improve ICT accessibility to PWDs

1. ICT INTEGRATION IN TEACHING
AND LEARNING WITH INCLUSION
IN MIND
Presented At the
NYANDARUA NATIONAL POLYTECHNIC FORRUM
by
Zachary Muasya
Kenya Institute of Special Education, KISE.
Tuesday, 7 December, 2021

2. WHY ARE WE HERE?
WHAT IS impairment?
HOW DO YOU CONCLUDE THAT SOMEONE IS DISABLED?

3. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY:
•Rapid advances in technology and legislation are
raising the expectations that technology will be an
integral component of educational programs for
children with disabilities.
•The explosion of assistive technology innovations and
practical applications is having a positive impact on
the lives of individuals with disabilities, regardless of
age or impairment, as explained by Parent, Aymeric;
Schiano-Lomoriello, Sandrine; Marchan, Francis (October 2017).
"How would I live with an impairment? Expectations of bio-
psychosocial consequences and assistive technology use".

4. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION
•The achievement of an information society and
knowledge economy is one of the main priorities of
the Government towards the attainment of the
sustainable development goals.
ICTs are being used and integrated in teaching and
learning especially at this age of technological
advancements.
ICT in special needs in education is achieved through
assistive technology. Assistive Technology Act. United
States Congress (2004) define Assistive technology as
any item, software program, piece of
equipment/material, or even product system that
contribute in improving or maintaining the functional

5. AT FOR VI
•Screen readers
•Screen magnifiers
•Reading machines
•Video magnifiers
•Refreshable Braille displays
•Braille translation software
•Note taker
•Mobile Applications.

6. SCREEN READERS:
•A screen reader gives an individual user information
from a computer or mobile device through a spoken
digitized voice.
•A screen reader can also offer a user more
information than just reading text on a page such as
•Whether text is underlined on a page,
•Whether a page or link was checked
•Whether a box to checked or unchecked
•The most popular screen readers include
•JAWS, Window-Eyes, Supernova Screen Reader,

7. Screen magnifiers
A screen magnifier is a tool that can magnify everything
(text, photos, graphics, etc) on a computer or a mobile
device screen.
•Screen magnifiers can sometimes include extra
features such as:
• Contrasting background and text colors,
• Mouse pointers and cursors can be enhanced.
• Some can even do basic screen reading functions! With
technologies like Artificial Inteligence, (AI),
smartphone applications are improved to have

8. READING SOFTWARE AND MACHINES, (PERLE
SCAN READER)
•A reading machine utilizes a camera or a scanner with
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
•Basically it turns a printed document into electronic
text.
• This text can then be relayed to a screen to read in
large print or read aloud by a screen reader.
•AI technology has led to this feature being applicable
even in smartphones. On iPhone, for example,
“Seeing-AI” woks well, and “KNFB Reader” on android.
•Though a file of digital books can never replace the
novelty of a beautifully-filled bookshelf, you won’t be
disabled or lose the stories. If you need downsizing,
(especially with bulky braille books), digitising your

9. PERLE SCAN READER PHOTO

10. video magnifiers: CC tv
Video magnifiers/CCTV
• A Closed-circuit television is an aid that uses
magnification and it is made of a camera and a
monitor.
• The magnification level is much greater than for a
hand magnifier
• Can be standalone or portable!T

11. BRAILLE TRANSLATION SOFTWARE
•Braille translation software can be used to convert an
electronic document such as one in Microsoft Word,
into braille.
•The result can then be printed by an embosser, which
is a printer that uses pins to indent the dots onto
paper.
•Winbraille and Duxbury are amongst the many
examples.

12. REFRESHABLE BRAILLE DISPLAYS
•A braille display is used with a Personal Computer to
output screen information in a tactile form.
•It is connected to a computer and the user is able to
control the computer using the device. Also, it consists
of a number of cells which have eight refreshable pins
which can be moved up and down to form braille
characters.
•Recently , refreshable braille display devices have
been computerized hence, independent
from being connected to computers, and, acquiring
the names braille note taker.
•The latest of this devices is braille note touch tablet.

13. PHOTO BRILLIANT DISPLAY

14. AT FOR HI
Dragon Naturally Speaking TM:
•This software is a voice recognition program that is
also used for the general public.
•It can also be beneficial for deaf or hard of
hearing individuals.
•It creates text documents out of voice files.
iCommunicator:
•Performs as a communication tool that converts the
voice of an individual into text on a computer.

