The week's pick
Random Articles
Reseach Article
Access to Knowledge: Online Education for People with Visual Impairments in a Global Context
| International Journal of Computer Applications |
| Foundation of Computer Science (FCS), NY, USA |
| Volume 186 - Number 67 |
| Year of Publication: 2025 |
| Authors: Elena Filipova |
10.5120/ijca2025924482
|
Elena Filipova . Access to Knowledge: Online Education for People with Visual Impairments in a Global Context. International Journal of Computer Applications. 186, 67 ( Feb 2025), 33-40. DOI=10.5120/ijca2025924482
Abstract
Online education has become an essential tool in ensuring equal access to learning opportunities for individuals with visual impairments. With over 2.2 billion people affected by some form of vision impairment globally, accessible digital education plays a crucial role in overcoming educational barriers. This article explores the advantages, challenges, and successful examples of online education for people with visual impairments, highlighting key technologies such as screen readers, Braille displays, and text-to-speech software. It also emphasizes the importance of personalized learning experiences, the integration of innovative technologies like AI, and the need for universal accessibility standards. Despite the progress, challenges remain, such as the lack of trained educators, inaccessible websites, and insufficient availability of specialized educational resources. This paper advocates for global collaboration, investment in assistive technologies, and raising awareness to foster inclusive education systems worldwide. By ensuring that online education is accessible to all, society can empower visually impaired individuals to thrive academically and professionally, fostering social inclusion and personal independence.
References
- World Health Organisation (2023). Blindness and vision impairment, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/blindness-and-visual-impairment#:~:text=Globally%2C%20at%20least%202.2%20billion,are%20refractive%20errors%20and%20cataracts.
- Web Content ccessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 (20240, https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/.
- ISO 9241-171 (Ergonomics of Human-System Interaction) (2008), https://www.iso.org/standard/39080.html.
- ISO 14289-1 (PDF/UA) (2012), https://pdfa.org/resource/iso-14289-pdfua/.
- ISO 21542 (Building Accessibility) (2021), https://www.iso.org/standard/71860.html.
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards for Accessible Design (1991), https://www.ada.gov/law-and-regs/design-standards/1991-design-standards/.
- European Accessibility Act (EAA) (2019), https://employment-social-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies-and-activities/social-protection-social-inclusion/persons-disabilities/union-equality-strategy-rights-persons-disabilities-2021-2030/european-accessibility-act_en.
- EN 301 549 (Accessibility Requirements for ICT Products and Services) (2014), https://www.etsi.org/human-factors-accessibility/en-301-549-v3-the-harmonized-european-standard-for-ict-accessibility
- UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006), https://lop.parl.ca/sites/PublicWebsite/default/en_CA/ResearchPublications/201309E
- DAISY Standards (Digital Accessible Information System) (1996), https://daisy.org/about-us/history/
- Inclusive Design for Emerging Technologies (ISO/IEC 29138) (2018), https://www.iso.org/standard/71953.html
- Global Accessibility Reporting Initiative , https://www.gari.info/.
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2017), Sec. 303.13 (b) (1), https://sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/c/a/303.13/b/1.
- Screen Readers, IBM, IBM Screen Reader (1986), Exploring the History of Screen Readers, https://assistfoundation.eu/about/?utm_source=chatgpt.com, https://nfb.org/.
- Braille display, Telesensory and Papenmeier, Optacon от Telesensory (1970 – 1980), Exploring the History of Screen Readers, https://nfb.org/.
- Text-to-Speech software, Bell Labs (1939), DECtalk (Digital Equipment Corporation) (1983), https://www.bell-labs.com/, https://chatgpt.com/c/6787c870-1100-800f-8b4e-f9252161250f#:~:text=History%20of%20TTS-,DECtalk%20History,-Let%20me%20know.
- Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Kurzweil, Kurzweil Computer Products (1950), Kurzweil Computer Products introduced the first OCR system capable, IBM with OCR technology (1950), https://www.thekurzweillibrary.com/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_character_recognition.
- Mobile Applications, Palm, Inc. and Microsoft (1990), Apple, Apple App Store (2008), https://www.thekurzweillibrary.com/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_character_recognition.
- Smart devices and voice assistants, Amazon, Amazon Echo (2014), Voice assistant Alexa (2014), Apple, Siri with the iPhone 4s (2011), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_assistant, https://www.amazon.com/b?node=21576558011.
- Braille Printers, Braille Technologies, Robert H. MacGregor, Braille embossers (1950), IBM, IBM Braille Printer (1970), www.braille.org, https://www.ibm.com/us-en.
- Browser Extensions and Web Accessibility Tools, W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) (1995), Google Chrome (2010), ChromeVox (2010), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_accessibility, https://support.google.com/accessibility/answer/7031755?hl=en.
- American Foundation for the Blind, American Foundation for the Blind. History of Screen Readers. American Foundation for the Blind, n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2025, https://www.afb.org/.
- World Health Organization. (2021). World Report on Vision. Retrieved from www.who.int.
- American Foundation for the Blind. (2023). Accessible Education for Visually Impaired Students. Retrieved from www.afb.org.
- European Commission. (2022). Digital Education Action Plan. Retrieved from ec.europa.eu.
- World Health Organization (WHO). Blindness and Vision Impairment Facts.
- EdX. Inclusive Learning and Accessibility Standards.
- Open University. Disability Support and Accessibility.
- Courses on Adaptive Technologies: Practical Examples with JAWS and NVDA.
- Burgstahler, S. (2020). Universal Design in Education: Principles and Applications. University of Washington Press.
- Kelly, S. M., & Smith, D. W. (2019). Teaching Students with Visual Impairments: A Guide to Best Practices. Springer.
- Smith, J. D. (2021). Advancing Accessible Education in a Digital Age. Routledge.
- European Commission. (2022). Digital Education Action Plan. Retrieved from ec.europa.eu.
- Perkins School for the Blind. (2023). Accessible Learning Technologies. Retrieved from www.perkins.org.
Index Terms
Keywords