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A Computing Education for the Vision Impaired

A Computing Education for the Vision Impaired. Iain Murray Curtin University of Technology Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Rehabilitation Engineering Research Laboratory . Introduction. Objectives Learning environments What is the Cisco Network Academy Program?.

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A Computing Education for the Vision Impaired

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  1. A Computing Education for the Vision Impaired Iain Murray Curtin University of Technology Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Rehabilitation Engineering Research Laboratory

  2. Introduction • Objectives • Learning environments • What is the Cisco Network Academy Program?

  3. Rehabilitation Engineering is the systematic application of engineering sciences to design, develop, adapt, test, evaluate, apply, and distribute technological solutions to problems confronted by individuals with disabilities in functional areas, such as mobility, communications, hearing, vision, and cognition, and in activities associated with employment, independent living, education, and integration into the community. (US Rehabilitation Act of 1973)

  4. Objective • Develop systems and methodologies to assist people with sensory disabilities to gain access to education and technology

  5. Resources • Rehabilitation Engineering Research Laboratory • Researchers • 3 academic staff • 1 technical staff • 6 Postgraduate students • 2 Masters and 4 PhD • Over 30 Honours students (4th & 5th year engineering) • Industry & consumer advisors

  6. Changing Learning Environment • Educational content delivery is changing • On-line eLearning • Instructor led • Distance learning • Supplemental material • People with disabilities (particularly vision) • Being left behind • Reliance on visiocentric material • Multimedia • E.g. Click and drag

  7. Changing Learning Environment • This requires a change in thinking • Ensure effective content delivery to ALL students irrespective of learning style or physical ability • Cisco Access for the Vision Impaired (CAVI)

  8. Cisco Network Academy Program • The Networking Academy program is an e-learning model that delivers Web-based educational content, online testing, student performance tracking, and instructor training and support, as well as hands-on labs. (Cisco,2002)

  9. Cisco Network Academy Program (CNAP) • 10,312 Academies • 162 Countries • 494,063 Students • 278,005 Graduates • 14 vision impaired students • All in Perth

  10. Cisco Network Academy Program (CNAP) • Several programs • CCNA, CCNP, FNS, FWN, ITE, UNIX etc • CAVI covers IT Essentials and CCNA only • The CNAP is a comprehensive program designed to teach students computer, Internet & networking technology skills.

  11. Why CNAP? • Router/switch configuration is text based • Network topologies are logical not physical • Network administration does not require mobility • Orientation and mobility training is time consuming and expensive • New employment opportunities

  12. The Students • Age range from 18 to 55 • Range of technical ability/experience • 14 Legally blind in total • 5 have no useful vision • Light perception or less • 3 require screen reader access • Cannot read a monitor • 5 can access a computer with screen enhancement • May just require contrast or specific colour schemes • 1 deaf/blind • Has limited tunnel vision and profoundly deaf • Communicates through Auslan and whiteboard

  13. Cisco Network Academy Program

  14. Cisco Network Academy Program

  15. Current Access Methods • For low vision users. • Screen enlargement. • Zoomtext, Magic. • Screen review programs. • Jaws, Slimware, Artic. • Two output methods - speech and Braille displays. • Screen review software must rely on text output. • Tactile Graphics • PIAF • Printed Braille and Audio recordings

  16. Access Methods • Other Disabilities • Quadriplegics. • Morse, Eye tracking, scan boards. • Emphasis on keyboard/mouse replacement issues. • Deaf. • Subtitles, visual alerts, transcription of conferences/video. • Many others.

  17. CAVI Project Description • Develop a method of course delivery to vision impaired students • Standard Curriculum • Existing lab bundles • CCNA & IT Essentials initially • Long term aim to include other academy programs • Create a “bridge” between the curriculum and assistive technology • Includes instructor training

  18. Curriculum Access • Use text documents • Explain diagrams • Stress important but uniquely difficult points • The OSI model • Layer 2 technologies • Tactile objects • Network dominoes • Pipe cleaners • Function Generator

  19. CAVI • Describe the difficulties that vision impaired students face • Investigate how students with severe vision impairment can utilize cognitive and perceptual properties of non-visual sensory modalities to learn (as compared to sighted students) • Develop new visualisation techniques • Develop a novel multimodal user interface • Explicitly designed to deliver technology and engineering skills to vision impaired students • Investigate how these new technologies may be incorporated into future systems

  20. Haptic Displays

  21. Mouse-type Devices

  22. Earcons • Earcons were first proposed by Meera Blattner in 1989. • They are abstract, musical tones that can be used in structured combinations to create auditory messages. • "non-verbal audio messages that are used in the computer/user interface to provide information to the user about some computer object, operation or interaction" • They are based on musical sounds.

