Adaptive Technology for the Visually Impaired

Reading is a life skill that most of us take for granted.  Can you imagine not being able to read your favorite author or use a computer due to visual disability?  For many Americans this is a daily occurrence.  According to a report by the National Federation of the Blind, in 2015 there were approximately 7,200,000 adults aged 16-75+ with visual disability.  Assistive technology (also known as adaptive technology) is defined by the Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies as “electronic solutions that enable people with disabilities to live independently.  This technology helps the visually impaired read books, hear books, or adapt their computers for use.   

Removing barriers to reading and gaining access to other library materials is vital for visually impaired patrons.  This is especially important if one considers that it is estimated that only a small portion of published works are ever adapted for the visually impaired.  Libraries must find ways to ensure equal access is available.  

Public libraries, such as the San Diego Public Library (SDPL), have many types of adaptive technologies available to patrons with visual impairments.  A few examples include:

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• ZoomText, a software that allows patrons to see and hear everything on the computer screen
• Optelec Clear View 22 inch CCTV, a document magnifier (watch the YouTube video below to see the  Optelec in action) 
• OpenBook, software for visually impaired patrons to read, edit, and manage scanned images   from all sort of media.  OpenBook turns your computer into a scanning and reading machine.

The biggest support for visually impaired readers comes from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS).  The NLS provides equipment and services such as books written in Braille, talking books / magazines, musical recordings, and the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) program.  These services are free of charge including talking book players.  (See the YouTube video below) Tangible items are mailed directly to patrons living in the United States or U.S. Citizens living overseas. Patrons borrowing items via BARD access materials through the website or through an app.    

Visually impaired individuals are also able to obtain library materials through the Braille Institute.  The Braille Institute also offers training on BARD and materials requests by phone. 

I have never seen or experienced any of the adaptive technology that I’ve just discussed.  As such, I thought it would be interesting to include videos from YouTube that show how these technologies work.  I am amazed.

Following is a YouTube video that describes how Talking Books work.

Following is a YouTube video that shows how the Optelec Clear View CCTV magnifier works

Works Cited

American Library Association. Information accessed from www.ala.org/ascla/resources/tipsheets/assistive-technology

The Braille Institute website accessed from https://www.brailleinstitute.org/library

Kerscher, George. “First Step in Adding Accessibility to Google Books. Was it Enough?”   Accessed from the Braille Monitor, https://nfb.org/Images/nfb/Publications/bm/bm07/bm0710/bm071003.htm 2007.

National Library Service. Information accessed from https://www.loc.gov/nls/braille-audio-reading-materials/

National Federation for the Blind. Information accessed from https://nfb.org/blindness-statistics