Design and Development of a Low-Cost Exergaming System for Visually Impaired Students (LES-VIS) to Improve Mathematical Learning Skills and Physical Activity

Introduction

Braille is a widely used and popular medium of VIS to read & write during academia. This was invented by Louis Braille, who introduced the concept of raised dot technique to a grid of 3x2 binary matrix (as shown in figure 1). This construction helps to express Braille characters such as alphabets, numbers, symbols and punctuations. This method was further developed by the International council on English Braille (ICEB) and proposed as Unified English Braille (UEB), to combine several-existing braille codes into a single code. These cover mathematical code, computer code and literary code. For mathematics & science notations, recently Dr. Abraham Nemath deployed braille codes/systems to avoid confusion in reading & writing. In the traditional braille code, the number has to be written in a number sign.: in front of the 1st ten letters of the alphabet. Whereas, the number was “bring-down” to the bottom of the braille matrix, in the Nemeth code.

Figure 1.

Braille slate & stylus

Although researchers & educators have developed advanced braille methods/tools for easy writing & reading, still VIS are facing several critical problems. The issues are mentioned to be (1) 64 grid/cells braille slate is not enough to express all mathematics symbols & notations. Since some of the notations are complex to write in braille grid/cells; (2) There are several rules & regulations to write/read using Nemeth’s method. In this method, VIS has to learn mathematics as well as rules & regulations to use the Nemeth method. This may restrict a VIS to learn/understand math easily.

Traditional braille method is the common technique that VIS use in formal education of India.

Where VIS reads by sensing raised-dot with fingers and writes by slate & stylus. This writing process happens via keeping the thick-paper in-between of slates and embossment of braille characters (i.e., math numbers, alphabetical letters, etc.) using stylus.

The Indian academic system refers to 3 educational system for children with differently-abled:

• 1)

  specific schools (only for specific differently-abled students);

• 2)

  combined (both sighted with physically challenged and visually impaired children’s);

• 3)

  inclusive (for all disabled students and sighted) educational system.

In order to narrow down further, this project only focuses on students who are low vision/blind/total blindness without any physical challenges. To understand the current scenario, two blind schools of Ahmedabad/Gandhinagar have been visited during initial-field visit of this Grid Matrix of 64 (2^6 = 64) - Slate Braille slate stylus project. We have interviewed 5 teachers (see figure 2) and 13 VIS (see figure 3, left), who are part of these blind schools. The following question has been asked to understand the common problem faced by the VIS during mathematic education, as well as physical activity/sports during the school hours.

Figure 2.

Interview session with teachers

Total 9 questions were admi stated during the interview process of teachers & students. Among them 5 questions were asked to blind students, who are pursuing K8, K9, K10, K11 and K12. This includes, attitude towards mathematical subjects (asking “Do you like mathematics? Yes/no), preference of mathematical subject (How much do you like the subject? Out of 100), experience of VIS in learning mathematics (asking “What are the problems faced by VIS in learning mathematics?”), preference of sports/physical activity during physical education (PE) period (asking “What do you like to play during the PE period?”), reason for the preference of the sports/game (asking “Why do you prefer to play those spots?”). The average interview time was 1 hour per VIS. These interview conversations were recorded with consent of the VISs and later transcribed.