The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Helping hand to ensure a full participation

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 26, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Helping hand to ensure a full participation

Staff Reporter

Assistive technology centre to come up in Bangalore

— Photo: PTI

WITH CONCERN: Mary Pawlenty, wife of Minnesota Governor, Tim Pawlenty, with the special children at the Spastics Society of Karnataka in Bangalore.

BANGALORE: The first comprehensive assistive technology centre that will enable children and adults with any disability to learn, communicate and participate comprehensively in all walks of life will come up in Bangalore by early 2008. The centre is a joint venture of the Spastic Society of Karnataka, PACER Centre and IBM India.

The Spastics Society of Karnataka Assistive Technology Centre for Education and Life Skills Training has been modelled after PACER Centre’s Simon Technology Centre. Assistive technology is specialised hardware or software that is used to help increase, maintain or assist the functional capabilities of people with disabilities, a release said.

Mary Pawlenty, wife of the Governor of Minnesota in the U.S., Tim Pawlenty, on Wednesday visited the Spastics Society and unveiled the first plaque for the centre. Ms. Pawlenty said: “It is wonderful to see this global collaboration to advance the opportunities for children and adults with disabilities. I am proud of the work done in Minnesota and Karnataka, and I know that as this collaboration grows, with the support of corporate partners such as IBM, we will see great benefits for all.”

“The technology centre will promote inclusiveness and education aimed at reaching out to many children and adults with disabilities. This endeavour is a result of the hard work done by all the volunteers and support offered by the PACER Centre and IBM,” said Rukmini Krishnaswamy, Director, Spastics Society of Karnataka.

PACER Centre will provide training for the Spastics Society staff. It has solicited corporate donors and assistive technology vendors to contribute technology, financial gifts, and volunteer time to help build and support the centre. IBM has donated the hardware and Accessibility Works software. IBM consultants and volunteers will also help support this centre.

The centre will work towards making the benefits of technology more accessible to children and adults with disabilities. Through a collaborated effort involving parents, professionals and consumers, the centre will provide numerous services such as technology consultations, workshops on technology-related topics, individual training and library facilities.

Shanker Annaswamy, Managing Director of IBM India, and Bridget Ames, Coordinator of PACER’s Simon Technology Centre, were present.

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