Article: Low Vision Devices and Technology in Aid of Education for the Visually Impaired
sachu ramalingam
-- Ms. Sachu Ramalingam
Programme Officer
Sightsavers, Mumbai
“I have trouble reading the text in my school books or copying from the black board even after wearing my glasses.”
”How can I manage at my school, when I am not seeing things clearly or if I see things partially?”
“I don’t get out much anymore because I am afraid I’ll fall.”
“I cannot recognize my own friends any more due to my partial vision.”
“I have trouble reading the newspaper even after wearing my glasses.”
“I feel like I am leading a double life, sometimes I can do most things and otherwise I am unable to perform some things. My friends think that I am lying and using this as a defense.”
A person with low vision faces vision problems that interfere with life some times to the extent that day-to-day functioning is restricted. The problems are compounded for children and persons in schools and colleges or for those who are seeking access to the educational system as the systems and policies are not clearly laid down for them. However advancement in scientific innovation and technology have gone a long way in providing persons with low vision with a wide range of choices in assistive devices and low vision devices to minimize the debilitating effects of traditional barriers encountered by persons with low vision in all walks of life and enable education of the person with low vision.
According to WHO estimates:
• Approximately 284 million people worldwide live with low vision and
blindness
• Of these, 39 million people are blind and 245 million have low vision
• 90% of blind people live in low-income countries
• Women and girl child face a significantly greater risk of vision loss than men
What is Low Vision?
A person with Low Vision is one who has residual vision, but their vision loss does not lend itself to improvement by standard spectacles or medical or surgical treatment.
Low vision is currently defined as ‘visual acuity of < 6/18 down to and including 3/60 in the better eye’, from all causes. In 2009, the term ‘low vision’ will be deleted from the 10th revision of the ICD (ICD-10), leaving the terms ‘moderate visual impairment (presenting visual acuity of < 6/18 to 6/60)’ and ‘severe visual impairment (< 6/60 to 3/60)’, from all causes.
Such persons have the potential for enhanced functional vision if they receive appropriate low vision care services and training, low vision devices and know and have access to the use of assistive technology.
Further, the low vision devices and assistive technology equip people of all ages who are blind or have low vision with the skills and confidence they need to meet the day-to-day challenges of life, have better quality of life, remain self-sufficient, productive at work and in education, safe at home, and active in their community.
The Impact of Low Vision
The impact of low vision is varied and different from person to person depending on the cause of low vision and the age of onset of low vision. The choice of low vision devices and assistive technology is also dependent on
• disabled or partial central vision also called the reading vision
• disabled or partial peripheral vision
• disabled or partial colour vision
• disabled or partial ability to adjust to different light settings
• disabled or partial ability to adjust to different contrasts
• glared vision
What are low vision devices?
Because low vision cannot be improved by more traditional methods (i.e., the use of eyeglasses, contact lenses, etc.) persons with low vision often rely on the use of a number of different instruments, called low vision devices, and tailored equipment for improved vision. These are devices, which help people use their sight to better advantage. Low vision devices are categorized as either optical or non-optical devices and help to improve visual ability for millions of people everyday.
How do they help?
Low Vision devices make things appear larger, make things brighter or clearer or even improve Contrast.
Optical Devices:
Simply stated, optical low vision devices involve the use of one of many types of lenses to improve vision. For example:
Magnifying devices:
for Near: Hand Held Magnifiers, Stand Magnifiers, Spectacle Magnifiers, Pocket Magnifiers, Bar Reader, magnifying eyeglasses, magnifying lamps etc
For Distance: telescopic viewing devices (Monocular and Binocular).
Video Magnifiers:
A video magnifier or closed-circuit television (CCTV) system uses a stand-mounted or handheld video camera to project a magnified image onto a video monitor, a television (TV) screen, or a computer monitor. There is considerable versatility in types of video magnifiers available today. handheld cameras are portable systems designed for bringing the camera to the material to be viewed. They can magnify almost anything within reach, including labels on packages of food and medicine. Handheld cameras are often on rollers, which make them easier to move across a flat working surface. Some manufacturers of video magnifiers that use handheld cameras offer a writing stand as an accessory.
Non Optical Devices:
Non-optical low vision devices help bring images closer to the eyes. This may include the use of any, or all, of the following:
• larger print items (i.e., magazines, newspapers, books, calendars, address books, cookbooks, dictionaries, games, playing cards, sheet music, street signs, etc.)
• Larger, illuminated watches and clocks
• Cheque guides
• Instruments that provide voice instruction (i.e., computers)
• Instruments that provide voice information (i.e., clocks, timers, calculators, scales, key chains, etc.)