  23. AsTeR • Audio System For Technical Readings • A computing system for rendering technical documents in audio • Developed by T.V. Raman

  24. Number Systems & Subnetting

  25. The OSI Model

  26. Network Dominoes

  27. Other Props

  28. Braille Display

  29. Diagrams Host A sends SYN (seq =x) Host B receives SYN (seq=x) and sends SYN(seq=y, ack=x+1) Host A Receives SYN (seq=y, ack = x+1) and sends ACK (ack = y+1) Host B Receives ACK (ack = y+1)

  30. Other CAVI Applications • Speech Friendly Packet Sniffer • Braille Transcription Software • Router Simulator • XML to Descriptive Text

  31. Progress • First Class • Mid way through CCNA 2 • Improved self confidence • Modifications to the course are being finalised • Second Class • Progressing much more rapidly • Modified curriculum is working

  32. Conclusion • Cavi Project is a test bench • Includes most of the devices/techniques currently being researched • Final outcome • Deliver an “Academy in a Box” • For Academies that wish to teach vision impaired students • Two of the first students are now qualified as instructors in the Academy Program

  33. Questions? • http://www.ece.curtin.edu.au/~iain/accessibility • http://cisco.netacad.net • http://www.avcc.edu.au/content.asp?page=/policies_programs/equity/index.htm • www.tiresias.org (John Gill)

  34. Some of the Students

  35. Current Research Projects • Cisco Access for the Vision Impaired (CAVI) • Curtin University Brailler (CUB) • Wireless Stereo Headset • Parakeet -Apple OS X Accessibility • iView - Classroom Aid for Low Vision Students • Dasher • Auslan to Text • Currency Identifier for the Blind • Braille Scanner • Ultrasonic White Cane/Seeing with Sound • 7 Segment reader and colour sensor

  36. The Target Demographic • In Western Australia • 8,800 legally blind • Nearly 2,400 under 65 • The Association for the Blind • 75 new clients each month • 411 clients per year in technology training • (ABWA annual report 2001) • Extrapolate to the world market • Third world countries have higher rates of vision impairment

  37. Disability Discrimination Act • DDA is administered by the Human rights and Equal Opportunities Commission (HREOC). • Accepts that some differential treatment is unavoidable. • Commonwealth Departments and Agencies must develop action plans. • Emerging DDA standards on “Electronic Communication”.

  38. Curtin University Brailler (CUB) • Perkins Brailler • Mechanical only • Mountbatten Brailler • Electronic, very old technology

  39. Braille Scanner • Aimed at Sighted non-Braille Readers • Converts Braille to Expanded Text in real time

  40. A Secure Dual Channel Wireless Headset for Multi-user Environments • Funded by Dept. of Training • Science & Technology Grant • Joint Project • Association for the Blind WA • RAC (WA)

  41. Proof of Concept Prototype • Dual channel, two-way, high quality, low power infrared headset prototype which has been field tested by the ABWA and certified.

  42. DSP based system • Upgradeable, flexible • Ultra Low Power • Secure comm’s • Current BOM < $150 • …IR TxRx’s < $3 • Cellular Architecture

  43. Current Form Ideal Form

  44. The Future • Infrared / 802.1x Hybrid • Keep low power, security, and bandwidth benefits of infrared, but combine with 802.11g to overcome infrared mobility issue. • Commercialisation • Packaging • Alternative markets • Navy

  45. Parakeet • The project involves designing, building and testing a screen reader application for Mac OS X operating system. • A screen reader is an application that allows a vision-impaired person to use a graphical user interface by providing audible feedback in the form of speech. • The screen reader interrogates the actions of the user via the Accessibility APIs and produces speech output using the text-to-speech (TTS) APIs. • Both of these APIs are provided by Apple as part of Mac OS X.

  46. Dasher • Information-efficient text-entry interface • driven by natural continuous pointing gestures. • operating a computer one-handed • with zero hands (i.e., by head-mouse or by eyetracker). • The eyetracking version of Dasher allows an experienced user to write text as fast as normal handwriting - 25 words per minute; using a mouse, experienced users can write at 39 words per minute.

  47. Auslan to Text

  48. Auslan to Text

  49. Currency Identifier • Australian Polymer notes are of a similar size • Hard to distinguish denomination if totally blind • Utilises the unique pattern in the clear window

  50. Ultrasonic White Cane • Augments the standard long cane • Warns of • Head height obstructions • Drop off (e.g. Stairs) • Simple user interface

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