-------- Forwarded Message --------
From: Manjusha Joshi <msj(a)bprim.org>
To: foss-in-science(a)mm.gnu.org.in
Cc: @mail.bprim.org
Subject: [FOSS-in-Science] Workshop on Scilab between 4 - 7 th July, 09
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:16:24 +0530
Hello,
Bhaskaracharya Pratishthana and IIT Bombay are jointly organising a four day
workshop on the Open source Mathematical software Scilab from 4th July to
7th July 2009 at Bhaskaracharya Pratishthana, Pune.
The workshop is a part of the National mission for the use of Open Source
software in Education.
More details at http://www.bprim.org/mathsoftwk/scilabjuly09.php
Thanks,
--
V. Sasi Kumar
Free Software Foundation of India
Please visit http://swatantryam.blogspot.com
Dear All,
Here is a link to the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) of ‘Inclusive
Education of the Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS)’
http://education.nic.in/secedu/sec_iedc.asp
This scheme is approved by the cabinet committee on september 2008
http://pib.nic.in/release/rel_print_page.asp?relid=42926
The document says:
The use of ICT: Access to technology is especially relevant for
the disabled as it increases their access to a vast amount of
information not otherwise available. Computers provided to
students in secondary schools will also be made accessible to
those with disabilities. The scheme will provide for the
purchase of appropriate technology by way of special software
such as Screen Reading software like JAWS, SAFA, etc. for the
visually impaired and speech recognition software for the
hearing impaired to develop computer vocabulary for the hearing
impaired and modified hardware like adapted keyboards. (Sr. No.
I.13 of Appendix-I).
The scheme will provide the money to purchase proprietary software like
JAWS. They have mentioned about SAFA also. It is a screen reading
software for windows available at safa.sf.net. But its licence is not
clear and seems to be a dead project. Last commit to the code repository
was on 2004. No school will bother about the "etc.." part. So the
obvious choice of software under this scheme will be JAWS.
As part of the Insight project, we are using GNU/Linux with orca screen
reader for the last 2 years and it works very well.
It is really a waste of money if the schools are going to purchase JAWS.
If they use Free Software, the money they have to purchase JAWS can be
used for the development of orca or even used for purchasing more
computers.
This is definitely an project we should get involved.
regards,
~vimal
http://insight.kerala.gov.in
