<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>A vision for the visually-impaired - The Express Tribune</TITLE>
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vision for the visually-impaired</H1><FIGURE
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<DIV style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><FONT size=3></FONT><IMG
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alt="PHOTO: COURTESY SAFIRA"
src="https://c.tribune.com.pk/2018/06/1732210-dsc_-1528630748-910-640x480.jpg"
width=625 height=468
data-cfsrc="https://c.tribune.com.pk/2018/06/1732210-dsc_-1528630748-910-640x480.jpg">
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<P style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 0.4em; MAX-WIDTH: 100%; MARGIN-TOP: 0.4em">PHOTO:
COURTESY SAFIRA </P></FIGURE>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><STRONG style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">KARACHI:
</STRONG>After three-and-a-half years of successful struggle, 24-year-old Safira
Bibi is ready to embark on a journey to her hometown in Gilgit’s Yasin
Valley.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">“It is time she goes back to her home and relax,” her
brother said. “It’s been a long journey and she still needs to fight when she
comes back.”</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">Safira, a visually-impaired student of University of
Karachi’s (KU) mass communication department, lives in a small flat in the
Garden area with her parents and two brothers.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">Her home has no sofa to sit on, but a carpet and
cushions. “This is how our homes are back in Gilgit. We follow the same in
Karachi,” said Safira with a pleasant smile.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">She is suffering from retinitis pigmentosa, which is
a group of rare, genetic disorders that involve a breakdown and loss of cells in
the retina, the light sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye, due to
which she has 5% vision.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><STRONG style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><A
style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline; MAX-WIDTH: 100%; COLOR: rgb(65,110,210)"
href="https://tribune.com.pk/story/1582124/8-pakistani-student-creates-device-visually-impaired/"
target=_blank>Pakistani student creates a device for the visually
impaired</A></STRONG></P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">But that is not what her story is about. Her story is
one of wounded loyalties, dignified pathos and increasing self-reliance. She
became the first visually-impaired student at KU to give her exams on her own
through a screen reader software, JAWS, on a laptop. The visually-impaired
students give their exams through a writer, who they have to bring along with
them on the exam day.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">Safira studied at the Ida Rieu School for Blind and
Deaf and appeared for her matriculation exams with a writer. “I did not know of
any other option back then,” she said.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">She ended up going to the United States in 2012 as
part of an exchange programme facilitated by the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange
and Study programme. “This changed my life,” she said, adding that she was
admitted to blind school, Kentucky School for the Deaf, located in Kentucky,
US.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><STRONG style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><A
style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline; MAX-WIDTH: 100%; COLOR: rgb(65,110,210)"
href="https://tribune.com.pk/story/1646607/1-tourist-resorts-50-off-visually-impaired/"
target=_blank>Tourist resorts: 50% off for visually impaired</A></STRONG></P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">It was there when she realised how a
visually-impaired person can lead an independent life. “Their blind students
used to give exams on laptops using the screen reader software, JAWS. There was
no concept of writers like we have in Pakistan,” she said, explaining that in
order to use JAWS they have to learn keyboard shortcuts.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">“Once JAWS is installed on the laptop, the software
speaks any icon the cursor goes on. It also speaks every letter we press on the
keyboard,” she explained.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><STRONG style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">How did she convince
KU?</STRONG></P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">Safira used to represent Pakistan in the American
Lions Club where she won the US $1000 for representing Pakistan in the best way.
With this amount, she purchased this technology and brought it back home.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">Life became difficult for Safira when she came back
to Pakistan where she was denied her independence at every door. While she was
ready to appear for her intermediate exams, she was humiliated and denied using
the accessible technology when she asked for it.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><STRONG style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><A
style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline; MAX-WIDTH: 100%; COLOR: rgb(65,110,210)"
href="https://tribune.com.pk/story/1715084/1-sudden-visually-impaired-persons-end-sit/"
target=_blank>All of a sudden: Visually-impaired persons end
sit-in</A></STRONG></P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">Adamant to achieve self-reliance for herself, Safira
took admission in KU’s mass communication department. On the very first day, she
vividly recalls she went to the department office and said she is experiencing
blindness and wants to give her exams through the accessible technology.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">“I do not remember which teacher was sitting there,
but a very polite voice said to me; Safira you look very advanced, but have
mercy on our system. We are not that advanced.”</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">This did not deter Safira from what she wanted to
achieve and she took it as a challenge. She had Sociology as a minor course.
