TATA Interactive Learning Disability Forum (TLDF) 2006

Learning Disability is a condition that causes a severe difficulty, for people afflicted with it, in learning basic skills like reading, writing, and math. Such people acquire information at a rate lower than what is considered normal for other people at their age. These people, as a result, may also have some difficulty in speaking and listening. The disorder lasts the person's lifetime. There's no cure and remedial action for LD children is the only way to help them workaround their difficulties.

I, recently, was a part of an interesting two day symposium on Learning Disabilities (LD) organized by Tata Interactive Systems (TIS), under the aegis of the TATA Interactive Learning Disability Forum (TLDF). The TLDF hoped to increase awareness and promote remedial activities, best practices, and knowledge sharing of LD in India. TIS also hoped that the TLDF would encourage networking and sharing of ideas and innovations, eventually helping address critical LD issues.

The TLDF featured talks and panel discussions on several important areas of LD — biology, psychosocial and educational interventions, government policies — by experts from various fields. A couple of short films were screened and some excellent e-learning products for LD children were also demonstrated to the attendees. The TLDF was quite a success and TIS has already committed itself to making the TLDF an annual feature.

I have posted a more comprehensive report on the conference, along with some snippets on the various sessions on the TIS corporate blog. Do visit and read.

TIS will also be making available all presentations made by the speakers and the videos of each session for download. I'll be posting an update as soon as the presentations and videos go online.


Disclosure: I work for Tata Interactive Systems.

Running to Spread Awareness About Learning Disabilities

Learning Disability is a condition that causes a severe difficulty, for people afflicted with it, in learning basic skills like reading and writing. Such people acquire information at a rate lower than what is considered normal for other people at their age. These people, as a result, may also have some difficulty in speaking and listening. The disorder lasts the person's lifetime.

Providers of learning solutions have to come up with alternative non-traditional teaching methods to teach people with learning disabilities.

Tata Interactive Systems (TIS), where I work, has developed many international award-winning solutions that help screen and identify children with learning disabilities and then help them learn. You will find a detailed overview of TIS’s involvement and solutions for learning disabilities here.

TIS is also involved in a big way in interventions in learning disabilities in India.

In India, TIS mentors the Learning Disability Center at Sion Hospital—the only center in the State of Maharashtra, approved by the State Government to certify students with learning disabilities. Beyond the salaries and the stationery, we help the clinic with a hands-on approach—whether it’s by streamlining the day-to-day functioning or finding solutions to the scores of issues that crop up from time to time. We also share our reservoir of educational software, including the award-winning Jojo in Numberland, to help the children discover the joys of learning.

Today, on January 15, over 50 TISians are participating in the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2006 to show TIS' commitment towards helping those with Learning Disabilities.

I wish all my colleagues running the marathon the very best.

If any of you are running the marathon, or simply cheering the participants, look out for people sporting black T-shirts with the picture that accompanies this post. They are running to spread awareness about Learning Disabilities.