Smart classroom gadgets and other support for autistic children

Initiative is unique in its own way and worth kudos

Rajiv Kumar Sinha (Regional Director, CMPDI) along with his wife Reena Kumari and officials of CMPDI, teachers and students of Jeevan Jyoti School : Gautam Dey

Praduman Choubey   |   TT  |  Dhanbad   |    31.03.22  : Altogether 22 autistic students of Jeevan Jyoti School, Dhanbad a school for physically challenged and mentally retarded students, received a whole host of high end equipment support for improving their on  going training with regard daily living etc.

All this, as a newly established Smart Rehabilitation Classroom in the school equipped with state of the art equipments, including a  Smart Interactive Board,  five computer sets, six tablets, two laptops, five gym balls, gym bags, chairs etc was inaugurated today by, Rajiv Kumar Sinha,  Regional Director of Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited (CMPDIL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited (CIL).

The items worth around Rs 9.5 lakh have been installed in the school by Regional Directorate of CMPDIL following the extensive need based analysis of the requirements   of autistic students of the school by Navin Kumar, Deputy Manager (Community Development) of CMPDIL over the last six seven months.

Aparna Das, Principal of Jeevan Jyoti School said, “The equipments provided by the CMPDIL under the Corporate Social Responsibility initiative will help help in improving the training to the autistic children who face disorders like language delay, communication and social challenges with unusual behaviour and interest, intellectual disability etc."

“With laptops and tablets in their hand which are connected to the smart interactive board the autistic students can indicate the articles required for them by pressing the images of the objects required for them appearing on their screen,” added Das.

She further said that technology can help enhance their learning skills and enable them to overcome behavior problems that can affect their ability to participate in  daily activities.

“The assistive technology in the form of equipment installed at the smart rehabilitation classroom will be used to maintain, increase and improve the functional capabilities of the autistic children” further said Das.

Ranjit Kumar a special educator cum speech therapist of the school said that the tools provided to the autistic students will help in delivering instruction and presenting information.

“The tablets, laptops available to the students in Smart Rehabilitation Classroom will help us to present information through messaging, voice recording, podcasts etc” further said Kumar..

Earlier the visiting team of CMPDIL, led by regional director Rajiv Kumar Sinha was given warm welcome by the students, faculty members and management of school led by Rajesh Parkeria, Secretary of the Jeevan Jyoti School.

Rajeev Goyal,  President of Rotary Club, Dhanbad who was also present during the occasion apprised the visiting team of CMPDIL about the education and training being imparted to physically challenged and mentally retarded children of Dhanbad for the last 32 years in school, which is operated by Rotary Club of Dhanbad.