Accessibility for the Blind - don't leave them behind

Here’s a blog written by Kevin Miller, who laments on how advances in technology have yet to fully bridge the gap between web application development and user experience. He elaborates with a real-life example: a college student who was blind had a comprehensive set of assistive devices to support her learning, but could not complete simple tasks such as attempting online timed assignments and participating actively in forums.  

As app or software developers, it is essential to consider the accessibility of our products to the blind and low vision community, lest they be left behind.

In what other areas do you think the needs of these people have been overlooked?

 

Read blog post here

Happy 185th Anniversary, Perkins!

Perkins, founded in 1829, is the first school in America for children who are blind. It has since established itself as a thought leader in innovation and education for the blind, deaf-blind and visually impaired, benefiting the lives of many. Last Sunday, Perkins celebrated 185 years of serving this community and we wish them a Happy Belated Anniversary!  

Read on for a summary of Perkins’ milestones.

 

 Image source: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/03/prweb11624987.htm

Zoofari - A Girl with Night-Blindness and Her Dream

A young adult fiction book, “Zoofari”, depicts a story of a girl who has night-blindness but aspires to protect the animals at the San Francisco Zoo. To anyone who enjoys reading stories of ordinary people accomplishing huge goals, this may be worth a read.

Read the blurb here

Image source: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/392148

Making Course Materials Accessible to Blind College Students

Just as we were sharing on the challenges that blind students face while studying in college, the Technology Education and Accessibility in College and Higher Education (TEACH) Act (S. 2060) has been introduced last Thursday. With specific guidelines in place, this means that college students who are blind or visually impaired will now have access to the same essential course materials that their peers have. Great news!

In what other areas do you think accessibility needs to be improved on?

Read article here

The Blind Pursuit of Science - How Assistive Technologies Can Help

Pursuing one’s passion for science is no easy feat for students who are visually impaired or blind. Very often, they face the problem of visualizing pictorial representations of data, complex mathematical formulae and completing laboratory coursework.

Read on to find out the limitations they face and what the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany has done to make course materials more accessible to their student community; this is an issue that software magnifiers and screen readers have yet to address adequately.

Read article here

Learning for the Blind...in 3D

Here's another way to make learning more accessible to children who are visually impaired. Yahoo! Japan has crossed conventional boundaries to make searching for information more accessible to them. The child voices out the search item and it will be printed by a 3D printer, Hands on Search, so that the object can be touched and felt.

Watch this video see how amazed the kids are.

Image source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQx6YeoKVwU

Book for the Blind - 'Reach for the Stars: Touch, Look, Listen, Learn'

Here’s a book that delivers a more holistic learning experience to children especially those who are visually impaired. Titled “Reach for the Stars: Touch, Look, Listen, Learn”, this e-book is the brainchild of Elena Sabbi, an astronomer and lead researcher at the Space Telescope Science Institute, who hopes to use it to inspire children to become scientists despite challenges with their vision.

Those who are visually impaired will be able to hear text being read aloud to them, access zoom and high-contrast features, and use a refreshable braille display.

Read on for more details.

Read article here