A Computing Education for the Vision Impaired

Iain MurrayCurtin University of Technology Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Rehabilitation Engineering Research Laboratory

Introduction

ObjectivesLearning environments What is the Cisco Network Academy

Program?

Rehabilitation Engineering is the systematic application of engineering sciences to design, develop, adapt, test, evaluate, apply, and distribute technological solutions to problems confronted by individuals with disabilities in functional areas, such as mobility, communications, hearing, vision, and cognition, and in activities associated with employment, independent living, education, and integration into the community.

(US Rehabilitation Act of 1973)

Objective

Develop systems and methodologies to assist people with sensory disabilities to gain access to education and technology

Resources

Rehabilitation Engineering Research Laboratory

Researchers3 academic staff1 technical staff6 Postgraduate students

2 Masters and 4 PhD

Over 30 Honours students (4th & 5th year engineering)

Industry & consumer advisors

Changing Learning Environment

Educational content delivery is changingOn-line eLearning

Instructor ledDistance learningSupplemental material

People with disabilities (particularly vision)Being left behind

Reliance on visiocentric materialMultimedia

E.g. Click and drag

Changing Learning Environment

This requires a change in thinkingEnsure effective content delivery to ALL

students irrespective of learning style or physical ability

Cisco Access for the Vision Impaired (CAVI)

Cisco Network Academy Program

The Networking Academy program is an e-learning model that delivers Web-based educational content, online testing, student performance tracking, and instructor training and support, as well as hands-on labs. (Cisco,2002)

Cisco Network Academy Program (CNAP)

10,312 Academies 162 Countries494,063 Students278,005 Graduates14 vision impaired students

All in Perth

Cisco Network Academy Program (CNAP)

Several programsCCNA, CCNP, FNS, FWN, ITE, UNIX etcCAVI covers IT Essentials and CCNA only

The CNAP is a comprehensive program designed to teach students computer, Internet & networking technology skills.

Why CNAP?

Router/switch configuration is text basedNetwork topologies are logical not

physicalNetwork administration does not require

mobilityOrientation and mobility training is time

consuming and expensiveNew employment opportunities

The StudentsAge range from 18 to 55Range of technical ability/experience14 Legally blind in total

5 have no useful visionLight perception or less

3 require screen reader accessCannot read a monitor

5 can access a computer with screen enhancementMay just require contrast or specific colour schemes

1 deaf/blind Has limited tunnel vision and profoundly deafCommunicates through Auslan and whiteboard

Cisco Network Academy Program

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Cisco Network Academy Program

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Current Access Methods

For low vision users.Screen enlargement.

Zoomtext, Magic.Screen review programs.

Jaws, Slimware, Artic.Two output methods - speech and Braille displays.

Screen review software must rely on text output.Tactile Graphics

PIAFPrinted Braille and Audio recordings

Access Methods

Other DisabilitiesQuadriplegics.

Morse, Eye tracking, scan boards.Emphasis on keyboard/mouse replacement

issues.Deaf.

Subtitles, visual alerts, transcription of conferences/video.

Many others.

CAVI Project Description

Develop a method of course delivery to vision impaired studentsStandard CurriculumExisting lab bundlesCCNA & IT Essentials initially

Long term aim to include other academy programs

Create a “bridge” between the curriculum and assistive technology

Includes instructor training

Curriculum Access

Use text documentsExplain diagramsStress important but uniquely difficult points

The OSI modelLayer 2 technologies

Tactile objectsNetwork dominoesPipe cleanersFunction Generator

CAVI Describe the difficulties that vision impaired

students faceInvestigate how students with severe vision

impairment can utilize cognitive and perceptual properties of non-visual sensory modalities to learn (as compared to sighted students)

Develop new visualisation techniquesDevelop a novel multimodal user interface

Explicitly designed to deliver technology and engineering skills to vision impaired students

Investigate how these new technologies may be incorporated into future systems

Haptic Displays

Mouse-type Devices

Earcons

Earcons were first proposed by Meera Blattner in 1989.

They are abstract, musical tones that can be used in structured combinations to create auditory messages.

"non-verbal audio messages that are used in the computer/user interface to provide information to the user about some computer object, operation or interaction"

They are based on musical sounds.

