The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Hearing impaired can learn soft skills

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Thursday, Jun 26, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Hearing impaired can learn soft skills

Staff Reporter

—Photo: G.P. Sampath Kumar

Improving their skills: Hearing impaired teachers and students at the inauguration of a literacy programme for the hearing impaired organised by Samvaad Institute of Speech and Hearing in Bangalore on Wednesday.

BANGALORE: In what is probably a first of its kind educational programme in South India, Samvaad Institute of Speech and Hearing, a voluntary organisation, inaugurated a literacy programme for hearing impaired people here on Wednesday.

The six-month course will teach them soft skills, improve English writing and comprehension skills of the students. Conducted in association with the Ishara Trust in Mumbai, the only other institute to offer such a programme, the training programme will be carried out by hearing impaired teachers to ensure good cooperation and a healthy environment.

The programme was inaugurated by N. Ratna, former director of All India Institute of Speech and Hearing.

“I am very happy that this institute has started this programme. Hearing impaired need such programmes to equip them with the knowledge to lead independent lives,” he said. In order to reach out to the audience he delivered his entire speech in sign language. It was a homely atmosphere as students and teachers interacted and stood up to share their stories. I am not scared of anything anymore. Educate yourself and you will become confident like me. I didn’t know how to go to the post office or manage my own life. All of you must do the same and take your lives into your own hands,” said Ramakrishna, who teaches sign language at the institute. Although there was awareness in general about disability and some efforts were made to bring them into mainstream society, even these efforts tend to leave out the hearing impaired. “We are trying to improve the English literacy skills of hearing impaired boys and girls. There is no programme which is systematic and has a curriculum that caters to them,” said Radhika Poovayya, director of Samvaad Institute of Speech and Hearing. Most special schools are Kannada medium and vocational training programs are in English medium. “With inadequate English language skills access to higher education and getting a good job has become difficult,” Ms. Poovayya said

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