Music to the ears of visually challenged in state

It is a small studio with bare essentials to bring out an audio CD - a desktop computer loaded with editing software and a headset and mike. Yet, in the past few years, the small lab room-turned- studio at the Government School for the Visually Challenged, Vazhuthacaud, has been the birthplace of many audio works for thousands of school children in the State. The last being a set of audio CDs containing the new standard X textbooks.

 The studio, maintained by the ICT team of the school as part of a project earlier sponsored by the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and now run with the blessings of the government, will soon gear up for new experiments.

The team is planning to bring out audio CDs of the poems from the lower and upper primary Malayalam textbooks, all recited by students themselves.

While making plans, the team members are also hoping to get help from all quarters to upgrade their studio so that they can come up with quality work. ‘’We have been running it with available infrastructure; but, lately, the response to our work - be that the audio CDs or the Braille calendars we brought out in our small press - has been tremendous. Teachers have been writing to us saying that they would like to get audio handbooks of teaching materials and many blind teachers and students have been demanding audio CDs on general knowledge, so that it would help them to prepare for various entrance examinations. With the facilities we have, it is a Herculean task; still, we are dreaming big,’’ said S S Rajaneesh, computer instructor at the school who is in charge of the studio activities.

 He is amply supported by O M Resmi, who looks after the activities of the Braille press here.

‘’The calendar we brought out last year was widely received. Many people have sent suggestions regarding a Braille dictionary, which we are aiming at next,’’ said Resmi.

 At a time when there are complaints regarding non-availability of Braille textbooks, the potential of the little press which could be developed, has not yet been explored.

 The poetry CD is being planned with children and this time as a musical instead of just recitation. Considering the fact that the audio CDs of the school have made instant friends with visually challenged as well as other students, the team hopes to repeat the feat yet again.