says Mrs. Rukmini Krishnaswamy, Director, Spastics Society of Karnataka. Trained in India and the US, she is a pioneer in the field of special education for over five decades. “Individuals with disabilities are underrepresented in STEM today because they lack sufficient preparation, have minimal access to facilities, programs, and equipment and are often unaccepted by educators, employers and co-workers”, she says.

Mrs. Krishnaswamy created the first facility for children with cerebral palsy. She has organized, trained and mentored innumerable teachers and therapists in all fields of special education. “In order to create a positive environment for learning and working, efforts should be taken to increase awareness of college educators regarding the potential contributions and accessibility need of the specially abled”, she points out.