BLBI "Abiyoso" "Goes to Campus", Expands Literacy Cooperation Network

SURAKARTA (September 28, 2020) - Indonesian Braille Literacy Center (BLBI) "Abiyoso" in Cimahi which is the Technical Implementation Unit of the Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs under the Directorate General of Social Rehabilitation, continues to expand network of cooperation in the field of braille literacy. This collaboration is carried out through the Cooperation and Evaluation Section. One of these collaborations with universities. This activity is called BLBI "Abiyoso" Goes to Campus. 

This activity certainly aims to make the BLBI service activity program "Abiyoso" as a provider, manager, national reference, and braille literacy laboratory, to be socialized more widely to various groups, including academics. Thus, it is hoped that in the future, every university/college will be able to provide access to braille literacy services for Persons with Visual Sensory Disabilities (PDSN), especially students who need braille literacy in their learning process. One strategy that can be applied to provide such access is to collaborate with BLBI “Abiyoso”.

As implemented by Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta this time. Through the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM) Center for Disability Studies, UNS invites BLBI "Abiyoso" to collaborate and work together to provide access to braille literacy for PDSN. The start of the collaboration was marked by the signing of a cooperation agreement between the two parties.

The momentum for signing the cooperation agreement today coincides with the Mentoring for New Students with Disabilities at Eleven March University in 2020-2021. The head of BLBI "Abiyoso", Isep Sepriyan also had the opportunity to deliver a public lecture at the event, which was attended by new students with disabilities, as well as parents and their companions. Isep also said that BLBI "Abiyoso" is ready to work together and become a provider of braille literacy for universities.

Head of the Center for Diffabilities Studies, Munawir Yusuf in his speech said that the collaboration between LPPM UNS and BLBI "Abiyoso" is in order to make UNS a center for Braille Studies, which will later be supported by BLBI "Abiyoso" as a provider of braille books and talk books. And then there will be a braille corner which will be centered in the UNS Central Library.

The event was also attended by the Chancellor of UNS, Jamal Wiwoho, as well as the Deputy Chancellor for Planning and Cooperation, Sajidan and the Chairman of LPPM, Okid Parama Astirin. The Chancellor of UNS expressed his gratitude to BLBI "Abiyoso" for paving the way for cooperation with UNS, and hopes that this will continue to be developed and of course beneficial for all parties, especially Persons with Disabilities.

This cooperation agreement aims to develop literacy services for PDSN at the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM) UNS Surakarta.

The scope of this collaboration includes the development of literacy services for PDSN; Improving knowledge and skills for PDSN; Organizing Braille Corners for PDSN at the LPPM UNS Diffability Study Center, Central Library, and/or other units determined by UNS; Coordinate related to literacy services for PDSN; Conduct research and development on the use of Braille Corner and assistive technology for PDSN.

Not only signing the cooperation agreement, there was also a follow-up discussion on the agreement that had been agreed by both parties including, the plan for studies in the field of disability in public lectures, the implementation of a braille corner in the library, the provision of braille books, to braille literacy training.