Assistive Technology For The Blind

1. Assistive Technology For The Blind Joshua Hernandez

2. Assistive Technologies • According to the book written by Edwards, Maloy, Verock-O’Loughlin, and Woolf, assistive technologies “modify the interface between student and material so that the material becomes more accessible”. • In basic terms, assistive technologies assist those that may not otherwise understand classroom materials in a “normal” means. • Assistive technologies have been around for an extensive period of time. Though, since the birth of modern science and technology, these technologies have now had the chance to become more advanced to cater to more people with different needs.

3. There are many people such as blind, deaf, paraplegic, etc., that can be catered to with assistive technologies. • Assistive technologies give those with assistive needs the chance to work alongside those that may not need these technologies. Thus, giving them a sense of normalcy and increased independence.

4. Assistive Technology for the Blind • Refreshable Braille Display • This technology uses a strip of raised bumps that collaborates with the computer.

5. How It Helps Blind Students • This type of technology assists blind students. • Refreshable Braille Displaysare keyboards that connect to the computer and create sentences that are in passages on the computer into braille (afb.org). • The student would say a command to the voice receiver and then it would start creating the sentences using the braille bumps on the braille board.

6. Scientific Research on Product • The SyncBraille Braille Display is one of the smallest and cheapest portable braille displays on the market. • It has 20 braille cells. • It is extremely helpful for those that are blind or visually impaired and wish to surf the Web. • http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=braille-display-web

7. If This Technology Did Not Exist Then…… • An assistant would have to work with the student to make sure the student obtains the right resources. • Many of the paper sources, whether it be for research or pleasure, would have to be specially ordered in braille. • Any internet source that the student would use by assistance would have to be read to them.

8. Similar Technologies

9. Conclusion • Blind and visually impaired students will most definitely benefit from this technology. • The price for these products are very steep, but no one can put a price on education, especially for the blind and visually impaired. • Another way to assist these students would be having them read material from books already in braille.

10. Bibliography • Adaptive and Assistive Technology @ RehabTool.com. Web. 23 Jan. 2012. <http://www.rehabtool.com>. • American Foundation for the Blind - Home Page. Web. 23 Jan. 2012. <http://www.afb.org>. • Greenemeier, Larry. "Braille Displays Promise to Deliver the Web to the Blind: Scientific American." Science News, Articles and Information | Scientific American. Web. 23 Jan. 2012. <http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.c fm?id=braille-display-web>. • Maloy, Robert W., Ruth-Ellen Verock-O'Loughlin, Sharon A. Edwards, and Beverly P. Woolf. Transforming Learning with New Technologies. Boston: Pearson/Allynand Bacon, 2011. 282-96. Print. • "SyncBraille: Portable 20-Cell Braille Display | Braillers/Tactile Printers - MaxiAids.com." Products for Independent Living, Blind, Low Vision, Deaf, Physically Challenged - MaxiAids.com. Web. 23 Jan. 2012. <http://www.maxiaids.com/products/9135/SyncBraille-Portable-20-Cell-Braille-Display.html?utm_source=Froogle>.