Midhula Soman V. S. and K. G. Sudhier. Feasibility of Implementing ...

Feasibilty Of Implementing LearningResource Centre For VisuallyChallenged StudentsMidhula Soman V.SResearch ScholarDepartment of Library and Information ScienceUniversity of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram- 695 034midhula_soman@yahoo.comDr. K. G. SudhierAssistant ProfessorDepartment of Library and Information ScienceUniversity of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram- 695 034kgsudhier@gmail.comKLA National Seminar, 14-16 July 2011, Thiruvananthapuram1

Introduction• Access to information is a major problem for thevisually challenged students.• There are quite a number of challenges faced bythe visually challenged persons in accessing thelibrary services.• Establishment of Learning Resource Centre(LRC) for visually challenged will enable them toaccess the library resources and services withoutany hindrance.KLA National Seminar, 14-16 July 2011, Thiruvananthapuram2

Is a term which is used in the United Kingdom todescribe a type of library that exists within aneductional setting.Is a library, usually in an educational institution,that includes and encourages the use of audiovisualaids and other special materials for learning inaddition to books, periodicals, and the like.KLA National Seminar, 14-16 July 2011, Thiruvananthapuram3

Continues..The main objective of LRC is to build libraries tosupport educational, social and cultural activities of theacademicians and contribute to the information needs tosupport learning, teaching and research activities byproviding e- resources, indigenous databases, researchproductivity, learning course instructional materials,academic computing software's in a networkedenvironment using ICT.KLA National Seminar, 14-16 July 2011, Thiruvananthapuram4

Purpose of LRC‣ To provide ' Equity of Access' to the visually challengedstudents.‣ To improve the ' Access audit' of national highereducation system.‣ To provide access to the academic information sources.‣ To explore the utilisation of 'Assistive Technologies.‣ To train the library staff in providing informationservices to the visually challenged students.KLA National Seminar, 14-16 July 2011, Thiruvananthapuram5

Problems faced by visually challengedin libraries• Blindness and sight impairments are common disabilitiesin all countries of the world.India is now home to theworld's largest number of sight - disadvantaged people.• Visually challenged persons have problems in accessingbooks in the library• All books are in print and a blind person cannot be able toread.• As the books in libraries are all in print,visuallychallenged persons feel frustrated when they don't getbooks in the form they want like peers.6

KLA National Seminar, 14-16 July 2011, Thiruvananthapuram7

•Infrastructural facilities•Talking Zone•Trained librarian•Reader service•Alternative formats of resources•Modern adaptive technologies and devices•Braille input device•Braille output device•Braille translation software8

Continues...• Optical Character Reader• Speech synthesizer• Four track cassette recorder• Large printer• Screen magnifying software• CCTV ( Closed Circuit Television)9

Resources for visuallychallenged• Assistive technology• Reading and writing softwares• Voice recognition and Dictation System• Text Telephone• Web braille• Braille printer• Descriptive videos• Talking books / Audio books10

• Screen Reading software• Screen magnification software• Web Access software's• Braille note takers, embossers and displays• Scanning, reading and writing software• Scanning and reading hardwareKLA National Seminar, 14-16 July 2011, Thiruvananthapuram11

Overview of Technology for VisuallyChallenged Students• Large print access• Speech access• Braille access• Scanned material access12

Large Print AccessScreen magnification softwareCCTV and magnification scanning systemsZoom textZoom Text XtraInLargeLunarKLA National Seminar, 14-16 July 2011, Thiruvananthapuram13

Speech AccessTalking word processorsSpeech synthesizersIntellitalkHardware versionsSoftware versionsWrite:OUTLOUDScreen Review Software'sJAWSWindowEyesKLA National Seminar, 14-16 July 2011, Thiruvananthapuram14

Braille AccessBraille Translation SoftwareBraille DisplaysBraille EmbossersKLA National Seminar, 14-16 July 2011, Thiruvananthapuram15

Scanned Material AccessOpen BookExpert ReaderKurzweil 1000KLA National Seminar, 14-16 July 2011, Thiruvananthapuram16

Index Basic D Braille Embosser• Low cost,high speed• Double sided tractorfeed continous sheet• New generationtechnology brailleembosser17

SARA (Scanning And ReadingAppliance)• Affordable,easy to use.• Uses the latest inadvanced opticalcharacter recognitiontechnology to scan textand read it aloudcrisp,clear speech.KLA National Seminar, 14-16 July 2011, Thiruvananthapuram18

ZOOM-EX INSTANT TEXTREADER• The most light weightand unique solutionthat converts acomputer into apowerful magnifier &the fastest reader forthe Visually Impaired.KLA National Seminar, 14-16 July 2011, Thiruvananthapuram19

Services to offer for the visuallychallenged• Good environment and books in the form that theyare comfortable in reading .Eg:Braille,large printetc.• All print books in the library should have the samecopies in Braille for the visually challengedstudents.•Alternative formats of resources like enlargedprint, embossed print and spoken word etc shouldbe available to these users.KLA National Seminar, 14-16 July 2011, Thiruvananthapuram20

Continues...• Study room equipped with IT work stations.• Qualified braillists,braille embossers.• Recording studio.• Portable hearing induction loop.• Video magnifying system.• Unlimited book fetch service to facilitate easy accessto the collection.21

Continues... Brailing of library materails. Tactile signals. Catalogues of materials in alternative formats Training in using 'Assistive Technologies'. Talking zone where formal reader service can be provided. Trained library professionals.KLA National Seminar, 14-16 July 2011, Thiruvananthapuram22

Conclusion• Establishment of LRC for the visually challenged willbenefit the visually challenged students across thecountry to have the same opportunities for education,research, training as well as employment as their sightedpeers.• LRC’s can ensure their access to information and canthus bridge the gap between information rich andinformation disadvantaged.KLA National Seminar, 14-16 July 2011, Thiruvananthapuram23