Following up on the immense popularity and success of the Tata Interactive Learning Disability Forum (TLDF) last year, Tata Interactive Systems (TIS), (www.tatainteractive.com) a world leader in custom e-learning design/development and organisational performance improvement, is hosting the second annual TLDF - a unique global symposium on learning disabilities (LD). Last yearís TLDF attracted delegates from around the world, comprising pediatricians, psychiatrists, instructional designers and special needs educators, as well as parents of children with learning difficulties.
Conducted in association with the LTMG Hospital, the event takes place on 27th November in Mumbai, India. Other organisations supporting the event include:
nasen is the leading UK professional association embracing all special and additional educational needs and disabilities, promoting the education, training, development and support of all those working within this field. Membership of nasen is an invaluable source of advice, support and practical solutions, offering an exclusive and vital range of benefits that support teachers, governors, teaching assistants and the entire education support network to deliver high quality inclusive practice. nasen also contributes greatly and has a strong influence on policy and practice in the area of special educational needs through consultation and joint projects with other professional bodies.
Maharashtra Dyslexia Association (MDA), a non-profit body of parents and professionals committed to safeguarding the rights of people with learning disabilities to an appropriate education.
According to J C Mistry, who heads the LD initiatives at TIS: ìLearning disability is a life-long disorder that affects the manner in which individuals select, retain and express information. They are also termed as ëlearning differencesí, based on the fact that certain individuals learn differently.
îAlthough several products are available for the identification and remediation of learning disabilities, most of these are either unable to sustain the progress of a disabled child or not aligned to government standards. To overcome this limitation, we develop end-to end solutions that screen and identify children with learning disabilities, and offer remedial action as well as a tracking system to monitor their progress,î Mistry added.
Topics at this yearís TLDF include pre-testing in schools; handling the LD student in class, and counselling the LD child and her/his parents. Lorraine Petersen, CEO of nasen, gives the keynote speech ñ on ëmultidisciplinary approaches to learning disabilitiesí.
Other speakers include Dr Madhuri Kulkarni, dean of LMTG Hospital in Mumbai; paediatrics specialist Dr Sunil Karande; Patricia Barthorpe, the UK-based special education needs consultant; and Dr Kersi Chawda, a consultant child psychiatrist at Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai.
ìWhile the TLDF 2006 successfully spread awareness around the issue of LD, TLDF 2007 takes it forward by focusing on multi-disciplinary approaches to LD certification and remedial interventions,î explained TISís CEO, Sanjaya Sharma. ìThe aim is to involve the different levels - schools, counsellors, parents, hospitals and so on - and bring them together in an attempt to recognise and support LD children by making the LD certification process more efficient and working on remedial interventions with the LD child.î
Among the last conferenceís findings were that technology, especially computers, being non-judgmental and fast, could aid children with LD to learn since they allow them to practise their lessons and, by giving them the control over that learning, can also empower the children to learn.
ìAnd, while experts can tell us what needs to be done, TIS can actually make it happen by bringing its project management approach to the challenge,î Sharma pledged.
Further information about the TLDF from:
Tata Interactive Systems set to repeat success of last yearís Learning Disabilities Forum
.