AsTeR

Audio System For Technical ReadingsA computing system for rendering technical

documents in audio Developed by T.V. Raman

Number Systems & Subnetting

The OSI Model

Network Dominoes

Other Props

Braille Display

Diagrams

Host A sends SYN (seq =x)Host B receives SYN (seq=x) and sends SYN(seq=y, ack=x+1)Host A Receives SYN (seq=y, ack = x+1) and sends ACK (ack = y+1)Host B Receives ACK (ack = y+1)

Other CAVI Applications

Speech Friendly Packet SnifferBraille Transcription SoftwareRouter SimulatorXML to Descriptive Text

Progress

First ClassMid way through CCNA 2Improved self confidenceModifications to the course are being

finalisedSecond Class

Progressing much more rapidlyModified curriculum is working

Conclusion

Cavi Project is a test benchIncludes most of the devices/techniques

currently being researchedFinal outcome

Deliver an “Academy in a Box”For Academies that wish to teach vision impaired

students

Two of the first students are now qualified as instructors in the Academy Program

Questions?

http://www.ece.curtin.edu.au/~iain/accessibility http://cisco.netacad.net http://www.avcc.edu.au/content.asp?page=/policies_progr

ams/equity/index.htm www.tiresias.org (John Gill)

Some of the Students

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Current Research Projects Cisco Access for the Vision Impaired (CAVI) Curtin University Brailler (CUB) Wireless Stereo Headset Parakeet -Apple OS X Accessibility iView - Classroom Aid for Low Vision Students Dasher Auslan to Text Currency Identifier for the Blind Braille Scanner Ultrasonic White Cane/Seeing with Sound 7 Segment reader and colour sensor

The Target Demographic

In Western Australia8,800 legally blindNearly 2,400 under 65

The Association for the Blind75 new clients each month411 clients per year in technology training

(ABWA annual report 2001)

Extrapolate to the world marketThird world countries have higher rates of vision

impairment

Disability Discrimination Act

DDA is administered by the Human rights and Equal Opportunities Commission (HREOC).

Accepts that some differential treatment is unavoidable.

Commonwealth Departments and Agencies must develop action plans.

Emerging DDA standards on “Electronic Communication”.

Curtin University Brailler (CUB)

Perkins BraillerMechanical only

Mountbatten BraillerElectronic, very old technology

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Braille Scanner

Aimed at Sighted non-Braille ReadersConverts Braille to Expanded Text in

real time

A Secure Dual Channel Wireless Headset for Multi-

user EnvironmentsFunded by Dept. of Training

Science & Technology GrantJoint Project

Association for the Blind WARAC (WA)

Proof of Concept PrototypeDual channel, two-

way, high quality, low power infrared headset prototype which has been field tested by the ABWA and certified.

DSP based systemUpgradeable, flexibleUltra Low Power

Secure comm’sCurrent BOM < $150

…IR TxRx’s < $3Cellular Architecture

Current Form Ideal Form

The Future

Infrared / 802.1x HybridKeep low power, security, and bandwidth

benefits of infrared, but combine with 802.11g to overcome infrared mobility issue.

CommercialisationPackaging

Alternative marketsNavy

ParakeetThe project involves designing, building and

testing a screen reader application for Mac OS X operating system.A screen reader is an application that allows a

vision-impaired person to use a graphical user interface by providing audible feedback in the form of speech.

The screen reader interrogates the actions of the user via the Accessibility APIs and produces speech output using the text-to-speech (TTS) APIs. Both of these APIs are provided by Apple as part of

Mac OS X.

Dasher

Information-efficient text-entry interfacedriven by natural continuous pointing gestures.

operating a computer one-handedwith zero hands (i.e., by head-mouse or by

eyetracker).

The eyetracking version of Dasher allows an experienced user to write text as fast as normal handwriting - 25 words per minute; using a mouse, experienced users can write at 39 words per minute.

Auslan to Text

Auslan to Text

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Currency Identifier

Australian Polymer notes are of a similar sizeHard to distinguish denomination if totally blind

Utilises the unique pattern in the clear window

Ultrasonic White Cane

Augments the standard long caneWarns of

Head height obstructionsDrop off (e.g. Stairs)

Simple user interface

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