Students with visual impairments or autism face challenges in education. Assistive technology can help support them. It refers to tools and devices that allow students to do work. Technologies used include audio books, screen readers, braille devices, magnifiers, communication boards and apps. These technologies help provide access to information and allow for communication.

1. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR STUDENTS
WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENT AND
AUTISTIC DISORDER
SUBMITTED BY
BUSHRA FATIMA , LALIT KUMAR &
MAHIMA SHARMA
M.ARCH PEDAGOGY ( 1 SEM )
SUBMITTED TO
AR. MOHD. FIROZ ANWAR

2. • Students with visual impairments & autistic disorder face unique
challenges in the educational & social environment.
• Assistive technology is one way of supporting them in that process.
• It refers to a range of tools and devices that allow a student to do
work.
• An assistive technology means Any item, piece of equipment, or
product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the
functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.
ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

3.  Around 15 per cent of the world's
population, or estimated 1 billion
people, live with disabilities.(WHO)
 90 % of children with disabilities in
developing countries do not attend
school, says UNESCO.
 India shoulders one of the largest
populations of the visually impaired.
There are almost 52 million visually
impaired people and about 3.5 million
across the country with 30000 new
cases being added each year.
 There are 2 million blind children in
India. Only 5% of them receive any
education

4. Visual impairment is a term experts use to describe any kind of vision loss,
whether it's someone who cannot see at all or someone who has partial
vision loss.
Some people are completely blind, but many others have what's
called legal blindness. They haven't lost their sight completely but have lost
enough vision that they'd have to stand 20 feet from an object to see it as
well as someone with perfect vision could from 200 feet away.
Visual Impairment
Source : WHO

5. TECHNOLOGY USED TO TEACH
VISUALLY IMPARED

6. Audio Books/ Talking Books
• Audio books are generally recorded using
human voice, and can be accessed through the
use of specialized computer software, devices, or
mainstream tools like MP3 players.
• The various devices allow options in features such
as searching and navigating an audio file.
• Helpful in reading longer passages.
• Pairing books (in print or braille) with Audio
Supported Learning is a great strategy to build
listening skills.
AUDITORY ACCESS DEVICES
Accessing audio books on IOS & Android
• Variety of apps & websites that provide instant access to audiobooks.
• They are accessible to students who are blind or visually impaired.
• On both Android and Apple devices, the app syncs directly with the audio
library.

7. RESOURCES FOR ACCESSING DIGITAL BOOKS
DIFFERENT WEBSITES FOR AUDIO BOOKS
• Bookshare : Provides access to books that are legally
scanned for people who are visually impaired or print
disabled. The books can be read with adaptive
technology or in embossed braille.
• Learning Ally : is a national nonprofit provider of
books in accessible format for people who cannot
read standard print due to visual, perceptual or
physical disabilities. Provides thousands of titles
available on digitally recorded audio books, DC, and
computer disk, including textbooks.
• Talking Books : provides a free correspondence
course to certify Braille transcribers. They offer a wide
variety of braille books on loan.

8. ELECTRONIC DICTIONARY W/SPEECH
An electronic dictionary with speech may be used by a student who
cannot access a print dictionary.
• This dictionary, is hand-held and battery operated.
• It has standard keyboard with braille and are also speech operated.
• Information is produced in both a spoken and large print format.

9. TALKING OR LARGE PRINT CALCULATOR
• Are essential for students in academic classes.
• Function: Speaking each entry and result and
are capable of performing same as a normal
calculator.
• Earphones are available for many models.
SCREEN READING SOFTWARE
• With this hardware and software, students who
are blind are able to access print material on a
computer screen.
• Students can use the internet, word processing
programs, calculators and access other printed
material without having to see the screen.
• Screen reading software, like JAWS, reads the
information on the computer screen.

10. BRAILLE TECHNOLOGY
Electronic Braille Note Takers
• A braille note taker is a portable word
processing device that is used to take
notes.
• This tool encompasses many functional
areas in addition to writing. Students can
use a braille note taker to complete
assignments, read textbooks, and
navigate the Internet.
• Many note taking devices are available
with speech output, Wi-Fi connectivity,
access to e-mail, calculators, calendars
and other personal organizational tools,
or GPS navigation systems.
• The braille note taker is a lifelong tool and
should be introduced as soon as the
student demonstrates readiness.
$5,495.00
BrailleNote Touch 32 braille
Notetaker / tablet

11. Braille Printer/Embosser
• It is a printer attached to a computer which is used to produce a
braille copy of text.
• May also be attached to braille note taking devices for the same purpose
• The embossers require heavy-weight paper and most models print on just
one side but Interpoint printers emboss braille on both sides of the page,
conserving paper, but are much more expensive.
Juliet 120 double-sided
braille embosser
$4,495.00
Phoenix Braille
Embosser
$5,995.00