• Other non optical devices such as tinted Glasses, reading lamp, reading stand. notex or a currency identifier, signature guide, typoscope, letter writing guide, needle threader, bold line notebooks and felt tipped pens etc.
These basic low vision devices play a crucial role in class room situations, class room adjustments, reading of text and writing. If a person with low vision is enabled with the right kind of low vision device after an appropriate assessment and prescription of the right device, s/he can enjoy the liberation from barriers in acquiring education due to the low vision condition.
What are low vision assistive devices?
The term 'low vision assistive device' refers to any device that helps to compensate for the effect of visual disability.
1. Special Software:
a) Screen magnification software
Most computers today have built-in magnification that allows for increasing the size of desktop icons and text fonts. But this feature is best suited for people with only mild visual impairment. For people with moderate visual impairment, special screen magnification software is required. Some of the commercially available software provides up to 40x magnification. Users can select the level of magnification and area as per their need. Some softwares have speech output too. The commercially available screen magnifiers are Sightsavers Dophin Pen (by Sightsavers), MAGic (by FreedomScientific), LunarPlus (by Dolphin) and ZoomText (by Ai Squared). Dolphin also has a product SuperNova, which combines Lunar with screen reading and Braille output capabilities.
b) Screen reading software
This software narrates the text displayed on the screen through a synthesized voice. Even an individual with complete vision loss can access the computer screen, using this screen reading software, which reads out the word or line at
the cursor's location. The commonly used screen readers are JAWS (Job access with speech, by Freedom Scientific), Hal (by Dolphin), and Dolphin pen (a mobile tool that the user can take from one computer to another, also by Dolphin and Sightsavers) Local text to speech recognition software have been developed such as SAFA and NVDIA in India and such regional endeavours needs to be taken up to take care of regional and local language needs..
c) Text scanning software
This software can scan and read any printed document with accuracy and speed. In addition, it provides users with capabilities such as document creation and editing as well as study skills for taking notes, summarizing and outlining text. Some of the popular text scanning softwares are Kurzweil 1000, ZoomEx instant reader, Abby Fine Reader etc.
2. Text reading machines
Printed reading material can be converted to speech through a text reading
machine. A person with visual impairment can access printed material, even if
he/she is not computer literate. SARA (scanning and reading appliance), KNFB reader, Eye Pal Solo are some commercially available text readers. Source: www.freedomscientific.com/products/lv/sara-product
3. Accessible mobile phones
Screen magnification and screen reading softwares are also becoming popular for accessing mobiles among visually impaired people. These features allow them to access all the functions of mobile phones. Some commonly used screen reading softwares includes Mobile Speak, Talks, Smart Hal, etc., whereas some screen magnifiers available for mobile phones are Mobile Magnifier and Zoom.
4. Talking Global Positioning System (GPS)
GPS provides navigation information. Talking GPS software can be used in certain mobile phones. They speak out information about the current location as well as about the destinations set by the individual. This is a popular navigation device among visually challenged people. But while recommending GPS, we should remember that these devices cannot be a substitute for mobility canes and dog guides. Way finder, Nokia’s GPS software, OVI maps in Nokia smart phones and Mobile geo are some of the GPS softwares available.
Ironically, a significant number of visually impaired persons are persons with low vision who can be helped with appropriate corrective lenses or other low vision devices. But due to lack of proper assessment, these persons are treated as blind and are made to use technology which is actually meant for a totally blind person.
The wide range of assistive technology includes solutions such as zoom mirrors that enable the person with low vision to view once face clearly, auto focus telescopes that help identify activity at intermediate and distant distance simultaneously, video magnifiers that enable them to read any menu card in the restaurants and telescopes that assist students to read the chalk board and complete their class work, which otherwise would be difficult despite sitting in the first bench due to their reduced vision, or read signboards.
Conclusion:
Though technology has made an immense difference to the lives of the visually impaired, sadly, much of the digital technologies which can bring about a revolutionary transformation in their lives are still not accessible to the visually impaired in developing countries. If urgent steps are not taken to make these available to the blind and the low vision persons of these countries, then there will be a deep digital divide between the visually impaired of the developing and the developed countries, a divide which will be detrimental to the growth, equality and full participation of the visually impaired in the mainstream life of the concerned developing countries.
In the context of India, the government must ensure the availability of the latest and appropriate technologies to the concerned visually impaired, to both students and professionals. The foremost impact of technology on the lives of the visually impaired has been that it has helped change the very definition of visual impairment. Functions and avenues which were considered unreachable for them till a few years ago are very much a part of their lives/professions today. If this trend is to be maintained, if functional barriers are to be eliminated, and if the visually impaired are to move forward alongside their sighted counterparts in this fast shrinking world, then technology, advocacy and awareness building endeavours are the only answer.