15. CLOSE CAPTIONING
•This is the words at the bottom of the screen when
watching a movie or television show.
•Although this is not available on all visual screens and
episodes, all recent shows have the closed captioning
at the bottom.

16. FM SYSTEM
Frequency Modulation systems.
•The sound of a voice is transmitted on a specific
frequency or channel similar to a radio or walkie-
talkie.
•FM systems can be used for whole rooms or by
individuals.
•It uses earphones or headsets for the hearing
impaired individual.
•The system includes a small receiver that can be

17. EYE COMMUNICATER
•Performs as a communication tool that converts the
voice of an individual into text on a computer.
•This technology translates that voice into Sign-
Language or a Computer-Generated Voice instantly
and sends it to the hearing impaired individuals
hearing aid.
•This software is costly, but it can convert speech to
text, speech/text to video, or speech/text to computer
generated voice, and may be the best options for
some individuals.

18. LIVE TRANSCRIBE:
• Live Transcribe, like its namesake, uses a phone's
microphone to automatically transcribe real-
world speech into captions in real-time.
• The app is available in over 70 languages and
dialects. It enables two-way conversation via a
type-back keyboard for users who can't or don't
want to speak, and can switch between two
languages at a time.
• External microphones can also be used for the
app to improve the accuracy of transcriptions.
• Google partnered with Gallaudet University, a
university for deaf and hard-of-hearing people
based in Washington, to develop Live Transcribe.

19. SOUND AMPLIFIER:
•the app uses a phone and a set of headphones to
filter, augment, and amplify sounds so that users can
better hear conversations or announcements in noise-
heavy environments.

20. AT FOR AUTISTIC LEARNERS
various modes of technology (including technology
designed as augmentative communication systems),
can be used for learners with autism to increase or
improve their:
• Overall understanding of their environment;
• Expressive communication skills;
• Social interaction skills;
• Attention skills;
• Motivation skills;

21. VIDEO TAPING
•Typically, children with autism process visual
information easier than auditory information.
•Any time we use assistive technology devices with
these children, we're giving them information through
their strongest processing area (visual)
Video Taping:
•Children with autism are often highly interested,
motivated and thus attentive to videos.
•Many children enjoy repetitive viewing of videos due
to the "predictability" of the information given; that is,
knowing what's coming up next.

22. COMPUTERS
•Many students with autism are highly interested and
motivated by interacting with computers.
•Therefore, computers should be infused into the
child's daily curriculum, not used solely for reward or
recreational purposes.
•

23. PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED ASSISTIVE
TECHNOLOGY:
•Modified computer keyboards that have wide spaces
and large keys are available for those with one or wick
forelimbs, to help them type with ease. Moreover,
options like “sticky-keys” on computers and “one-
handed mode” on the smartphone keyboards, are
options purposely meant for the persons who are
Physically challenged. Hight considerations as you sit
a person with Hindlimbs physically challenge can be a
sollution.
•Others who may be challenged both limbs can use

24. Locked-in syndrome
•While talking about physical disabilities, there are so
many daunting things in it then we can assume such
as trapped in own body with an active mind but no
capability to speak or move, even communicating
physically is pressurizing. Moreover,, scientist have not
yet identified a cure for locked-in syndrome. However,
technology has some tricks down their sleeves that
depends on brain-computer interface technology.
With the help of such technology, one can easily
respond to question in a no or a yes with only thought
waves! The machine is made up of smart learning AI-

25. CONCLUSION
• If the blind can “see”, the deaf can “hear”, the autistic can “coordinate”…
and all can learn, then, we agree that technology plays a major role in
reducing the pangs of most forms of impairment in the world today. If well
utilized, it can ease the journey of inclusion in Kenyan schools.
However, there exist lots of barriers in achieving this possibility, and to
reduce them, there’s:
• Need to find ways on how to provide adequate technological equipment in
most schools,
• Need to invest on capacity building to curb Inadequate skilled trainers in
specific ICT related equipment in the country,
• Need to enhance creation of awareness for General societal attitude
change on persons with impairment.

26. REFLECTIONS
• “When considering Assistive Technologies, look first at what the
individual needs to be successful and independent across all
environments. Then, match the technology with the need.” – Doty.
• For a person without an impairment, technology makes things
easier….
• For a person with an impairment, technology makes things possible
Thank you