Deaf student gets diploma with SMS help

From: New Straits Times - Persekutuan,Malaysia Jan 30, 2005

R.S. Kamini

CYBERJAYA, Jan 30:

Her mother once threatened to punish her for not speaking, although she was deaf.

Today, her mother proudly watched Lim Beng Keat collect her diploma in IT at the Limkokwing University College of Creative Technology graduation ceremony.

Lim, 24, from Petaling Jaya, had been deaf since three, but had never allowed her disability to lower her self-esteem.

Her mother's determination and her own fear of being labelled as a disabled drove Lim to work hard since elementary school.

Speaking to the New Straits Times with the help of an interpreter, Lim, whose interest in IT was sparked by computer classes in school, recalled the difficulties she faced during lectures.

"It was difficult in the beginning. The lessons were in English and some of them were complicated.

"But I communicated with my lecturers and friends using Short Messaging Service (SMS). I took notes and if there was a need to clarify anything, I would just SMS my lecturers or friends."

Lim aspires to set up her own IT firm, and knows it will not be easy.

But she is undeterred. Her next goal is a Bachelor's degree and then a Master's.

Some 600 graduates from the university received their scrolls at the ceremony today.

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