DU to give tablets to disabled students

For Delhi University's disabled students, a virtual helper is in the offing. The varsity has decided to give tablets to all its disabled students. The tablets will have pre-loaded software that will aid them in studies. Mallica Joshi reports.

For Delhi University's disabled students, a virtual helper is in the offing.

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The varsity has decided to give tablets to all its disabled students. The tablets will have pre-loaded software that will aid them in studies.

Blind students, for example, will be given tablets with pre-loaded audio books and lectures, along with software that will help them navigate and travel more easily. Deaf students will be given speech-to-text-translation software.

There are around 1,600 disabled students in the varsity. They are expected to get the tablets by the end of the year.

Three per cent of DU seats are reserved for disabled candidates. But the challenge of getting study materials, especially for blind students, is bigger.

"I have to depend on other students to read out texts to me so that I can prepare for exams," a student from Hans Raj College told the DU vice-chancellor on Saturday.

"This is the first time that the varsity has taken such pro-active measures," Vipin Tewari, deputy dean of students' welfare, said.