Disability ServicesUniversity of Minnesota

Phil Kragnes pmk@umn.eduTim Kamenar kamen001@umn.edu

Using iDevices and Peripherals to Provide Descriptions of Visual Course

Content to Blind Students

Media Description - Issue

Blind students do not have in-class real-time access to visual course content such as maps, graphs, media content, and other image-based course components.

Media Description - Issue

Attempting to listen to a verbal description, delivered by either closed-circuit radio or a peer sitting next to the student, can be distracting and limits the student’s involvement in the lecture or course activity.

Media Description - Issue

This lack of real-time access can put the student at a severe disadvantage; the result is reduced access to course content and isolation from peers who can access the visual content.

Media Description –

• An in-class Access Assistant uses an iPad with external keyboard to enter descriptions of visual course content. The Access Assistant can also respond to requests for clarification or additional information.

Media Description - Resolution

“Simplenote” is a note-taking application designed to wirelessly synchronize all your devices via the “cloud”. Text from the iPad is transmitted to an iPod Touch and then converted to audio via “VoiceOver”

simplenote

VoiceOver:A screen reader built into Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X, iPhone, iPad, and iPod operating systems. The feature allows users who are blind or visually-impaired to access an iOS-device without the need to see the screen. Application names, email, e-books, and notations from “simplenote” can be read out loud by the iOS-device.

Refreshabraille 18 is a unique handheld refreshable Braille display and Braille keyboard for mobile devices such as notebooks, mobile phones, and PDAs. It connects to mobile devices via a USB cable or wirelessly via Bluetooth®.

Supports common screen readers like

VoiceOver for the Mac®, iPad,

iPhone, and iPod Touch.

Refreshabraille 18™

An in-class Access assistant uses an iPad with external keyboard to enter descriptions of visual course content

Two-way real-time communication via the “SimpleNote” cloud application

Text descriptions are converted to audio via the “VoiceOver” application. The student can send notes back to the Access Assistant using the touch-screen keyboard on the iPod

Palm-sized Braille display/keyboard connects to the iPod via Bluetooth connection. The student can use the Braille keyboard to transmit text back to the Access Assistant

Media Description

Media Describers create written narration in support of classroom instruction. This may include identifying and describing sounds, video content, or other presented images. For example, media

description makes videos accessible

to blind or partially sighted students by describing characters, what

they look like, their movements and

gestures, and locations, props, action, etc.

Audio Description

Resource Requirements

• Access Assistant– Student trained in “Audio Description”

• iPad with Keyboard• Wireless Network• “Simplenote” cloud application• iPod Touch with “Simplenote” and “VoiceOver”• RefreshaBraille 18