Enhancing Effective Teaching and Learning of ICT in the Schools for the Blind in Ghana.

The paper examines role of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Special Education in Ghana. Taking the relevant literature as the guiding principle, the paper addresses the opportunities, barriers and challenges posed by the integration of Assistive Technologies devices in schools for the blind and visually impaired in the teaching and learning process. The paper shows that inadequacies of teachers’ knowledge and skills in Assistive Technologies coupled with lack of these technologies are some of the greatest hindrances to effective teaching in the schools for the Blind in Ghana. Educators and policy makers acknowledge Evidence-Based Teaching as one of the most effective strategies for teaching the blind and the visually impaired.The paper highlights that effective integration of Assistive Technologies into schools will help bridge the digital gap between the blind and the sighted in Ghana

Enhancing Effective Teaching and Learning of ICT in the Schools for the Blind in Ghana

The paper examines role of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Special Education in Ghana. Taking the relevant literature as the guiding principle, the paper addresses the opportunities, barriers and challenges posed by the integration of Assistive Technologies devices in schools for the blind and visually impaired in the teaching and learning process. The paper shows that inadequacies of teachers’ knowledge and skills in Assistive Technologies coupled with lack of these technologies are some of the greatest hindrances to effective teaching in the schools for the Blind in Ghana. Educators and policy makers acknowledge Evidence-Based Teaching as one of the most effective strategies for teaching the blind and the visually impaired.The paper highlights that effective integration of Assistive Technologies into schools will help bridge the digital gap between the blind and the sighted in Ghana

Accessible services in academic libraries: a content analysis of library accessibility webpages in the United States

Purpose This paper aims to contribute to an understanding of current accessibility efforts and practice in librarianship by providing a broad overview of the information about services, resources and facilities on academic library accessibility pages. By compiling and analyzing data from 85 libraries, this study seeks to facilitate comparisons between current and past accessibility practice and to provide perspective on how libraries communicate to users about accessibility efforts across libraries.Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a content analysis of 85 library accessibility pages from a sample population of 98 institutions, consisting of all members institutions of four US academic library consortia. Pages were coded for content elements regarding services, facilities, collections, staffing, assistive technologies and general information. Webpage features, architecture and accessibility/functionality were also assessed.Findings Libraries have broadened and strengthened efforts to publicize/provide services and resources to functionally diverse users. Pages most commonly prioritize information about assistive technologies, services and facilities. Pages varied greatly in size, complexity and detail, but public institutions' pages were more prevalent and informative than their private counterparts. Libraries can work to foreground accessibility pages and increase transparency and evidence of currency to improve communication to their users.Originality/value This study provides a large-scale content analysis of library accessibility webpages. It allows for comparison of the features and information most commonly featured on these important online points of service.

Assistive Technologies for Supporting the Wellbeing of Older Adults

As people age, they are more likely to develop multiple chronic diseases and experience a decline in some of their physical and cognitive functions, leading to the decrease in their ability to live independently. Innovative technology-based interventions tailored to older adults’ functional levels and focused on healthy lifestyles are considered imperative. This work proposed a framework of active and healthy ageing through the integration of a broad spectrum of digital solutions into an open Pan-European technological platform in the context of the SHAPES project, an EU-funded innovation action. In conclusion, the SHAPES project can potentially engage older adults in a holistic technological ecosystem and, therefore, facilitate the maintenance of a high-quality standard of life.

An Effectiveness and Cost-Estimation Model for Deploying Assistive Technology Solutions in Elderly Care

Background Deployment of modern assistive technologies is one of the major trends contained in the strategies of developed countries. However, the use of technology in households is not yet a common practice. The aim of this paper is present a model for assessment of selected smart device solutions in elderly care and the evaluation of overall care costs. The model provides the optimal set of devices for different target groups in terms of financial savings. Methods The model uses demographic projections taken from Eurostat for EU countries and the disability incidence from the annual report of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the Czech Republic as an input. The model was implemented in the software Stella Professional dedicated to system dynamics modelling including a web interface and is accessible online. Results In relation to the combination of five assistive devices for the elderly, the optimal solution, the cost savings are 37.8% or182 billion CZK), cumulatively in the simulated time period 2021-2060. Out of the five available assistive devices, up to three - UpWalker, Jaco robotic arm and Poseidon - were employed by the model for different target groups. Conclusion According to the performed analysis the assistive technologies proved a significant potential to maintain the quality of life of elderly and lessen the burden on public budgets. With respect to the ongoing demographic transition, the need to employ smart device solutions should further increase and their price could decline with increasing scale of production and overall advancement in technology.

Tracking and Classification of Head Movement for Augmentative and Alternative Communication Systems

The use of assistive technologies can mitigate or reduce the challenges faced by individuals with motor disabilities to use computer systems. However, those who feature severe involuntary movements often have fewer options at hand. This work describes an application that can recognize the user’s head using a conventional webcam, track its motion, model the desired functional movement, and recognize it to enable the use of a virtual keyboard. The proposed classifier features a flexible structure and may be personalized for different user need. Experimental results obtained with participants with no neurological disorders have shown that classifiers based on Hidden Markov Models provided similar or better performance than a classifier based on position threshold. However, motion segmentation and interpretation modules were sensitive to involuntary movements featured by participants with cerebral palsy that took part in the study.

Assistive Technologies and Design for People With Autism Spectrum Disorders

This chapter has the aim to provide a concise overview of which assistive technology tools can be used to implement interventions for people with autism spectrum disorders and what developers and designers must take into account when they want to approach to the development of these technologies. Four areas of intervention have been identified: (1) treatment of phobias, (2) social interactions, (3) academic skills, (4) job performance. Ten contributions have been reviewed for a total of 216 participants. Positive results and limits of various studies have been identified. In each session a specific technology will be analyzed, and some general guidelines will be provided. Some suggestions will be emphasized for future research.

Assistive Technology to Promote Adaptive Skills in Children and Adolescents With Rett Syndrome

Rett syndrome is classified within the rare genetic syndromes, characterised by intellectual delays, extensive motor impairments, lack of speech and communication difficulties, sensorial deficits, and problems in adaptive responding. That clinical conditions may be deleterious on their social image, status, and quality of life. A practice for addressing this problem is technology-based interventions. The use of assistive technologies, in particular microswitches, with children with RTT has been shown to effectively change the impact on their quality of life, facilitating access to recreational activities and improving their performance. Through the use of technology-aided programs, a child with RTT and multiple disabilities will be ensured with an independent access to positive stimulation. In this chapter, a selective literature review was carried out considering Rett Syndrome, assistive technologies, quality of life, and rare genetic syndromes. Empirical data demonstrated the effectiveness and suitability of interventions with AT, allowing participants to increase their level of independence.

Managing User Integration

The importance of robotics and assistive technologies for healthcare is increasing. For their introduction into practical application, the continuous integration of the user perspective is crucial to ensure acceptance and usability. This can be achieved by the user-centered design approach. In an earlier publication, several problems with its functional implementation within research and development (R&D) projects were pointed out. This chapter discusses possible solutions to promote an effective integration of the user perspective in R&D projects based on six interviews with experts from Germany. The results can be summarized in three main requirements: first, the generation of a common understanding of the target group; second, a scientific research approach considering the context of technology usage; third, projectification, with a focus on efficient resource planning, the development of generic technologies, and technology evaluations with the user group. Leaders of innovative projects can benefit from implementing these strategies in the development process.