Resource Center for Blind Students spares no effort to help blind and visually impaired persons get a job. Apart from holding a conference on the transition services regarding to work adaption for the physically and mentally disabled students at SG316 on May 27, the Center also hosted a result presentation at the headquarter of Chunghua Telecom on May 29 to display new inventions co-developed with Chunghua Telecom, such as the key-in system, movie player, and KTV player for blind and visually impaired persons. Combined with the first distance customer service system for blind and visually impaired persons available last June, these new facilities will not only improve the life quality for blind and visually impaired persons, but also increase their chances to take up an occupation.

In the Conference, Hsieh Li-Chen from Labor Affairs Bureau, Taipei County, reminded the resource and right for physically and mentally disabled persons when they try to obtain employment. She indicates that the government has offered free vocational training to teach physically and mentally disabled persons the skills of baking, massage, computer, and so on. Furthermore, if physically and mentally disabled persons meet with some difficulties while working or seeking for a job, Council of Labor Affairs will assist them to solve the problems and provide them some subsidy as long as they follow the administrative procedures. However, she also pointed out that physically and mentally disabled graduates need to have strong motivation to work, and pay heed to their resumes, the clothes they wear in an interview, as well as their attitude, so that they can get a job more easily.

As for the new inventions exhibited in the result presentation, the key-in system for blind and visually impaired persons can increase their key-in speed when they, for instance, type meeting record, and make them more competitive. The movie player for blind and visually impaired persons can read out Chinese subtitles of the movies simultaneously with the image so that visually impaired persons are able to understand the dialogues when “watching” a foreign movie. Chang Chin-shun, computer engineer of Resource Center for Blind Students, said, “This movie player can help visually impaired persons overcome the language barrier and enjoy foreign movies.”

Dr. Flora C.I. Chang, President of TKU, indicates that TKU always tries its best to create a barrier free environment and friendly campus, and it is also her wish to cultivate more and more visually impaired talents in the future. Lu Shyue-Ching, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Chunghua Telecom, said that the Center of Distance Customer Service for Blind and Visually Impaired Persons set up last year has gotten good reaction, which not only has been used in Philippine, but also will be put to use in Beijing this year. Lu also promised that he will increase the number of employees in the Center from six to thirty people to provide more job opportunities to blind and visually impaired persons. ( ~Shu-chun Yen )