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Daily News & Analysis
Monday, January 07, 2008
Braille experts to fight threat from talking books
Braille promoters to initiate a campaign to regenerate interest in the language
Maulik Buch. Vadodara
Is Braille becoming extinct? It certainly is under threat from 'talking books' or audio CDs which are now replacing Braille books among the visually impaired. Braille experts said almost 50% of visually impaired students have moved on to using CDs. The trend is particularly worrisome when the world celebrated the bicentenary of the inventor of the system, Louis Braille on January 4. Desperate to regenerate interest in the language, experts like Yaha Sapatwala, Editor of Sparsh, a magazine in Braille script, have started a movement across the state to bring back the lost glory of the script."The audio versions of books on various subjects, right from mythological series to encyclopaedias, are easily available for the visually impaired and it is easier to grasp from CDs. So more of them are shifting towards audio learning," Sapatwala said. As part of their campaign to promote the language, Sapatwala and his friends have started Braille writing competitions to promote the use of the language. They are also planning to publish Braille booklets on various subjects too increase interest in it.Piyush Dave, a visually impaired teacher, said, "In fact, reading habits are declining even among the sighted and visually impaired persons are no exception to it. Moreover, audio systems are easily available in market and they are easy to carry also."Sapatwala, while echoing Dave's point of view, said, "Around 50% of visually impaired persons must have moved towards audio system in the last two years.” “People need to be made aware that Braille script is a powerful tool by which visually impaired can compete with a normal person in all aspects."
Daily News & Analysis
Monday, January 07, 2008
Braille experts to fight threat from talking books
Braille promoters to initiate a campaign to regenerate interest in the language
Maulik Buch. Vadodara
Is Braille becoming extinct? It certainly is under threat from 'talking books' or audio CDs which are now replacing Braille books among the visually impaired. Braille experts said almost 50% of visually impaired students have moved on to using CDs. The trend is particularly worrisome when the world celebrated the bicentenary of the inventor of the system, Louis Braille on January 4. Desperate to regenerate interest in the language, experts like Yaha Sapatwala, Editor of Sparsh, a magazine in Braille script, have started a movement across the state to bring back the lost glory of the script."The audio versions of books on various subjects, right from mythological series to encyclopaedias, are easily available for the visually impaired and it is easier to grasp from CDs. So more of them are shifting towards audio learning," Sapatwala said. As part of their campaign to promote the language, Sapatwala and his friends have started Braille writing competitions to promote the use of the language. They are also planning to publish Braille booklets on various subjects too increase interest in it.Piyush Dave, a visually impaired teacher, said, "In fact, reading habits are declining even among the sighted and visually impaired persons are no exception to it. Moreover, audio systems are easily available in market and they are easy to carry also."Sapatwala, while echoing Dave's point of view, said, "Around 50% of visually impaired persons must have moved towards audio system in the last two years.” “People need to be made aware that Braille script is a powerful tool by which visually impaired can compete with a normal person in all aspects."
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