55 persons with intellectual disabilities were awarded a certificate of proficiency in computer use after they successfully completed a course organised by the Foundation for Information Technology Accessibility (FITA) in collaboration with MCAST, the Ministry of Education and Employment and the National Commission for Persons with Disability.

In a short speech at the certificate awarding ceremony, Minister Dolores Cristina said that computer skills are a need in today’s society because it has become such an integral part of our life and constitutes an indispensable tool in our academic development.

Four years ago, when the courses were launched, they were attended by 47 individuals, while this year, they received a total of 55 applicants. Most of the attendees successfully completed the course.

The Student Services Department also has a centre within which students can make use of assistive technology and get advice on how schools can make better use of computers.

The E-Learning Centre collaborates with FITA to develop educational software as well as the Text-to-Speech Engine that translates to Maltese. These tools are beneficial for thousands of students across the island.