INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Imagine learning about circle without being able to see it
Imagine going to Swayambhunath Stupa without being able to know its Hemispheric shape through our own eyes
Most of us can only imagine whereas it's the ultimate and undeniable reality of Persons with Visual Disabilities.Roshan Gautam, an 10th
grader student who has been blind since birth, has been to Swayambhunath Stupa
He is very well aware about the hundreds of steps in the stupa and the strong scents of incense that is spread around the area
However, Gautam knew nothing about its hemispheric shape and structure until the third of November 2023.
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On 3rd of November 2023, Project Wings to Dreams an initiation by Chain For Change in collaboration with St
The workshop succeeded in teaching the students of the school about different accessible 3D models with braille labeling, including
menstrual cycle and female reproductive organ, Swayambhunath stupa and map of Nepal with provinces, circle, parts of circle, diameter and
radius of circle.
Members conducting the workshops used accessible printed tactile 3D models to help the students learn
about various concept including circle and Swayambhunath stupa
This is the first time in Nepal that a 3D printer has been used in making accessible and inclusive academic materials
The students ran their hands over and around the 3D shapes along with braille labels which helped them form a mental image and understand
the concept in the best way.
"The 3D models of Swayambhunath and rest of the shapes were truly helpful and I am overwhelmed with joy as I
had never truly understood the basic concepts of circle until today", says Gautam.Students with visual disabilities often encounter
graphical challenges in their academics and daily lives
Illustration of graphs, diagram and figures of cells, tissues, reproductive organs and so forth becomes tough to be comprehended depending
merely on verbal descriptions
In most of the cases, text books and learning materials in Nepal are designed without considering accessibility for students with visual
disabilities."Graphical concepts were extremely difficult to be understood thus, they felt unapproachable to me", bemoans Jalasa Sapkota
She says "there were no tools that could elaborate graphical images such as map of Nepal and measurements in mathematics".Students with
visual disabilities often feel isolated and excluded in schools
Samita Devi Shakya, focal person in blind section of Laboratory school says, "I have seen Students with visual disabilities stopped from
They're also sent to other classes when a teacher has to teach graphics and visuals
Isolating them would not only hamper their education but also their mental health."
With that being said, the sole purpose of the Project
'Wings to Dreams' is to tackle out graphical challenges faced by students with visual disabilities in their academic and daily lives through
3D and Tactile technology
Without having to rely on others, persons with visual disabilities would be able to easily learn graphical information by feeling and
exploring the structure and layout of the object
Subsequently, 3D printed tactile models would act as a means for promoting independent learning.Moreover, these 3D models could also be used
by the teachers in the classroom in their regular lectures
Consequently, that would not only benefit students with visual disabilities but, also to other students making the classroom environment
more inclusive and accessible
The students with visual disabilities would feel being belonged and empowered because of the use of accessible resources and other students
models, they are developing a mobile application
The application would have a feature that would describe the 3D Model description
Joon Shakya, IT and Creative Specialist of Chain For Change having low vision who also designed and developed the application says, "It will
give them instructions regarding where to touch and where to start feeling the model
Students would be listening to what and how it is which would help them form a mental image more accurately
Ultimately, it would assist them in understanding and learning without any difficulties".
Abhishek Shahi, founder and director of Chain For
Change, says "first, we are creating accessible and inclusive products and concepts that is being taught to people with visual disabilities
in the academic course of Nepal
Second, we are making infrastructures and institution accessible and inclusive".Currently, the students of St
Xavier's College, Maitighar are interning in the project as dedicated team
products in 3D and locally available resources that would support students with visual disabilities in their academic and daily lives.When
Shahi visited Valencia, Spain in the year 2019, he travelled different touristic places
In his tour, he came across a very famous church
In front of the entrance, his aunt and her friend placed his hand in an artifact locally called "maqueta" carved beautifully in stone
Shahi says, "I truly enjoyed exploring the architecture
Then, they again placed my fingers over a braille script where it had description of the church and overall navigational orientation on
stone".
Coincidently, Shahi and the Chain For Change team were working with St
Xavier's College, Maitighar to make the college accessible and inclusive for all
And, this very moment inspired Shahi to initiate THE PROJECT WINGS TO DREAMS; 3D FOR ACCESSIBILITY.After he came back from Spain, the Chain
For Change team started researching and doing homework
Xavier's College, Maitighar.SXC and CFC are working in making the college environment more inclusive and accessible for those with
In terms of making the college inclusive and accessible, under this project the 3D model of the college has been developed
It will have braille labels and audio description feedback to guide those with visual disabilities to navigate independently in the college
Augustine Thomas, S.J., Principal of St
Xavier's College, Maitighar, states, "I had no clue what the 3D project was
I eventually figured it out now
It is a moment of pride for our St
Xavier's College and also a signal or sign that make our education and platform more inclusive"
Jiju Varghese, S.J., Superior and Director of International Relations at St
Xavier's College, Maitighar, believes that this is only the beginning and St
Xavier's will have each hand always extended for such collaboration both nationally or internationally.It is nothing short of a
revolutionary step as it is paving the way for making education accessible to students with visual disabilities
A student with visual disabilities made to sit in a class with other students is not enough to make education inclusive
For education to be inclusive to them, it is crucial that a student with visual disabilities understands each and everything taught in class
in the same way as students without visual disabilities understand
By distributing accessible printed tactile 3D models to different schools, Project Wings To Dreams will certainly assist in making education
inclusive to persons with visual disabilities.
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://thehimalayantimes.com