12. • For students with no vision, a refreshable
braille display can be used in
conjunction with the word processor,
which will display the text tactually
allowing the student to reread and edit
their own work.
• This strategy can be used with or without
audio feedback, which supports
multisensory learners and allows the
student to choose the access method.
• The incorporation of braille has the
potential to significantly improve the
editing process.
Brailliant B 80 (NEW generation)
braille display
$7,985.00
WORD PROCESSOR WITH
REFRESHABLE BRAILLE DISPLAY

13. MANUAL & ELECTRIC BRAILLE WRITERS
• A manual braillewriter is similar to a typewriter and is a simple, yet
rugged device that is often introduced to students who are emergent
readers and writers.
• As students progress, they may transition to an electronic braillewriter
before beginning to use a braille notetaker.

14. PIAF (PICTURES IN A FLASH) & SWELL-TOUCH PAPER
A simple and Fast way to prepare Tactile Graphics
PIAF is a machine that makes raised line drawings on special paper, called
capsule or swell paper. Users can draw, print or photocopy pictures onto the
swell paper and pass it through the Piaf.
The heat of the PIAF causes the lines to swell and then the drawing can be
read with the fingers. It is ideal for people who are blind and vision impaired
PIAF Picture in a Flash Tactile
Graphic Maker
$1,395.00

15. ELECTRONIC MAGNIFYING SYSTEMS
Electronic Desktop Magnifiers
An electronic desktop magnifier is equipment
that can be helpful for reading, writing, and
doing a variety of everyday living tasks.
It consists of a camera that is mounted on a
frame or arm that displays a magnified image
on a monitor. They are generally referred to as
electronic video magnifiers or closed circuit
television systems (CCTVs).
Some models now have optical character
recognition (OCR), along with speech output,
in addition to magnifying text. This enables the
person to hear the text being read aloud at the
same time it is displayed on the monitor
SmartView 360 video
Magnifier - distance viewer
$1,995.00
$2,695.00

16. PORTABLE DIGITAL MAGNIFIERS
A portable digital magnifier is a device with a camera on the underside that
captures the image of text, pictures, or other items, and a monitor on the
top side that displays the image.
Monitor sizes can range from 3.5 inches to 13 inches. Other available
monitor sizes are 4.3 inches, 5 inches, and 7 inches.
Can store 1000s of images for viewing anytime
Explorē 7 Handheld Electronic Magnifier
$1,099.00

17. Conceptual
designs for
the blinds

18. SIAFU PC Design
The idea behind SIAFU was to give people
with vision loss an intuitive computer
experience. It provides a digitally tactile
interface that completely revolutionizes the
way that blind people interact with a
computer.
SIAFU lays flat like a tablet and allows the user
to fully interact with it by way of touch. The
surface of Siafu utilizes a conceptual material
called MAGNECLAY. This material has
the ability to morph upward into any shape.
Google rendered in braille on the
concept computer the “Siafu”.
{ MAGNECLAY is an oil-based synthetic agent with a loose molecular structure. It can
be rearranged and still hold its structural rigidity when acted upon by stable electrical
and magnetic charges. }

19. SIAFU can also function in a book-like manner,
translating web pages to Braille and
generating the information on its surface in a
full spread layout. Another option is simply
listening to SIAFU’s voice synthesizer read the
on-screen texts aloud.
Siafu also has the ability to display images as a
3-dimensional relief, allowing blind computer
users to experience digital images, and
graphic layouts for the first time.
Screen images are converted from 2 D to 3 D
image using an image conversion technology,
and are then processed into the MAGNECLAY
through electrical currents, providing a fully
interactive experience.
Conversion of 2D to 3D
Braille Text on SIAFU Screen

20. BRAILLE INTERPRETER
A prototype of a Braille interpreter for
individuals who are blind or visually
impaired who cannot read Braille.
The Braille Interpreter is a single-finger
glove featuring a tactile sensor, a Bluetooth
headphone and interpreting software
allowing individuals with sight impairments
to read Braille.
The index finger portion of the glove
contains the tactile sensor, which is
skimmed over the Braille text and sends
data to a small computer housed on the
back of the glove. The data are converted
into speech and beamed to the
headphone via Bluetooth.

21. VOICE STICK
Voice Stick is a portable text scanning
device for the visually impaired. When
it scans printed letters, the OCR
(Optical Character Recognition)
function recognizes the texts and
converts the written information into a
voice.
This device can be used to convert any
words or letters found in our daily life
into voice information.

