{ Sarita Brara* } The Visually Challenged people have been using canes as mobility tools for centuries but it was not until after World War 1 that white cane was introduced. James Biggs, a photographer who became blind after an accident painted his walking stick white when he found it difficult to walk in the traffic around his home. That was in 1921. Ten years later Gully d’ Herbemont launched a national white stick movement for blind people in France.
The White Cane Day is celebrated across the world every year on the 15th of October. The objective is to educate the world about blindness and how the visually challenged and visually impaired can live and work independently.
Over the year there has been a revolution in research and production of various assistive tools for visually challenged to enable them to travel, work, study and live their life independently. Information transmission, mobility and computer access have been the three main thrust areas of research.
The White cane too has under gone several changes, now there are folding canes, light weight canes and even electronic canes with sensors.
A number of devices have been developed to make the visually challenged computer savvy. These include voice synthesizers, talking softwares and screen magnifiers,Braille note taker with Braille keys.
In India Several initiatives have been taken by the Government for the visually challenged to develop and facilitate access to assistive devices and empower them in the field of education, employment and mobility to make them self dependent.
The ADIP Scheme – Assistance to Disabled Persons for Purchase / Fitting of Aids and Appliances Scheme provides financial assistance to meet the cost of aids and appliances. Under the scheme the Department of Disability Affairs gives Grant-in-aid to the NGOs to provide durable, sophisticated and scientifically manufactured, ISI standard aids and appliances to people with disabilities including the visually challenged to empower them by reducing the the effects of disabilities.
The quantum of assistance and income limit under the ADIP Scheme for persons with total income of upto 6500 rupees per month is the full cost of the appliance and for those with income between Rs 6501 and 10,000, it is 50 per cent of the full cost.
The scheme is implemented through NGOs, National Institutes under the Ministry and ALIMCO (a PSU).
Although the income limits of the cost of appliances permissible for assistance are quite low at present the Government is working on to increase the limits. The Department of Disability Affairs under the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry was set up only last year. This was done to strengthening the existing schemes and formulating the new ones, and also for technological innovations as well as to make easier coordination with various stakeholders, NGOs, State Governments, other related central ministries and international organizations like United Nations, as India is a signatory to UNCRPD.
The scheme – Science & Technology Project in Mission Mode is to provide suitable and cost effective aids and appliances through the application of technology and to increase their employment opportunities and integration in society. Under the scheme, suitable R&D projects are identified and funded for developing aids and appliances. The scheme is implemented through the IITs, Educational Institutes, Research Agencies and Voluntary Organisations etc. Financial assistance is provided on 100% basis.
The IIT Delhi has developed what is called a Smart Cane which has electronic sensors that can easily detect ground level obstacles.
Under the national project ‘Information Technology for the Braille Literacy in Indian languages.’ A West Bengal Government Undertaking Webel Mediatronic has installed IT based Braille Systems at 190 special schools for the visually challenged all over India. It has also developed Internet Access and Rehabilitation tools for the visually challenged which include Electronic Braille Display which is 40 character Tactile reader, Automatic Brailler Embrosser and a number of software’s that include Braille writing and screen reading software among others.
The National Institute for the Visually Handicapped a premier Institute in the field of visual disability working under the administrative control of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment also undertakes research and developmental activities. Its R&D activities have contributed a number of useful tools and enabling technologies for equal participation by the visually impaired persons in different walks of life. The Institute is largest producer and distributor of Braille literature and devices in the country including talking books. It also has an online library of books in Braille in several regional languages.
In another initiative, a few months back the National Fair on Aids & Assistive Devices “SWAVALAMBAN” was organized in Delhi by Department of Disability Affairs. The fair was held to provide an opportunity to manufacturers, suppliers, researcher and PwDs to exchange their views and evolve a method by which these modern aids & appliances could be made available to the needy ones at reasonable cost.
Twenty per cent of the blind across the world are in India and unfortunately despite the facilities for development of various kinds of assistive and supportive tools available in our country, there is still shortage of supply of even text books in Braille for students. The supply by manufacturers of the basic mobility tool of white canes too falls much short of the demand.
Also while number of tactile tool for use in education as well games and entertainment have been developed there is a need to make available gadgets like talking thermometer, Blood Pressure talker, colour probe or a CD for audio description of visuals in movies at reasonable cost.
The President of the All India Confederation of the Blind Mr A.K Mittal says they expect the government to increase grant in aid and also speed up the payment process. Mr Mittal who is also member of the world Braille Council feels that as far facilities for the visually challenged in inclusive education are concerned, there is little progress and a lot more needs to be done. He says there is also a need to make the high tech and costly devices like Braille note taker or other assistive devices to be developed or assembled in India so that are available at reasonable prices.
While Braille opened the world of reading and writing for the visually challenged and the White Cane made their mobility easier, today with the development of a number of assistive tools, the need is to ensure that these supportive devices are made available at affordable prices to empower the visually challenged to make them independent and not dependent on others.
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White Cane Day is celebrated on 15th October.
*The author is a Freelance Writer.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by the author in this article are her own and do not necessarily reflect the views of INVC
