Ranchi, Oct. 26: Alma, like most other children her age, is always eager to work on a computer.

However, Alma’s computer is not an ordinary one because unlike a lot of other children her age, Alma — a class VIII student — is visually-challenged.

Alma, and many others like her have enrolled, for computer lessons at St Michael’s School for the Blind.

The school uses specially-designed software to make visually-challenged students computer-savvy. According to school authorities, this endeavour will go a long way in securing a better future for the students by provide them with more options in their careers.

The software — Lan Direct Braille — allows a visually-challenged user to key in data directly. The user is prompted by the system after each letter is entered. The data is keyed on a special Braille keyboard that has 17 keys.

A visually-challenged person can key in the six “dots” that make up the Braille letters. After each dot formation the voice recording system pronounces the word keyed in by the user.

The computers are linked to a special Braille printer that can be connected with other printers, said St Michael’s computer teacher Bipin Kumar.

“It takes about three minutes for the Braille printer to print one page. So it has to be connected with other printers to save time. We have also requisitioned for a “tactile reader” which will allow a user to edit while working on the machine. The text on the screen appears on the keyboard by the formation of small pins which enables a user to make modifications while working,” said Kumar.

Braille users can also use Bharati Braille, another software which transcripts English and 12 other regional languages into Braille script and also the other way round.

This software enables a person who does not understand Braille to work with a visually-challenged person, said Kumar.

The school, in keeping with a government notification, is also conducting a training session for teachers of other similar institutions.

“Normally a visually-challenged person needs a sighted person to write for him or her. But if these software are made available to students, visually-challenged students can stop depending on other people to take dictations for them,” said M.T.P. Agarwal, principal, St. Michael’s School.