Assistive Technology: Reflections of EDUC 569.69: Class 10 Assignment

Assistive Technology for Students who are Blind

1. Definitions for the condition:

a. A medical condition of the eyes that involves a severe impairment in vision, not corrected by glasses. (http://www.teachspeced.ca/blind-and-low-vision?q=node/673)

b. In Canada, a person is legally blind if his or her best eye has less than 20/200 vision with the help of glasses or contact lenses. Having 20/200 vision means that a person cannot be more than6.1 m (20 ft) away to see what a person with normal vision can see from 61 m (200 ft) away. Legal blindness does not mean that a person cannot see at all. People who are legally blind often have some vision, but their field of vision may be very narrow or blurry. Or they may have blind spots that glasses cannot correct. (https://myhealth.alberta.ca/health/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=stl17646&)

2. Examples of AT that assist individuals who are blind:

Low	Medium	High
The white cane is just one of many tools used by people with vision loss – from toddlers to seniors - to assist with safety, mobility and independence. The cane is used to check for objects in a person’s path, changes in the walking surface (from cement to grass, for example) and to check for dangers like steps and curbs. A secondary function is identification: recognized around the world, the white cane clearly tells other pedestrians and drivers that the user is a person with vision loss.	As the name suggests, a talking calculator's main feature is the ability to talk. The idea behind it is to make simple calculating tasks much more convenient and efficient to someone who cannot easily read a standard display. One does not need to give up any features and functions to get a calculator with talking capabilities.	The Perkins SMART Brailler® is the evolution of the Perkins Brailler® from a low-technology, beloved classic to a high-technology learning and teaching tool. It offers a new, more intuitive way for individuals, both sighted and blind, to communicate, teach and learn braille together. Now teachers can see what their students are brailling, sighted parents can help their visually impaired children with homework and students can take the lead in their own braille education. Sighted or blind, we can all share the learning experience!
Braille-is writing system which enables blind and partially sighted people to read and write through touch. It was invented by Louis Braille (1809-1852), who was blind and became a teacher of the blind. It consists of patterns of raised dots arranged in cells of up to six dots in a 3 x 2 configuration. Each cell represents a letter, numeral or punctuation mark. Some frequently used words and letter combinations also have their own single cell patterns. There are a variety of different formats of Braille: Uncontracted or Grade 1, which consists of the 26 standard letters of the alphabet and punctuation. It is only used by people who are first starting to read Braille. Contracted or Grade 2, which consists of the 26 standard letters of the alphabet, punctuation and contractions. The contractions are employed to save space because a Braille page cannot fit as much text as a standard printed page. Books, signs in public places, menus, and most other Braille materials are written in Contracted Braille. Grade 3, which is used mainly in personal letters, diaries, and notes, and also in literature to a limited extent. It is a kind of shorthand, with entire words shortened to a few letters. There is no official standard for this version of Braille	Audio e-book technology offers many features that allow people to enjoy books in a unique new way. After the simple installation of software on a personal computer, readers can display the text of the book on the screen, fully synchronized with the audio of a professional narrator. Switching back and forth between print and audio versions of the same work and keyword searching are also possible. Not only can audio e-book technology deliver more books to people with vision loss and print disabilities, it offers sighted consumers a number of interesting new reading options.	Braille Lite- which is a note taker that allows students to type notes in class using a specialized keyboard. A Braille display on the front lets students check what they've written, and an optional speech function reads the text aloud. Students can then hook up their note takers to a PC to print their notes on a standard printer in large type, or on an embosser in Braille.

Audio Books

Braille Lite

Braille

Perkins Smart Brailler

Talking Calculator

The White Cane

iPad

This post would not be complete if I did not also acknowledge the usefulness of the iPad as AT for individuals who are blind. Please visit the following links to learn more. The built in accessibility options alone make this high-tech device a winner!

How Blind People Use the iPad

Blind Apple iPad Tech Camp

3. The following videos are excellent examples of how AT can assist those individuals who are legally blind – truly inspirational!