Talking computer to aid the visually impaired

Hyderabad, Aug. 4: Pavan is just like any other boy of his age. A student of Class VIII, he loves computers and spends most of the time playing games and chatting online with his friends. Many will be surprised to know that Pavan is visually challenged. A New software - Jaws - is enabling hundreds of visually challenged students to operate computers with ease.

"Earlier we had to read everything in Braille text. Except for books and some recreation material, we never got the opportunity to read storybooks, novels, magazines and the like. Now I can read my favourite storybooks on the computer itself," he added.

The Freedom Scientific Company of the US has developed the Jaws software which converts an ordinary computer into a "talking computer". Whatever appears on the screen is heard on a microphone attached to the computer. "The aim is equip the visually challenged with required skills to seek employment," said Ram Agarwal of Karishma Enterprises which is supplying the software to 10 government schools for blind in the State.

The project called "India IT Freedom Project" involves equipping schools with the Jaws software and offering six-months training to students. The technology devices are being displayed at an exhibition organised at the National Institute of Mentally Handicapped, Bowenpally.

The other devices displayed are magic magnifying software which enlarges the text to enable partially blind persons to view the text clearly.

Training in this software is already being given to the students of the Devnar School for Blind. "Students who learn this software can appear for common board exams through computers," said Saibaba Goud of the Devnar Foundation.

Source: Deccan Chronicle, Hyderabad
Dated: 5th August, 2002