Marking a significant step in Kerala’s inclusive education push, the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC) has introduced assistive mathematics kits that enable visually impaired students to learn complex concepts through touch.
The initiative is part of K-DISC’s STRIDE (Social Transformation through Innovation and Development for Empowerment) project, implemented by its Social Enterprise and Inclusion Division. The STRIDE Assistive Maths Kits were distributed to students at the Helen Keller Centenary Memorial Model School in Karimpuzha on the occasion of International Mathematics Day.
The kits were formally handed over by MLA K. Premkumar. The event was organised in collaboration with the Kerala Federation of the Blind.
Designed and manufactured locally at the STRIDE Maker Studio in Kottayam, the kits feature tactile versions of geometric shapes such as circles, squares and triangles, allowing students to grasp mathematical ideas through physical interaction rather than visual representation.
K-DISC said the initiative aligns with its broader goal of positioning Kerala as India’s first Inclusive Innovation Hub by 2031. The STRIDE project focuses on developing assistive, adaptive and cognitive devices for persons with disabilities through a network of Maker Studios.
Robin Tommy, executive director of K-DISC’s Social Enterprise and Inclusion Division, said the project is helping build a disability-friendly education model rooted in accessibility and personalisation.