e-Inclusion, 2009
DAISY FORUM OF INDIA
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
DAISY Forum of India is a forum of Not for Profit organizations involved in production of books and reading materials in accessible formats for the print impaired (persons who cannot read normal print). The forum is striving to provide maximum reading material to persons with print disabilities which includes but is not limited to persons with blindness or low vision, people of old age, the illiterate, persons affected with language learning disabilities and the mobility impaired by: promoting the use of standards in book production process (DAISY standards provide maximum accessibility for all) accumulating all content prepared in accessible formats (such as audio, Braille & e-text) throughout the country. They have evolved a central and common book cataloguing and distribution system and Providing cost effective book reading / playback devices and systems.
JUROR’S EVALUATION
Bringing the differently-abled people at par with others is a challenging task. DAISY Forum of India in New Delhi is engaged in the task of providing access, to the disadvantaged community, to books through DAISY technology. The recent advances in digital technology have made it possible to make them feel equal, when it comes to reading and writing skills. Apart from Braille books, they also provide hearing books, e-text etc. which brings all print disabled at par with normal people. This extending of knowledge and information makes this a compelling nomination.
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EMPLOYMENT GENERATION AND MARKETING MISSION
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Employment Generation and Marketing Mission (EGMM) is a mission set up by the Department of Rural Development of the Andhra Pradesh (AP) Government to provide employment/ employability for the rural youth. EGMM works in a publicprivate partnership mode with Government, companies and the rural communities as stakeholders. It begins with collecting the data of unemployed youth which goes into a database. A market scan is done to identify opportunities. The youth are screened and enrolled in Training Centres and companies come for campus recruitment. EGMM has set up 450 training centers across A.P. located in rural and tribal areas. About 50training centers are owned and managed by EGMM. EGMM has also developed and nurtured 14 training partners in different sectors to work for the rural poor.
JUROR’S EVALUATION
The Employment Generation & Marketing Mission has worked out the process of inclusion of rural youth in the society. This scheme was started in Hyderabad, India. They have devised software to train the village youth and also keep a track of where they are employed in future. Various reports can be generated through this software. EGMM has emerged as the largest Jobs mission globally for vulnerable rural and tribal poor. One job to an underprivileged family takes the family out of poverty in a sustained manner. It helps achieve the goal of an inclusive society.
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ICT FOR TEACHING THE HEARING IMPAIRED
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
The target group of this project is people with hearing impairment. They are one of the most vulnerable groups in Sri Lanka. The project uses ICT to teach this group and enable communication among the members of this group. The goal is to improve the level of literacy and communication among people with hearing impairment. The programme uses multi-media tools like CD/DVD, Website, to achieve its goal of making such disadvantaged community inclusive. That the programme uses sign language and provides content in local language is other hallmark of this initiative. All the icons on the website are self explanatory and easy to follow.
JUROR’S EVALUATION
Facilitating communication abilities of people with hearing loss, is the motto of Infolume’s ‘ICT for Teaching the Hearing Impaired’. This commendable effort was initiated in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The civil war in Sri Lanka might have added to the hearing impairment of many. The effort made to extend aid to such people, through the use of communication technology like CD/DVD, Website, is praiseworthy. Smart use of multimedia technology in local language to impart knowledge and to start it in Sri Lanka is truly remarkable.
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ONLINE HEARING SCREENING – Special Mention
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
With the rapid spread of the Internet in India with its multi-faceted utility facilities, AYJNIHH, of Mumbai, India in its Outreach & Extension Service Programme has developed an online hearing test to ascertain whether or not someone requires hearing aid. Four sets of questionnaire have been designed for four groups which are linked to the real online test. The hearing screening tests provide a quick and cost effective way to separate people into two groups, a pass group and a fail group. They also have come up with a device to aid some 3.1 million persons suffering from hearing impairment in the country alone. They have set up a special website www.checkhearing.nic.in towards this end.
JUROR’S EVALUATION
The contribution, from AYJNIHH, Mumbai India, is for helping people who are hearing impaired. With the technology of online hearing screening anybody can take a simple test to know whether or not they need hearing aid. They have come up with a device to aid 3.1 million people in the country, who are suffering from hearing impairment. Having set up a special website towards this end, the results are encouraging.
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