Vision Empower

Vision, Mission and Strategy

Vision Empower (VE) is a not-for-profit trust with a vision to empower visually impaired children through inclusive education. VE conducts research and designs programs to make Science – Technology – Engineering – Mathematics (STEM) and Computational Thinking (CT) education inclusive and accessible for students with visual impairments. VE creates modular and affordable solutions to teach STEM and CT subjects to children with visual impairment in special and regular schools, bearing in mind the specific requirements of diverse linguistic groups and the need to reach many beneficiaries.

Approach

VE creates accessible learning resources in STEM subjects for students, designs pedagogical interventions for children with visual impairments, and supports their teachers through continuous engagement. VE adopted a collaborative framework for the implementation of the programs to address the challenge of inequitable and exclusive STEM and CT education for students with visual impairment. Using a participatory design approach with the target community, VE created solutions along with the other stakeholders such as Partner NGOs, Government Departments, CSR Teams, R&D Labs, and Firms that provide technologies.

Location

VE is currently engaged with 105 special schools for the blind across 13 states – Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Kerala, Telangana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tripura, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Meghalaya.

Projects and Learnings

• VE has supplied Science and Math Braille books and learning material/aids, tactile diagrams for students and teachers to 105 special schools for the blind in 2022-23. Of these, 15 schools were funded by Wipro. Continue the Anubhav and Pragya programs focused on teacher training in the current schools and extend it to other schools in Karnataka and/or other states in India.
• VE has introduced a computational thinking curriculum using the Ludic design approach in 28 schools for the blind in Karnataka. This includes numeracy, digital literacy, and teacher training on pedagogical tools developed.
• This year, VE conducted research on the design of a program to deploy the Antara-Hexis Braille Reading solution in schools for the blind in 8 states focused on literacy and reading/comprehension skills and executed a pilot in Tripura on the same. Currently, the reading enhancement program has been started in 10 schools, while 39 schools have been provided with devices with content to enhance children’s reading enhancement with support from the teachers.
• VE has created three partnerships – with the Odisha Association for the Blind, Pratham Books, and Bhabook – to develop and curate age-appropriate learning material, children’s literature, etc. VE is also taking the services of Pickle Jar and an independent content expert, Brinda Rao to develop high-quality children’s content in an accessible format.
• VE has created a strong partnership with Shankara Eye Hospital and leveraged their network to engage with the education functionaries (DIET/ CRCs etc.) in Karnataka to build understanding and acceptance about the VE initiative and build linkages with the system. VE has conducted 1 (BIERT teachers) training program and is now geared to expand the program through the system.
• VE has created an internal documentation process that is used to reflect on organizational, educational, and operational issues, and share learnings with the larger ecosystem of stakeholders. VE collaborated with CAGS, IIITB, and BITS Goa to create several research outcomes based on operational and educational data gathered at VE.
• Learnings have been shared with several state governments such as Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Delhi, Jharkhand and Telangana. Information has also been shared with private schools in other states such as Uttarakhand (Sharp Memorial) and Telangana (Devnar School for the blind, Hyderabad); VE has conducted joint workshops with Saksham Delhi, NIEPVD Chennai, and RKM Blind Boys Academy Kolkata; Here is the list of publications on learning and experiences from this project in relevant media, journals, etc. VE presented its work at the Wipro Partners’ meeting in January 2023 and contributed to Samuhik Pahal to share information with the wide WF Education network.
• With support from Wipro, VE has created audio tutorials for Digital Literacy for students using an experiential method of learning. This course was developed through the contributions of 2 persons with visual impairment and one person with muscular dystrophy with participation from 5 children with visual impairment in Kerala and is currently being piloted in 6 schools in Tamil Nadu.
• Phase 1 of the Early Childhood Care and Education content creation has been completed and the pilot has been started in one early childhood center in Tamil Nadu. The content creation Phase 2 has started simultaneously, incorporating the feedback from implementing the intervention. This program will enable caregivers to prepare their children with visual impairment for formal inclusive school education.
• With support from Wipro, the VE HR & Admin function has been consolidated and the VE Organization manual has been formulated. Processes have been created and the team has been very critical in managing all aspects of human resources.
• VE has created a Program Management Office which has ensured due diligence of all proposals, program management as per plans, reviews of outputs as per requirements, design of the logical framework, and impact assessment criteria/metrics. In addition, this year the Wipro funding has enabled us to strengthen the team’s capacity towards educational and organizational learning through workshops, textbook reviews, classroom observations, increased portfolios, and opportunities for the team to grow and develop their capacity.

Plans for the next 1-3 years

Over the next three years, VE will create synergy in the learning content created by the organization across all projects. VE will focus on using the content created more effectively in schools through VE facilitators and resource persons being deployed at schools. VE will also take the Early Childhood content to the states where it already operates through the various partners and government resource infrastructure. VE will collaborate with institutions offering B.Ed./Special B.Ed. courses across the states to introduce the pedagogical aspects of inclusive STEM education for children with visual impairment and offer training material created over these years through joint offerings. VE will ensure adequate diligence in the implementation of programs through baseline and end-line assessments in every state. VE also plans to work substantively on the initiatives listed below.

• Organization Development – Build a team of highly motivated educators at VE who can work closely with the school system and help to strengthen the foundational Pu blic knowledge and inculcate the joy of learning among children with visual impairment.
• Creation of an inclusive, accessible school education model, through technology- enabled resources and processes, for children with visual impairments to become independent learners.
• Strengthening the school education system to create inclusive and accessible learning experiences.
• Creating awareness about the needs, solutions, and capabilities of people with visual impairments
• Enhancing the B.Ed. Education Curriculum and offering joint courses.