22.  Researchers are developing a refreshable
device like an Kindle e-reader
 It will display pages of raised bumps,
which can be read by touch, it will allow
people to feel entire pages of text while
also helping to display tactile graphs and
even graphics.
 Pneumatic system creates bubbled
surface to produce braille and graphics
The concept is based around a
pneumatic system. The device uses either
air or fluid to push up small plastic pins
from an 8 x 7 grid, forming Braille letters
BRAILLE E - BOOK

23. This is a touchscreen device, that
uses Braille (blind touch screen) technologies,
voice activated systems and software for
better interaction with the user.
Also, the handset can be used as a
navigation device, book reader and object
recognizer.
As you can see in the image, the handset
can also recognize text and read it out loud
to the user.
Voice activated dialing is also on board.
B-TOUCH MOBILE PHONE

24. AUTISM

25. What is Autism?
Autism is a lifelong developmental
disability that affects how people perceive
the world and interact with others.
A mental condition, present from early
childhood, characterized by great
difficulty in communicating and forming
relationships with other people and in
using language.
 Can't be cured, but treatment may
help
 Chronic: can last for years or be
lifelong

26. People may experience:
Behavioural: inappropriate social
interaction, poor eye contact, compulsive
behaviour, impulsivity, repetitive
movements, self-harm, or persistent
repetition of words or actions
Developmental: learning disability or
speech delay in a child
Muscular: poor coordination or tic
Cognitive: intense interest in a limited
number of things or problem paying
attention
Psychological: unaware of others'
emotions or depression
Speech: speech disorder or abnormal
tone of voice
Also common: lack of empathy, anxiety,
or sensitivity to sound

27. Assistive Technology in the Classroom
 Cue Cards
 Communication Devices
 Sign Language
 Onscreen keyboard
 Communication Board
 Screen reader software

28. Many people with autism are visual thinkers. They think in pictures
instead of language.
Thoughts are like videotapes running in their imagination. Pictures are
their first language, and words are their second language.
As concrete visual thinkers, people with autism process information well
when they can look at a picture or words to help them visualize
information.
Technology makes visual images more accessible. Computer graphics
capture and maintain the attention of people with autism.

29. SPEECH GENERATING DEVICE
A speech generating device ( SGD ), also referred to as voice-output
communication aids ( VOCA ), are electronic devices that allow the user to
select messages to be spoken aloud, thereby assisting people who are
unable to use natural speech to meet the majority of their communication
needs.
Voice Output Communication Devices help autistic students become
effective communicators and enhance their communication
COMMUNICATION DEVICES

30. Software which permits a speech
synthesizer to read text displayed on the
monitor
Printed documents can be read aloud.
SCREEN READER SOFTWARE
MOBILE / COMPUTER APPLICATIONS
Avaz for Autism is a full-featured, research-based Augmentative and
Alternative Communication (AAC) app for autism. Avaz uses picture symbols
and high-quality voice synthesis to help users create messages and develop
language skills. Avaz also incorporates a powerful keyboard to help users
transitioning to text.
Abilipad (formerly Intellipad) is a one of a kind app and very difficult to
describe. An adaptive app for special needs. It is a hybrid of word processor, a
writing app, a journal these- this app provides customizable keyboards, word
prediction, text to speech, voice recording and picture support to encourage
language and writing development.

31. Sign language has also been used to teach
people with developmental disabilities who
have little or no communication skills.
Teaching autistic children how to use sign
language is not as common a practice
today as in previous years, possibly due to an
increase in the use of computerized
communication systems.
Teaching sign language to people with
autism and other developmental disabilities
does not interfere with learning to talk,
teaching sign language along with speech
will actually accelerate verbal
communication.
SIGN LANGUAGE

32. System which allows expressive
communication by pointing or gazing at
a letter, word, symbol, or picture on a
board.
Board can be made from paper, plastic,
wood, etc.
Communication displays are being used
in emergency rooms, ambulances, ICUs,
refugee camps, and in other emergency
settings. These tools can help solve
communication problems and support
people who have difficulty speaking
because of a disability, their age,
confusion, and so on.
EMERGENCY-ORIENTED COMMUNICATION DISPLAYS
This display has letters and numbers, as well as
important symbols related to health care.

33. Bibliography
• http://www.teachingvisuallyimpaired.com/accessing-audio-books.html
• http://www.qiat.org/docs/resourcebank/TEBO_VI_Resource_Guide.pdf
• http://www.slideshare.net/SFecich/assistive-technology-for-students-with-
visual-impairments
• http://a4cwsn.com/2012/03/abilipad/
• http://www.humanware.com/en-usa/products/blindness/braillenotes