Learning assistance for the visually impaired
In India poverty and disability go hand in hand. As a result, most of the innovations are not accessible for the differently abled students. Taking this into account this project is an intervention in the education sector to provide simple and affordable learning assistance for the visually impaired
The project aimed to streamline and enhance the note-making process for visually impaired students in the education sector, making it more cost-effective, convenient, user-friendly, and time-saving. Additionally, it focuses on improving accessibility and ensuring economic feasibility.
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Role: Product designer
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Duration : October - November 2021 (8 weeks)
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Team members : Yashvi Modh, Aromal TR, Kartik Seth (NID Students)
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Tools : Figma, Adobe photoshop, Adobe Indesign, Adobe Illustrator
Project Summary
ETHAL- Product Overview
Current Situation
Are we cultivating an environment where visually impaired students can contribute as effectively as their fully sighted peers?
Despite the considerable advancements in our surroundings, the methods we employ for interaction and work need to be tailored to accommodate those who possess the capability to contribute uniquely to the industry.
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Inferences:
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Most of the students are listening to the class with full attention.
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There is no time for them to take notes of what was important in the class with braille during the lectures as they need to imagine everything.
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In their free time students are using technology for entertainment
( Youtube, songs, news, checking messages on whatsapp)
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Perkins Brailler
Compact braille slate
Braille Board
Phone recording
Angel audiobook device
Braille_paperless_slate.
Device for practicing braille
Areas- Aids for students in current education system
Field research ​​
How do they take notes of their lectures?
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Using the normal braille board for writing. ( 27 Rows each with 30 cells )
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Second hand keeps note of the braille cell and row number
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Inferences:​
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Math is hard subject to learn for blind students.
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Teaching poetry , shades of color - difficult
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They byheart or skip the chemical formulas and diagrams. (Even during examinations they are not required to attempt the questions with diagrams.)
Insights and observations from the Interviews
Parth Panchal , Hemang Bhai, Mahendra Bhai
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If they want maths in their syllabus, They can approach the management and specifically tell them that they want maths.
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(I texted Parth Panjal and he replied by recording the audio)
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Roots, powers, squares - these are difficult for blind students to learn through braille.
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He is completely relying on his phone to learn for competitive exams - also phones don’t read out all the symbols - like maths or chemistry symbols - which becomes a problem. - you have to assume what is there.
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One in a thousand take science as their main subject for higher studies, rest of them take science and commerce.
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Parth graduated in commerce from Gujarat university.
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Economics have graphs - they find it difficult to do them.
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Till the 12th instead of graphs they have MCQs.
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In computer science HTML is accessible but JAVA is not that accessible - so they won’t learn that language.
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Due to improvements in Technology, there is some improvement in learning maths.
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Doing online transactions is a little time-consuming.
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Earlier they could Identify currencies using size.
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(I wanted to share some information on a product - I need to verbally explain what is the product.)
Interview with Heena Bhatt - Volunteering Teacher, Dhruv Bhatt
- Students can’t hear the audio for too long, as it becomes irritating and monotonous
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After every 4 days teachers repeat the content.
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Listening to audio and taking notes is time-consuming.
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Braille is comfortable but not enough study material available in braille
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In universities they do need to submit written assignments which other students write it for them.
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In a way passing is easy.(20% is the passing the grades)
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Maths is a hard subject to learn for blind students.
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Teaching poetry, shades of colour - difficult
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In a writing examination a junior accompanies a blind student as a writer for the same
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Their syllabus is the same as compared to a normal student in the same standard.
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There are regional linguistic problems in writing the papers as most of them are ready for English only.
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They by heart or skip the chemical formulas and diagrams. (Even during examinations they are not required to attend the questions with diagrams.)
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Students prefer volunteers to teach them and revise everything than audiobooks.
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Experiments
Highlighter for the braille book
Process
We tried our experiment by showcasing the different highlighters we created for them. After this, they selected a few highlighter materials which they preferred the most.
Insights:
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They were quite happy after they tried if they could have such a thing for themselves.
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Everybody has textbooks where they have full liberty of highlighting if they have something for it.
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The sticking part has to be thoughtfully made even the removable part should be there for the other students.
OUR IDEA - ETHAL
Design Thinking
How it works-
Features -
Our Tangible product
