Title of the Practice
Shravyam
- Objectives of the Practice
The aim of the project was to generate audio resources for the visually challenged learners especially in the regional language. This practice was implemented with the objective to mitigate the difficulties that differently abled students and faculty often encounter within academic institutions due to the non availability of such resources. The situation indicated that there was some disparity in the distribution and accessibility of knowledge sources for the differently abled and it was the responsibility of an institution for higher education to take immediate measures to assuage the gap through equal opportunity enterprises like Shravyam.
- The Context
Shravyam was conceived by a visually challenged faculty of the Malayalam department from the hurdles he faced in accessing teaching resources in the regional language. Unlike in English, very little audio resources were available in Malayalam language that students and faculty could easily access. A number of differently abled students were being admitted every year into the institution in the seats reserved for them. Even though the students received individual grants, there was no other project as such implemented by the government in higher education institutions to cater to their particular needs, and no special funds allocated for the same. Though the governmental aids and policies safeguarded the rights of the differently abled at the entry level into higher education institutions, how they really navigated the spaces within academia depend greatly on the institutional support and facilities provided to them in a non- discriminatory manner.
- The Practice
Shrvyam began in 2016 with a collection of around hundred audio books and recorded expert lectures on various academic topics. The books available were often subject books included in the recommended reading list of the Malayalam syllabus of the University and similar books on specific academic areas or authors. Yet, books of general interest like novels and short stories too were included. The lectures in the collection were on diverse topics and specimens of classical and folk music to facilitate the study of meters and genres of literature are part of the recordings. From 2017 onwards, audio compilations of all the important talks and seminars held in the college were added to the repertoire. A few faculties, many students and some volunteers from outside the institution had contributed recordings of books for the project over the years. Initially, the recordings were made using recording devices, but with the easy availability of android phones the recordings are now done using them. The recordings were carried out on a priority basis, considering the students’ demand for specific materials. They were done completely voluntarily and as no financial assistance is available for the project, payments were not possible. Currently the collection has over five hundred books in audio folders that can be shared digitally. Students of the college as well as differently abled students and faculty from other institutions access these resources via emails and social networking platforms. The resources are also open to other students and many of them have been beneficiaries of this project. The collection of audio books and learning materials under Shravyam has been growing slowly but steadily and the immediate target before the team is to amass more than one thousand books in the shortest time. The practicality of expanding the collection to other subject areas is also under consideration.
- Evidence of success
The project was a success as illustrated by the growing number of audio resources in the collection. The students utilizing the resources had increased over the years and the demands for specific titles from them prove that they found it useful. The team had been consistently sharing resources digitally following the requests of students from other institutions. The project played a significant role in trying to create equal opportunities for the differently abled and in transforming the institutional practices in more democratic ways. The involvement of students, faculty members and other volunteers in the project showed that they felt part of the team and wished to contribute towards supporting the differently abled amongst us. The significant participation of student volunteers was heartening as they discharged a social responsibility and in the process seemed to be more aware of the rights and needs of their fellow citizens. The digital platforms available today also had a huge part in the success as it is technology that made these resources readily available to more beneficiaries.
- Problems encountered and resources required
The time needed for recording audio books and the effort required often resulted in a small delay in providing the demanded resources. And as the contributors were mostly students who had their own course requirements to fulfill, some delay was inevitable. Because of the lack of funds for the purpose, no professional help could be sought to finish the recordings more quickly. Additional volunteers will be required if the project is to meet the next target of expanding the collection to one thousand audio books. No computers with talking software are available specifically for the project now, but this is an essential resource if the project is to be taken to the next level. Yet another requirement is that, Shravyam be given a space within the audio visual room so that the students could easily access them, the way they access books from the general library.
List of books
The list of books read can be viewed by clicking here