THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
The first audio-visual studio in the state for the differently abled set up by the National Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH) here will be inaugurated by the state Minister for Health, Social Justice and Woman and Child Development, K K Shailaja. The minister will also announce Kerala’s first Bachelor of Occupational Therapy Course in NISH at a function on February 18, Thursday, at 2 PM.
The Minister for Cooperation, Tourism and Devaswoms, Kadakampally Surendran will preside over the function. The Social Justice, Women and Child Development Secretary, Biju Prabhakar will deliver the keynote address. Social Justice Department Director and NISH Executive Director Sheeba George, NISH’s Centre for Assistive Technology and Innovation Director Dr K G Satheesh Kumar and Councillor of Kulathoor, Naja B will take part in the function.
The studio is a new contribution from NISH which has specialised in creating innovative offerings for the differently abled.
Daily current affairs bulletin for those with hearing impairment, E-books, audio-video recordings for the rehabilitation of the differently abled are all included in the studio. It is also planned to record online courses for those working in the rehabilitation of the differently abled.
The studio has been set up under the direction of Sheeba George IAS. Once the studio starts functioning fully NISH’s hearing impaired students and workers will be able to gather news, shoot, record and edit it. It is noteworthy that during the time of natural calamities NISH’s news for the hearing impaired had gained wide acceptance.
Although the initial plan, as per the directions of the former Executive Director Dr Samuel Mathew, was to set up a studio to produce only news for the hearing impaired, it was modified and the studio is now meant for the general rehabilitation of the differently abled.
Kerala’s first graduate course in Occupational Therapy (OT), will meet the increasing demand for professionally trained Occupational Therapists in the healthcare sector in the state and outside.
The four-and-a-half-year Bachelor of Occupational Therapy course, including a six-month internship, has the approval of the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS). A rewarding career awaits those graduating in the subject as service of Occupational Therapists are essential in hospitals, rehabilitation centres and care-giving institutions.
Occupational Therapy helps people of all ages who have physical, sensory or cognitive problems to regain their affected functionality and personal emotional and physical abilities to lead a normal life.