Just before the midterms, she went to her course incharge, who she did not want
to name, and tried to explain him about the technology and requested him to
allow her to give her exam on her own.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">The teacher did not understand and thought she wanted
to cheat and that’s why she was willing to bring her own laptop. The teacher
stood up, opened the door and asked Safira to leave.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><STRONG style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><A
style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline; MAX-WIDTH: 100%; COLOR: rgb(65,110,210)"
href="https://tribune.com.pk/story/1710968/1-visually-impaired-protesters-continue-sit/"
target=_blank>Visually impaired protesters continue sit in</A></STRONG></P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">“I never cried when I used to run from pillar to
post,” she said. “Whenever I lost hope, I used to call my host mom, Maria Davis
[in the US], who counseled me everytime that people in my country were not used
to this technology and I must not give up.”</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">Meanwhile, Safira kept giving her exams with the help
of writers, which she says was very frustrating for her.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">After some time, she again mustered the courage to
speak to one of the teachers in her department, Dr Osama Shafiq, about the
technology. “It was my second semester. He guided me to the correct path,” she
said, adding that she wrote an application to the then controller examinations
and doesn’t remember how many times she had visited his office, but never got a
chance to see him.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">“I used to visit his office even on my off days,” she
recalled, adding that the most common responses from the controller’s office
were that her application was with the dean’s office, the controller was very
busy and the application was told to be with the semester cell.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">After months, she was told by the university that she
needs to prove her blindness with the KU clinic.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">“On my first visit to the university clinic, I was
kept waiting for the entire day and no one attended to me,” she recalled with a
hint of nostalgia in her voice.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">Then finally, Dr Yasmeen in the clinic called Safira
and said that people say that “you just want to cheat.” She was asked to prove
her blindness.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">It was not until Safira got her blindness certificate
from the Aga Khan hospital and explained to her about the technology that Dr
Yasmeen apologised to Safira and signed her document.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><STRONG style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><A
style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline; MAX-WIDTH: 100%; COLOR: rgb(65,110,210)"
href="https://tribune.com.pk/story/1715758/1-visually-impaired-lhc-issues-notice-plea-job-quota/"
target=_blank>For the visually impaired: LHC issues notice on plea for job
quota</A></STRONG></P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">Safira was then asked to move her application to the
semester cell. After several months of visits, she was told to prove that JAWS
was used in the rest of the world. For this purpose, her application was sent to
the Umaer Basha Institute of Information Technology (UBIT) where the
chairperson, Dr Sadiq, recommended Safira’s demand legit.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">“I never met Dr Sadiq but I am highly thankful for
his recommendation. He made my fight with the system easy,” she said.<BR
style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">Safira’s journey was still not over. The semester cell
further processed her application to the student adviser to purchase a laptop
with JAWS installed on it, specifically for this purpose. The laptop was
supposed to remain with the examination department and given to her during
exams.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">This procedure took another six months, until a staff
member at the student adviser’s office told Safira that the varsity would never
purchase any laptop for her due to its financial crunches. She couldn’t get to
see the student adviser.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><STRONG style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><A
style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline; MAX-WIDTH: 100%; COLOR: rgb(65,110,210)"
href="https://tribune.com.pk/story/1721951/1-invigilator-accused-harassing-80-female-students-bahria-college/"
target=_blank>Invigilator accused of harassing ‘over 80 female students’ at
Bahria College</A></STRONG></P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">She then wrote another application to the student
adviser, asking him to allow her to bring her own laptop. One day, she happened
to see him randomly at his office and got her application signed. “I didn’t
cheer up or cry because my soul was at peace,” she said.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">On Monday, May 21, it was Safira’s last exam,
‘Introduction to Mass Communication’. “Dr Shafiq was the course incharge,” she
said with a big smile. “It was the first time I went to give an exam without a
writer.”</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><STRONG style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">The fight
continues</STRONG></P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">UBIT Chairperson Dr Sadiq told <EM
style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">The Express Tribune</EM> that technically, the JAWS
software can be used for visually-impaired students. He said the resources can
be arranged centrally or the department can install the software in computers
available with them.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">Meanwhile, student adviser, Dr Asim, said that it was
the first time such a request came to them and they always welcome such
ideas.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">“Earlier, it was a perception that a student can
cheat with a personal laptop,” he said, adding that one can get it checked with
the course supervisor before the exam. He assured that the technology can be
implemented for all visually-impaired students of KU in future.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><STRONG style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%"><A
style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline; MAX-WIDTH: 100%; COLOR: rgb(65,110,210)"
href="https://tribune.com.pk/story/1647417/1-plantation-campaign-inaugurated-ku/"
target=_blank>Plantation campaign inaugurated at KU</A></STRONG></P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">However, Dr Shafiq said that examination and academic
rules are framed by the academic council. “This is a temporary permission for
Safira and the matter should be taken up by the academic council so that all
blind students can be facilitated,” he said.</P>
<P style="MAX-WIDTH: 100%">The whole fight was not about giving exams on the
JAWS software. “It is a way forward to make persons with disabilities
independent,” said a confident Safira, pledging to write another application
when she comes back from Gilgit to implement this system for all
visually-impaired students and continue her fight.</P></DIV></DIV></DIV>
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