BEULA CHRISTY
L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad
Beula Christy, a PhD in vision science from University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, has trained international agencies like Bartimeus and Perkins on early intervention of those with multiple handicaps. She has a bachelor’s degree in special education followed by a post-graduation in rehabilitation science from Holy Cross College in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu. This was followed by a postgraduate diploma in guidance and counselling from Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu. She also has an additional degree in B.Ed. from Bhoj University, Madhya Pradesh. As part of community outreach initiatives, she has worked in Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) projects in rural Andhra Pradesh. She was awarded with a gold medal and Sr. Elizabeth Rose Best Rehabilitation Worker Award in 1999 from Holy Cross College, Tamil Nadu, for her outstanding performance in community works. Over the years, she has made several presentations at national and international conferences and has several publications to her credit. Her area of interest is early intervention, particularly in children with vision impairment and multiple disabilities.
SESSION 1D: Invited Talk
D Balasubramanian
Teaching science to students with visual impairment
Students with vision loss are not exposed to or instructed in the subject of science as often as others, as it is perceived as a visual subject. Several challenges involved in educating them in this field have collectively posed limitations for students with vision loss to pursue science as their subject. Together these challenges delude one into believing that discouraging them from studying science are in their best interest. Several comparison studies found the cognitive abilities of students with vision loss are within the same range as sighted students. Facilities such as availability of teaching materials in an accessible format, accommodations in laboratory procedures, teachers training program, etc., will help them achieve the value of science as a meaningful tool to comprehend, explain and make sense of their surroundings. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan and the Right of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 guarantees reservations for persons with vision loss in educational institutions.