Enabling assistance---A portal that assists with job search for the disabled.----a visually handicapped software engineer story
Hemanth Reddy
| A portal that assists with job search for the disabled. |
Rakesh Paladdugala, a visually handicapped software engineer, at Iridium Interactive.
Paromita Pain
Punarbhava.in is an interactive portal designed specially for people with disabilities who seek career avenues.
As the homepage suggests, "Punarbhava means 'renewed being' and the site is an attempt to provide a gateway to information for persons with disability and all concerned with this sector."
A project developed by the Media Lab Asia, a unit of the Indian Department of Information Technology, and the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), a federal body dealing with rehabilitation of the disabled, Punarbhava.in has been designed and developed by Web services company Iridium Interactive.
The site has an easy-to-use interface with clear information links on the side of the page. Navigation is easy. The page loads easily. But this isn't just about jobs. Designed to be a "one-stop site for comprehensive and interactive information on disability", it is also a storehouse of "specialised information and useful services for all the people involved in the disability issue — as an information database, sources of daily updated news, and media for the development of the disability and rehabilitation sector in India", says Pratap T.P., Chief Marketing Officer, Iridium Interactive.
It has an array of resources like films, documentaries, list of publications and institutions for users to download, and a repository of books in text, audio and multimedia mode. In schools where computer-based printing systems are available, the site allows the text to be printed locally in language script or Braille script. Users can also access a database on the NGOs working in the field of disability in India and network with sponsors for financing projects for the welfare of the disabled. All government orders, laws, circulars related to disability and disability certificate forms are available for free download.
Another important aspect is the Assistive devices page that features products such as pocket sized abacus, the Aria Personal Digital Assistant cum Note taker and the Automatic Braille Embosser.