significant impediments in the career path of otherwise well educated blind persons who
wanted to pursue careers in the areas of science and technology.
As is the case with most challenges, it is always easier to identify a problem than it is to
create a solution. However, in January, 2003 a group of teachers, blind individuals, teacher
trainers and members of the ON-NET Regional Advisory Group met in Bangkok and agreed
that a plan to prepare a small but very carefully selected group of Master Trainers from
throughout the region was something worth doing. It was further agreed that while
mathematics instruction at all levels was weak; our focus should be on improving secondary
level mathematics instruction for the blind.
In May, 2003 a group of experts met at the ON-NET Regional Center at Ratchasuda College
of Mahidol University to work out the details of putting together an expert team to conduct
the Master Trainers program and to a comprehensive mathematical package that could be
field-tested and then used by the Master Trainers to train others. This publication is the
result of that effort over the past three years.
At the Bangkok planning meeting, I invited Dr. M.N.G. Mani, Secretary General, ICEVI and
Ms. Aree Plernchaivanich, Director, Region 7 Special Education Center, Phitsanuloke, Thailand
to co-chair a Math Task Force that would develop the training program and the training
materials. Both Dr. Mani and Ms. Plernchaivanich are experienced educators of children
with visual impairment and mathematics teachers. Mr. G.R. Ramesh, Lecturer in Special
Education, International Human Resource Development Center for the Disabled, Ramakrishna
Mission Vidalaya, Coimbatore, India was later co-opted to the Task Force.
There was unanimous agreement that developing a learning package for teaching mathematics
would not only facilitate improved ability of special educators teaching mathematics to
blind children, but the materials would also be useful for general classroom teachers as
well.
Next, the group tackled the question of where to begin. There was agreement that some of
the background materials such as use of abacus, creative mathematics, easy ways of teaching
Nemeth code, etc., developed by Dr. Mani in training teachers of mathematics would form
an excellent base for the learning package. Following a series of deliberations by Dr. Mani,
Ms. Plernchaivanich, Mr. Ramesh and myself during May and June 2003, it was decided to
develop a mathematics package that would address the following major areas: