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A unique three-day science workshop for deaf school children is being held at the CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH) in Chandigarh, which will conclude on Saturday.
Named in honour of Yusuf Hamied, an Indian chemist, businessman, and philanthropist, the camp aims to spark the interest of deaf students in classes 9-12 in the field of chemistry, using Indian Sign Language as the medium of instruction. “This marks the first participation of deaf students in such an event,” said an official of Haryana Welfare Society for Persons with Speech and Hearing Impairments (HWSPSHI), a participatory body for the event.
Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya inaugurated the workshop – Yusuf Hamied Chemistry Camp –Thursday while the Secretary of the Central Government’s Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Rajesh Aggarwal attended the event as the guest of honour.
The event showcased the launch of a Digital Booklet in Indian Sign Language by the Chief Guest, containing 30 videos covering seven chemistry experiments.
According to officials, deaf-friendly content and methodologies have been prepared by the scientists of the Indian Sign Language Enabled Virtual Laboratory (ISLEVL), a CSIR-funded project. Led by Dr Alka Rao, Principal Scientist at CSIR IMTECH, the project creates digital educational resources for STEM subjects.
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“Project ISLEVL is recognised as an innovative, scalable ICT Solution for inclusive education in a UN-supported global competition, ZeroCall 24. This marks the first time that international standard content and teaching methodologies, aligned with the standards set by the Royal Society of Chemistry, will be made available to deaf children in our country during this camp,” said an official.
The workshop is a collaborative endeavour between CSIR-IMTECH and the global chemistry community, the Royal Society of Chemistry UK-INDIA. Ajit K Sharma, MD of the Royal Society of Chemistry, was also in attendance.
WHO estimates about 63 million Indians with significant auditory impairment. Informally adopted in their community, deaf students communicate in sign language. In 2021, the prime minister included Indian Sign Language as a subject in the New Education Policy.
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