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

Notes for editors

To subscribe to TIS news: http://www.tatainteractive.com/rss/rssfeed.xml

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