Media Alert: Minister Grant to Handover Equipment to Visually Impaired Learners

 Minister Grant will be handing over new equipment that will contribute significantly to improving access to learning and teaching materials and to quality learning by visually impaired learners.

The new e-braille portable computers allow learners to read textbooks electronically in braille using an electro-mechanical display that raises dots against a flat surface.

Learners can also listen to the text via computer-generated speech. They can browse the internet via wi-fi and connect to other devices via Blue Tooth.

Learners can use the device to type text in braille. They can retrieve text and save their work onto flash drives for assessment.

The WCED is also providing four devices that can scan and read text to learners via built in speakers using a natural-sounding voice.

The devices, which look like small overhead projectors, capture printed text via a digital camera. The devices use optical character recognition (OCR) to convert text to speech or to provide an output for reading in braille via the e-braille computers.

The Department has invested over R1 million in this project which will support two of our schools that accommodate visually impaired learners. 

Please join us for the launch of the project and a demonstration on how to use these very special and state of the art technologies.

VENUE: Athlone School for the Blind – Athlone Street, Bellville South

DATE: Tuesday, 12 February 2013.