(MENAFN- IANS) Panjim, Oct 12 (IANS) To create accessible, inclusive and empowering pathways for persons with disabilities to learn and thrive on both national and international platforms, three transformative initiatives were unveiled on the second day of the International Purple Fest here, an official said on Sunday.

Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, shared information on these initiatives, said the official in the statement.

The initiatives include launch of an IELTS Training Handbook for Persons with Disabilities; successful conduct the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) – Certification in ISL Interpretation (CISLI)/Skill Course for SODA (Siblings of Deaf Adults) and CODA (Children of Deaf Adults) and the launch of a Specialized Basic Training Programme on American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign Language (BSL) by Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), it said.

The October 9-12 event is India's first of its kind festival that celebrates persons with disabilities, said the statement.

The first major launch at the Fest was that of the IELTS Training Handbook for Persons with Disabilities, developed by Believe in the Invisible (BITI) with support from the DEPwD.

Authored by Anjali Vyas, co-founder of BITI and British Council–certified IELTS Trainer, the handbook is a first-of-its-kind inclusive resource designed to make IELTS preparation accessible, structured, and learner-friendly for persons with disabilities (PwDs).

Serving both as a self-study guide for learners and a teaching manual for trainers, the publication addresses the challenges faced by persons with visual, hearing, locomotor and other disabilities in accessing standard IELTS resources.

It provides reasonable accommodation guidelines, adapted strategies, and practical tools for each of the four IELTS modules - Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, said the statement.

The ISLRTC announced that it successfully conducted the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) – Certification in ISL Interpretation (CISLI) / Skill Course for SODA (Siblings of Deaf Adults) and CODA (Children of Deaf Adults) from August 11 to 29 in offline mode in Delhi.

A total of 17 candidates appeared for the assessment, all of whom successfully completed the course. Grades were awarded based on their performance, and the Certificate Distribution Ceremony for this first batch will be started on December 3, on International Day for Persons with Disabilities, said the statement.

In response to the growing need for Indian Sign Language professionals to gain international exposure, ISLRTC also announced the launch of a Specialized Basic Training Programme on American Sign Language (ASL) and British Sign Language (BSL). The one-month (4 weeks) physical training programme at ISLRTC, New Delhi, commences from December 3.

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