Smartphone app changes learning for Uganda’s visually impaired students

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Category: Lifestyle/Entertainment

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. braille / breɪl / (n.) – a system of writing which contains raised dots that blind people can read with their fingers
    Example:

    The library has a special section for braille books to help visually impaired readers.


  2. assistive / ə ˈsɪs tɪv / (adj.) – providing help or support to people, such as people with disability or seniors, to do things more easily
    Example:

    The school provides assistive devices, such as hearing aids and special keyboards, to support students with different needs.


  3. leave out / liv aʊt / (phrasal v.) – to not include someone/something
    Example:

    He was left out of the discussion because he arrived late to the meeting.


  4. societal / səˈsaɪ ɪ tl / (adj.) – relating to society or its structure as a whole
    Example:

    The documentary highlighted many societal issues, including poverty and hunger that people face every day.


  5. equip / ɪˈkwɪp / (v.) – to give someone/something the tools, skills, or resources needed to do something
    Example:

    The company decided to equip all employees with new laptops to improve their work efficiency.


Article

Read the text below.

Access to braille texts remains a major challenge for many visually impaired students in Africa. Slow progress in the advancement of assistive technology has led to many school dropouts. Now, a group of Ugandan developers has come up with a Blind Assistant app that helps read documents aloud.


In the central Ugandan district of Mukono, Sir Apollo Kaggwa Secondary School is among the first to have received training for its 24 visually impaired students and their helpers.


According to a 2014 national census, there are an estimated 250,000 visually impaired people in Uganda. Of those, around 1,500 are schoolchildren.


With limited resources, many of these students have had to rely on their classmates for their day-to-day assistance, including reading and getting around to classes.


“Reading notes has not been easy, because our friends tend to be too busy,” explains visually impaired student Ahmad Muwonge. “By the time you want to read, everything is too much, and this app, the Blind Assistant, has come to solve all those problems, we are able to read on our own and in the time that we want.”


The new smartphone app is changing the lives of visually impaired students. Designed by local company, Suzie Water Harvesting Co., the Blind Assistant app is one of several accessibility apps taking advantage of a smartphone’s camera, mobility, and connectivity. Developers say most students had no access to these technologies, so they came up with a local solution.


Michael Mambo, who heads the school’s learners with special needs unit, says in the past, visually impaired students could not afford expensive assistive devices, so they were being left out.


App developer Frank Akankwasa believes the Blind Assistant app could solve many societal challenges faced by visually impaired people.


Currently, smartphones are given to students for free after training. Ahmad Muwonge says such training will help beyond just the classroom. “I can use it as I’m traveling, it can assist me to read whatever I am passing by,” he says.


Developers hope to equip more than 1,000 students across Uganda.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • The new smartphone app is changing the lives of visually impaired students. How do you think the introduction of the Blind Assistant app can affect the education of visually impaired students? What do you think might be the long-term benefits for students using this app? Discuss.
  • Do you think that providing free smartphones and apps can create equal opportunities for visually impaired students? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • What do you think are some of the daily challenges visually impaired students face in school? What resources do you think are essential for visually impaired students to succeed (ex. AI technology, specialized in-person help during class)? Discuss.
  • Many students with limited resources rely on their classmates for help with reading and studying. How can relying on classmates for assistance affect a student’s learning experience? What are some advantages and disadvantages of this approach? Discuss.