Little KITE students use AI to help children with special needs

Over 15,600 students from Kerala’s Little KITE programme will participate in a series of subdistrict camps aimed at harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to assist children with special needs.

The initiative, organised by the Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) with UNICEF’s support, will begin on November 23, an official release said on Friday.

The two-day camp spread across 260 locations will focus on creating AI tools to help children with speech and hearing impairments communicate through sign language.

These tools include video-based learning modules and interactive platforms to make sign language more accessible, the release stated.

Additionally, students will develop animation films to promote environmental conservation.

“A highlight of the programme is the development of AI-powered tools that enable children with speech and hearing difficulties to communicate using sign language. These modules will not only facilitate learning sign language but also encourage interaction with such children. Video classes for this purpose will also be introduced in the camps,” it added.

One storyline features two birds working together to restore greenery to a devastated area, emphasising the importance of collective action.

K. Anvar Sadath, CEO of KITE, said 15,668 students were selected from school-level competitions out of the 2.08 lakh Little KITE members across 2,219 units.

Around 1,200 trainers have been prepared for the camps, which will run in batches without disrupting regular classes, he said.

Published - November 22, 2024 11:30 pm IST