A Five-Day Training on “A Step Ahead Towards Diversity and Inclusivity: Training to Teach Quantitative Reasoning I & II to Visually Impaired Students”
December 9 – 13, 2024: The five-day training program titled as "A Step Ahead Towards Diversity and Inclusivity: Training to Teach Quantitative Reasoning I & II to Visually Impaired Students" was organized by the Department of Statistics, Lahore College for Women University (LCWU), from 9th to 13th December 2024, in collaboration with the Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Statistical Analysis (LISA-LCWU) and Aziz Jehan Begum Trust. This initiative was funded by the Elsevier 2023 Mathematical Sciences Sponsorship Fund (MSSF) and held under the kind patronage of Prof. Dr. Uzma Quraishi, Vice Chancellor, LCWU.
Mr. Muhammad Faisal Ali, a special education teacher specializing in teaching visually impaired students, led the program. With extensive experience in teaching Braille and innovative methodologies for visually impaired education, Mr. Faisal guided participants through various strategies for teaching Quantitative Reasoning I & II to visually impaired students. His dedication to inclusivity and hands-on approach significantly enriched the learning experience.
The five-day training program aimed to equip participants with effective teaching strategies tailored to the needs of visually impaired students. The sessions include the understanding of Braille and its applications in teaching quantitative concepts. Blind students at LCWU, faculty from the Department of Statistics, Department of Mathematics, and faculty from affiliated colleges attended the training.
Participants gained practical insights into teaching methodologies and the use of assistive technologies to enhance learning outcomes.
The closing ceremony was honored by the presence of Prof. Dr. Zohra Nazir Kayani (Director, DFDI), Ms. Rizwana Kausar and Ms. Fauzia from Aziz Jehan Begum Trust, Dr. Maria Hussain (Chairperson of Mathematics Dept, LCWU), Dr. Mahnaz Makhdum (Head of Statistics Dept, Govt. College Gulberg), Ms. Uzma Nauman (Head of Statistocs Dept, Govt. College Samnabad), and Ms. Sadia Iqbal from Independent Living Centre, LCWU. Certificates were distributed to the participants and organizers. In addition to that, a souvenir and bouquet as a token of appreciation were given to the resource person by Dr. Asifa Kamal (Chairperson, Department of Statistics & Principal Investigator), Dr. Mariyam Hafeez (Co-Principal Investigator), and Prof. Dr. Zohra Nazir Kayani (Director, DFDI). We extend our deepest gratitude to Elsevier 2023 Mathematical Sciences Sponsorship Fund (MSSF) for their generous support in funding this training. Heartfelt thanks to LISA-LCWU and Aziz Jehan Begum Trust for their excellent organization and execution of this program, and to Prof. Dr. Uzma Quraishi for her invaluable support and leadership.