APCD Visitation to Ratchasuda College
Bangkok, Thailand
Director and Professors from Ratchasuda College
An APCD team visited Ratchasuda College, Mahidol University on 17 July 2003. They met with Dr. Jitprapa Sri-on, Director of Ratchasuda College, including some professors and staff.
Ratchasuda College, Mahidol University in Nakornpathom, Thailand established by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn who is keenly interested in disability-related issues, is fully accessible to all students. It is her conviction that persons with disabilities with proper training and opportunities can lead full lives in "society as a whole" and with equality.
The College's goal is to provide a new way of conceiving and understanding the needs of persons with disabilities. Ratchasuda College is working to foster a tradition of service for persons with disabilities and aims to develop a wide range of consumer-oriented services that will assist people with disabilities in gaining access to rehabilitation, higher education and employment opportunities.
In the 2001 academic year, Ratchasuda College had a total of 177 students and 86 staff. It has a high potential in developing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for persons with disabilities, for example, providing Braille Code Training, Computer Training for Low Vision People, Educational Audiology, Southeast Asia Network of Access Technology for the Blind Overbrook University and the Nippon Foundation (SENAT), Digital Accessible Information System (DAISY), Computer CD-ROM for the Deaf, etc.
Ratchasuda College aims to provide educational and community services for persons with disabilities in Thailand and countries in the Asian Region. APCD plans to collaborate with Ratchasuda College in order to empower persons with disabilities through the programs of both institutes.
