MUMBAI, December 8 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tata Interactive Learning Disability Forum (TLDF) 2008 held in Mumbai on the 29th November and in Kolkata on the 2nd December focuses on urgent need to address Learning Disability (LD) issues.

The third annual TLDF - a unique global forum on LD in India - was successfully conducted at Mumbai and Kolkata. This is the first time the event, earlier only held in Mumbai, has been extended to include the eastern metro city of Kolkata as well.

Focusing on the theme of Special Deeds for Special Needs, the TLDF 2008 underlined the importance of early remedial action to help learners with special needs. When asked about the TLDF, Sanjaya Sharma, CEO of Tata Interactive Systems (TIS) said, Around 3-7% of the world population suffers from LD, but it can be overcome if detected at an appropriate time. We have invited international LD experts to interact with city doctors, parents and teachers to make them more aware. Right now we are focusing on Mumbai and Kolkata, to spread awareness.

Tata Interactive Systems has been championing the cause of LD for several years, and its efforts recently bore fruit when LD was included in the MBBS syllabus last year in the state of Maharashtra. The educational authorities are now taking the initiative to enhance the B.Ed. syllabus as well, and similar efforts are on in Kolkata too. Such grassroots-level awareness is critical as the lack of awareness about LD has meant that even prestigious schools tend to classify LD-affected students as slow learners.

Sanjaya added, In the past couple of years, volunteers from our Mumbai staff have made presentations on LD in about 26 schools. In Kolkata too, we will carry out a similar programme.

The TLDF emphasized that LD need not be an impediment to real-life achievements. Among the speakers was Swaroop Sampat Rawal, former Miss India and a special educator and consultant who said, I am dyslexic, but I have completed my Ph.D. on this subject. The event saw a series of highly informative and engaging sessions by noted LD experts from Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General (LTMG) Hospital's LD Clinic, one of the few clinics that offer LD certification in India; nasen, UK; Haskins Laboratories, US; Bombay Teachers Training College, Mumbai; SNDT University, Mumbai; and Manovikas Kendra Research Rehabilitation Institute, Kolkata.

For more information about the event, please visit http://tldf.tatainteractive.com.

(c) 2008 Tata Interactive Systems

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About Tata Interactive Systems (TIS)

Tata Interactive Systems (TIS), a global leader in learning solutions, is a part of the $70bn Tata Group. Truly international, TIS has a presence across the US, Canada, the UK, mainland Europe, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, and India. TIS offers corporations, universities, schools, publishers and government institutions a diversified and innovative bouquet of learning and training solutions including Simulation-based Learning Objects (SimBLs(R)), Story-based Learning Objects (StoBLs), courseware and curriculum design, special-needs education, CyberTest Assessment Engine, electronic performance support systems (EPSS), Learning Planet(TM) LCMS, ManTra(TM) LMS, virtual classrooms, mobile learning, Game-based Learning (GamBLs), and 3D animation along with other corporate training and consultancy services. Our multi-disciplinary expertise and 18 years' experience across domains help us design e-learning programs that are unique to clients' requirements and specifically crafted to boost knowledge retention and application.

TIS is the only e-learning organization in the world to be assessed at Level 5 in both the SEI-CMM and P-CMM frameworks. TIS's quest for excellence is reflected in numerous prestigious industry awards, including a Performance Centered Design Award, an ASTD Award, IT Training Awards, Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning Awards, APEX Awards of Excellence, BETT Awards, and Business World-NID Design Excellence awards.

For more information log on to http://www.tatainteractive.com Further information from: Sonal Chhaya Tata Interactive Systems +91-22-6643-8000 sonal_c@tatainteractive.com

Further information from: Sonal Chhaya, Tata Interactive Systems, +91-22-6643-8000, sonal_c@tatainteractive.com