Report on Information and Communication Technology for Visually Impaired Persons
23 November - 17 December 2004, Thailand
Training of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Visually Impaired Persons (VIP) was held in Bangkok, Thailand from 23 November - 17 December 2004 at the Asia Pacific Development Center on Disability (APCD). Nine participants came from 6 countries, namely Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand and Viet Nam, including 3 blind and 1 partially sighted persons.
The main objective was to train computer training teachers for visually impaired persons (VIP) in order to plan and organize appropriate computer training for VIP, and to understand the concept of information accessibility for PWDs based on universal design principles.
Mr. Wiraman, a Course Leader, with Participants
APCD recognizes ICT has been a driving force for economic and social development globally. However, the benefits of ICT have been unequal between disabled and non-disabled persons in developing countries in the Asia- Pacific region, who face inaccessibility to information. APCD believes that ICT can be one solution to access information, if VIPs can utilize the technologies. VIPs lack opportunities to learn about the development of ICT. Society needs to ensure that all persons including VIPs can fully and equally access information. For this reason, APCD planned the ICT training for VIP.
In the training, participants learned about a variety of assistive PC technologies such as screen readers, screen magnifiers, web accessibility, Braille production, the OCR program, DAISY, etc. Also, participants learned about the concepts, policies and legislation concerning information accessibility for PWDs, as well as good case studies, VIPs, and the designing and management of PC training for VIPs. All resource persons were either visually impaired or blind. Mr. Wiraman Niyomphol, lecturer at Ratchasuda College, Mahidol University, Thailand, who is blind, was the course leader. Mr. Jun Ishikawa, JICA Expert, (a professor at the University of Shizuoka, Japan), has developed assistive software for blind persons. He introduced "ALTAIR for Windows", free software for blind users using a text editor, Internet browser and mailer functions with a self-voicing system, which was developed by Mr. Ishikawa in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Participants presented their 2005 action plans for computer training for VIPs. Many participants plan to conduct a computer training course for VIPs in 2005 and onwards. Being familiar with the situation of blind persons in their respective countries, they were able to make realistic plans.
APCD needs to follow up with the outcomes of the 2005 computer training courses. APCD needs to carefully assess the strengths and weaknesses in conducting computer training for VIPs in each country, and utilize this evaluation for future training courses. APCD plans countries in 2005.
Participants' Corner
Mr. A.H.M. Lutful Kabir, participant from Bangladesh, shared the main points learnt from the training as follows, "I have now realized that visually impaired persons can really operate computers and access information and communication technology by using assistive software. I have also learnt shortcut keys to use JAWS and other programs and how to teach visually impaired persons. Most importantly, this training has helped me gain trainer skills as my organization is expecting me to be a trainer in the future and change my attitude towards visually impaired persons as well."
Mr. Hung Duong, participant from Viet Nam, mentioned that what he learnt from the training course was "The way to set up the environment and the method of teaching visually impaired persons including special software provided for them; the approach to training blind persons how to manipulate the computer at the site of sighted people since their methods are different."
