I-Learn




Opening screen of I-Learn


A visitor at a museum with HARK


Physically disabled children using I-Learn
I-Learn and Human computer Interface for the Physically Challenged


Computers today have become an integral part of our lives be it at home, or at work. But the physically disabled people have a lot of problem in using the computer peripherals like the keyboard. To solve this problem and help the physically challenged people use the computers, CRCS has developed I-Learn an educational system that provides alternatives to the use of keyboard.

I-Learn, is an educational system for the disabled who cannot use the computer keyboard. It has been developed by Professor J. R. Isaac and his team. In recognition of the work done by Prof. Isaac, the Prime Minister of India, awarded him the 1998 National Award for the Best Technological Invention for the Welfare of the Disabled.

As an alternative to the use of keyboard in a conventional manner, the I-Learn system allows the disabled three types of interfaces:
  • A ‘touch’ pad
  • A light-interrupt switch
  • A sound (not speech) pick-up
It allows the conversion of English text of the non-Linear Authoring Language to speech for the blind. Further, this system has a group interaction facility where 7-8 students can be connected at the same time.The text in this system can be entered in any of the Indian languages. It also enables the teachers to develop their own "Courseware" in order to create an interactive learning environment.

NIIT is also doing other work for the physically disadvantaged. For example, the spastic children of the Spastic Society of Tamil Nadu (SPASTN) are the beneficiaries of a software project called CATERED (Computer Aided Teaching and Rehabilitation for the Disabled). This software has been developed by NIIT in collaboration with the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and SPASTN. The academic curricula for standards 1 to 10 have been converted into interactive computer packages. When this software is made available, thousands of children with cerebral palsy, mild mental retardation and hearing impairment will be able to learn their school curriculum more effectively.

For more details contact: S. Minz