MathruProject Proposal 2009-10

Pravin Shankar

Outline

• History• New School Building• Achievements in 2008• Future Plans• Budget Proposal

Mathru School for the Blind: Timeline

• 2000– School started with first grade– Rented premises and “kutcha” sheds.– Goal: Add one grade per year. Be a 10 Grade High School by 2010

• 2002– Subsidised Civic Amenities Plot allotted By local government– Appeals made for funds and services to local donors & individuals

• 2003 – Appeal and plans sent to Asha CNJ for funds to construct a 10 room school

• 2004 – Asha CNJ issues first grant for school construction ($17,000)– Appeal made for local funds to construct dorms, kitchen, dining   room.  community and computer center.

• 2005– Construction started.. Started 5th grade– Second Asha CNJ grant and WAH grant made ($18,000, $10,000)

• 2006– Construction completed. School moved to new premises. – School named The Asha School in appreciation.– ESlate successfully designed, built and tried out in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon Institute

• 2007– Strated 7th grade– Application made to Central Government for grant to run school. When approved Grant will pay 70% of

expenses. • Asha resources

– Time: 3 years, Money: $35,000, SiteVisits: 6+, resident volunteer for several months..

Building Construction (Site Visit – Pravin – Dec 2005)

“Asha” School(Site Visit – Pravin – May 2007)

More Pictures of the School Building

More Pictures of the School Building

Reception

Inside…

Inside…

Classrooms…

Classrooms…

Classrooms…

Playarea…

Playarea…

Braille Snakes & Ladders…

Library

Library

Computer Lab

Computer Lab

Computer Lab

Computer Lab

Kitchen & Dining Area

Kitchen & Dining Area

Kitchen & Dining Area

Dormitory

Dormitory

Achievements in 2008

• ESlate - CMU• Braille Printer – IFlex• Recording Studio• Vocational Training Center

Braille• Easy to read

• but…

How Braille is Written

How Braille is Written

Braille

• Easy to read but…• Difficult to Write

– Written in reverse, from right to left– Children need to learn mirror images of all

letters– Delayed feedback

• Paper needs to be removed• Longer time taken to identify mistakes

ESlate

ESlate

• Digital Stylus – Interfaced to Computer• Text2Speech

– Speak Sentences to the student• Student writes letters on stylus

– Provides immediate audio feedback• Lessons and Exercises• Video Demo: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~nidhi/brailletutor.html

ESlate – Current Status• Was presented at the International Conference on

Information and Communication Technologies and Development, 15-16 December 2007 in Bangalore. (Sponsored by Microsoft, IEEE, ACM, IDRC) – Mathru staff and students were invited to give a special

demonstration of the Braille Tutor at the conference • Field trial of ESlate2 at Mathru – May to Aug 2008

– Partnership with • Carnegie Mellon Technology Consulting in the Global Community

program• Microsoft Research India (MSRI)

Braille Printer

• Donated by IFlex Solutions, Bangalore• Being used to print all textbooks and

reading material• Future plan:

– Have a library of books which will be made available to any visually challenged person in the area as a borrowing library

• Cost of a Braille blank: Rs 1.30

Braille Printer

Braille Printer

Vocational Training Center• Planned to become operational in Summer 2008• Vocational training with residence for 20 students by Teachers

(volunteers) • 5 of the 20 will be Mathru personnel/students. • 5 will be physically disabled and the remaining 10 will be selected

from the visually challenged general populace• The 20 will be selected by a qualified group of selectors. • Subjects will be Screen Printing, Knitting, Book Binding, Plumbing

and Electrics• Mathru is already talking to potential employers• Students will also be able to be self-employed• Besides training in these fields, the students will have daily classes

in Marketing, finance, computer skills, accounting

Budget Proposal – 2009-10

• Needs money for annual Administrative Expenses– For the year 2009/2010 they need Rs.

4,00,000 (between USD 8,000 and 8,500).• Breakup of Budget*

– Educational Expenses– Hostel Expenses– Administrative Expenses

* Detailed Breakup available in Proposal – Question 43

Questions?

Recording Studio

• Donated by Ashraya, NJ (http://ashraya-usa.org/ - Different from Ashraya Project of Asha CNJ!)

• A Mathru teacher has been trained to operate it

• Produce material that will be later made available to other visually challenged persons and institutions