NISH to Host First National Conference for Deaf-blind

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
National Institute of Speech and Hearing (NISH) will host the first National Conference of Deaf-blind (NCDB 2020), being organised by the Society for the Empowerment of the Deaf and Deaf blind (SEDB), on January 4 and 5 at its campus at Akkulam here.

The theme of the two-day Conference, starting on the World Braille Day on January 4, is “Inclusion through Technology and Advocacy.” SEDB is an organization run by and for deaf-blind persons.

The conference will explore, find and promote tools and technologies for communication to engage in advocacy and independent living. It will also provide a platform for technologists and policy makers to interact with deaf and blind persons and strive to address their concerns.

Anindya Bapin Bhattacharyya, a deaf and blind person, who is an Adaptive Technology instructor at the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults (HKNC), US, will deliver a keynote address on the first day.

Apart from workshops, there will be discussions on the role of technology in people’s life, technology available in India and how deaf-blind people can benefit from the advances made in assistive technology. The second day will focus on advocacy and the challenges of deaf-blind people.