the ICEVI technology initiative Richard Orme Technology Initiative Lead From Exclusion to Empowerment International Conference New Delhi, India November 2014

ICEVI … is the International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment )  a global association of individuals and organizations that promotes equal access to appropriate education for all children and youth with visual impairment so that they may achieve their full potential. An important objective of our current strategy is to: "harness the power of information and communications technology to enable blind and partially sighted children and young people to be included in mainstream schools alongside their sighted peers and acquire the specialist literacy skills they need to make their way in the world".

The need  Despite the 2015 Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education, too many blind and partially sighted children are out of school.  Across the lesser developed world we know that too many children with visual impairment experience poor education due to the lack of books they can read need in braille, audio or larger print.

The opportunity  In developed countries technology has opened up amazing opportunities for children with sight loss, and this is beginning to happen in developing countries too.  Now is the time to harness proven technologies to bring books, learning and opportunities to thousands of visually impaired children in less privileged areas, and provide them with lessons and skills that will transform their life opportunities.

From the Unicef website “For many children, assistive technology constitutes a necessary precondition for them to enjoy and practice their rights. Children’s use of assistive technology can also contribute to preventing future poverty by enabling them to participate in education, a gateway to better income opportunities.”

working together with the DAISY Developing Countries Alliance

The model  “Visionary Learning through Technology” is a model based on three elements that combine to deliver success for visually impaired learners in diverse settings: kit confidence content

Kit: “A device I can use”  once a child has access to reading technology, a world of learning and opportunity opens up to them.  this could be a smartphone, eReader, tablet, braille notetaker, or computer.  a visually impaired child will be able to read books, and write their own schoolwork. This facilitates learning and greater communication and interaction within the classroom… and beyond

Confidence: “Skills that help me learn”  children with sight loss benefit enormously from becoming proficient in reading and accessing information independently through accessible technology.  parents and teachers must also learn about accessible technology, and ensure that the young learner is supported and encouraged on their journey. Sightsavers NVDA training session in Sierra Leone

Content: “Books I can read”  Reading is the gateway to education, but for a child with sight loss, very little is available in audio, braille or large print. If the text they need is in a suitable digital format, then children can read independently with their reading device.  Not only books, but also resources provided by the teacher and from the internet. Our projects will provide textbooks, as well as training for teachers and publishers to make their materials accessible to visually impaired learners.

Outcomes  children will have their own device that suits their individual needs, that make information accessible using audio, large print and braille.  learners will have new skills and confidence that will transform their independence and future life chances  there will be infrastructure and policies that provide easy access to accessible books and learning on a scale these young people have never experienced.

What can you do?  Use this framework, work with us to establish projects with expert support and with education ministry as partners  Start local, then scale up to district or national service  Realise the potential for individual children and transform education provision

Next steps  Identify existing good practice  Develop circa four more pathfinder projects  Funding and commitments to deliver  Engage high level champions  Questions?  Can you help? Contact: Richard Orme