>WikiCleanerBot: v2.04b - Bot T20 CW#61 - Fix errors for CW project (Reference before punctuation)

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v2.04b - Bot T20 CW#61 - Fix errors for CW project (Reference before punctuation)

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'''Chakshumathi''' is a [[nongovernmental]], [[not for profit]] organization based in [[Thiruvananthapuram]], [[Kerala]], [[India]], working for developing resources for the use of [[visually impaired]] people.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chakshumathi: Introduction|url=http://chakshumathi.org/introduction.html|accessdate=16 October 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016082023/http://chakshumathi.org/introduction.html|archivedate=16 October 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Sangeetha Nair|title=Chakshumathi's braille/computer vidhyarambam|date=1 October 2013|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-10-01/thiruvananthapuram/42574036_1_braille-vision-loss-computer|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131016073958/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-10-01/thiruvananthapuram/42574036_1_braille-vision-loss-computer|url-status=dead|journal=[[The Times of India]]|archive-date=16 October 2013}}</ref> It is an "[[Empowerment]] and [[Assistive Technology]] Centre for Blind". The organization, which was inaugurated in June 2011, is a member of [[DAISY Forum of India]]. The organization is currently headed by V.K. Damodaran,<ref name="Chakshumathi Reference3">{{cite news |title=Visually challenged students, NGOs hail FM Sitharaman's announcements on development of special e-content |url=https://in.news.yahoo.com/visually-challenged-students-ngos-hail-fm-sitharamans-announcements-095611800.html |access-date=5 April 2021 |publisher=in.news.yahoo.com |date=17 May 2020 |language=en-IN}}</ref> a former President of [[Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad]].

The organization is engaged in the following activities:

*Publication of textbooks and other books for general reading in the [[DAISY Digital Talking Book|DAISY]] standard.
*Publication of a fortnightly in Malayalam in the DAISY standard.
*Making available to visually impaired persons books in DAISY standard from libraries throughout the world.
*Organising workshops on assistive technologies for the visually impaired.<ref>{{cite web|title=Workshop on Assistive Technology for Blind and Visually Impaired|url=http://www.eyeway.org/?q=workshop-assistive-technology-blind-and-visually-impaired-0|publisher=Oneway.org|accessdate=16 October 2013}}</ref>
*Providing training in the production of books and other materials in DAISY standard.
*Giving job training to visually impaired persons to help them engage in economically productive activities.

==History==

In September 2011,Chakshumathi, a charitable trust constituted to empower the blind and visually challenged through the aid of latest technologies,inaugurated its [[Kochi]] centre.<ref name="Chakshumathi Reference4">{{cite news |last1=Pradeep |first1=K. |title=Soulful music |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/soulful-music/article2432547.ece |access-date=5 April 2021 |publisher=The Hindu |date=7 September 2011 |language=en-IN}}</ref> S. P. Balasubramaniam enthralled, inspired and energised in a three-hour inaugural concert attended by other important dignitaries at the Kerala Fine Arts Hall.<ref name="Chakshumathi Reference4" /> The organisation plans to provide Daisy Training and library service of over 24,000 additional books in Daisy format to the visually challenged at free of cost.<ref name="Chakshumathi Reference4" />

In May,2020,as part of the global initiative -- Lets FICE(Let's Flatten inaccessibility curve) -- to cover the inaccessibility curve in the education of students with blindness, low vision and print disability, the NGO had launched a 60-day worldwide online training programme for students of visually impaired and several students from across the globe including [[Pakistan]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Nepal]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Europe]], [[Africa]], [[List of Caribbean islands|Caribbean islands]]<ref name="Chakshumathi Reference3" /> and other continents have enrolled for the online programme launched with the support of engineers and developers working at [[Google]], [[BookShare]], [[University of Birmingham]], Progressive Access, [[IIT Delhi]] and [[DAISY Forum of India|Daisy Forum of India]].<ref name="Chakshumathi Reference1">{{cite news |title=Kerala NGO launches online programme for visually impaired |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/kochi/2020/may/13/kerala-ngo-launches-online-programme-for-visually-impaired-2142507.html |access-date=5 April 2021 |publisher=The New Indian Express |date=13 May 2020}}</ref> The basic objective of programme is to popularise the importance of assistive technologies in the education and everyday life of visually impaired and print disabled students and first batch has around 50 participants with sessions being planned in English and the participants should have basic knowledge of computer and [[Mobile phone|mobile]] phones.<ref name="Chakshumathi Reference1" /> The course will help visually challenged and print disabled students to get tutored and master the techniques of using [[computers]] and [[smartphones]] and use them to learn [[science]] and [[mathematics]] within 60 days.<ref name="Chakshumathi Reference3" />

In the year 2019,it conducted a five day programme, ‘Eyes free science summer camp’ for visually impaired students at Vakkom Maulavi Foundation Trust at Thekumoodu,to dispel the myth that the blind or those with visual impairment cannot study mathematics or science.<ref name="Chakshumathi Reference2">{{cite news |title=Thiruvananthapuram: Dispelling ‘blind’ myth on science |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/270419/thiruvananthapuram-dispelling-blind-myth-on-science.html |access-date=5 April 2021 |publisher=Deccan Chronicle |date=27 April 2019 |language=en}}</ref> Through these programmes students are able to work in science and technology professions and many are pursuing higher studies in science and technology streams and excel their sighted peers as the training had broken the barriers of mindset of the students and their families and is free for visually impaired students from standard 7 to 10.<ref name="Chakshumathi Reference2" />

==External links==

*Website of Chakshumathi: [https://web.archive.org/web/20131016090144/http://chakshumathi.org/index.html Chakshumathi]
*Website of DAISY Forum of India: [http://www.daisyindia.org/ DFI]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Blindness organisations in India]]
[[Category:Augmentative and alternative communication]]

Chakshumathi - Revision history

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