Kalyani, Dec. 3: Parents of children with learning disabilities who are being imparted education using apps to overcome problems like autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and other problems, have alleged that their endeavor facing the ultimate challenge as no school board in the country has so far introduced digital question papers that could help them to appear in different test easily.
While all the boards encourage imparting education for the specially able children through interactive hand hold devices like tabs and computers, they ultimately compel the students to appear in the test in conventional medium using pen and paper.
Teachers and parents on Monday at a programme held on the occasion of World Disability day at Kalyani Life Institute, a parents forum of special children that impart app based education, said, while the children have been learning fast since they started imparting education through interactive learning methods using android bases tabs and computer, but eventually being forced to appear in the tests using pen and paper which are putting a barrier in their education.
The parents and teachers of such children have appealed that the centre and state government that they should instruct all school boards including National Institute of Open School (NIOS) to introduce digital question and study papers so that children with learning disabilities is are empowered to live independently and rehabilitated in society.
Narayan Mandal, father of Nilay Mandal, who reads in class vii, said, “My son has earned a major development since he started taking app based education around a year ago. Now he is responding faster than earlier. Keenness has been developed towards study. Earlier it often appeared to be difficult to motivate him. But, eventually he did not respond well while answering on paper with pen despite him knows most of the answers”.
Swastika Roy, a patient with cerebral palsy from Chakdah, who reads in class V has also shown same problem while answering in her school test.
Haripada Roy, her grandfather said, “She reacts positively while learning but responses poorly while answering using pen and paper. She performs well in digital mode…I guess she would do well if there were any digital question and answering system. The government should consider it to empower such students”.
Arun Prasad, a doctor and father of a special child, who is an advisor to Kalyani Life Institute, said, “The children who suffer from mental disabilities react strongly on live objects. The can understand and give feedback properly because the mode of learning is quite interactive. In the apps the study materials are developed in audio video mode using different software that create excitement among children and motivate them to learn and reply. But, in pen and paper they found little interest as it does not react”.
Siddhartha Mukherjee, father of an autistic girl and secretary of KLI said, “The use of technology in imparting education has given a major boost to the learning process of the special children. The development of concept among children ultimately suffering in absence of digital answering method which is already developed and being used in abroad. The centre and state government should consider bridging this gap in the learning process of these special children by directing all boards including National Institute of Open School to introduce digital question paper and study materials”.
Manish Chug, Assistant Director of National Institute of Open School, Calcutta said, “This is a genuine need of the time. Considering this aspect we have recently developed digital study materials for students of class 10 to 12, but digital question papers are yet to be developed. This would definitely help such children a lot”.