Ugo Vallauri presents for the collaborative seminar course in ICT4D on his work for Computer Aid. He talks about a specific project of Computer Aid on software development for blind and visually impaired computer users, using free and open source software solutions.

1. Free and Open Source solutions
Ugo Vallauri
Computer Aid International

2. Computer Aid International
 The world's largest not-for-profit provider of
practical ICT solutions for development
More than 155,000 PCs shipped in over 100
countries
 Currently providing 100% Pentium 4 PCs

3. Working on projects with local
partners across Africa
 Telemedicine (with Amref in East Africa)
 Rural access to ICT and the Internet
(with LinkNet in Zambia)
Support to users with visual disabilities
(with Kenyan Union of the Blind)

4. The reality
Millions of potential computer users
across Sub-Saharan Africa
Can not afford proprietary solutions
screen readers and magnifiers

5. An alternative model:
Free and Open Source Software

6. Why is it relevant?
Users can download, share and freely copy the
software
The code can be improved by a community of
developers
 Low-priority features can be added by external
programmers (ie. Support for local languages)

7. An example: NVDA
 It started as a small project
 Today it is the best portable, freely available
screen reader for Windows
 Not “perfect” but it keeps improving
 Download it at www.nvda-project.org

8. What's missing: A Free and
Open Source Magnifier
 Native Screen Magnification in Operating Systems
is poor
 Great potential for integration with NVDA
Computer Aid is working with partners to develop it

9. The big picture:
A free and portable solution
Integrate free and open source Magnifier, Screen
Reader, Browser adapted for disabilities, anti-virus
 Make it available as download and distribute it as
a USB stick
 A solution targeted to the Global South, but useful
in the UK as well

10. Contacts
Ugo Vallauri
Technical R&D Officer
Computer Aid International
www.computeraid.org
ugo@computeraid.org
tel: +44-785-2570279