Denna studie ämnar att undersöka och identifiera lämpliga designprinciper för interaktiva system med icke-visuella gränssnitt. Genom att utveckla och ta fram ett hjälpmedel för synskadade människor med hjälp av AI och datorseende, är det möjligt att identifiera och utvärdera viktiga designprinciper. Teorier har samlats in kring interaktiva system, designprinciper, AI och datorseende för att både kunna utveckla en artefakt men också förstå befintliga designprinciper för interaktiva system. Design Science Research Methodology har använts som metod för att utveckla en artefakt i form av ett hjälpmedel som känner av olika objekt i realtid. Metoden har genom en iterativ process kunnat identifiera och utvärdera olika krav för artefakten som sedan resulterat i ett designförslag. För att identifiera kraven har kvalitativ data i form av semistrukturerade användarintervjuer samlats in från fem personer med en synskada. Avslutningsvis presenteras kopplingen mellan de krav som framkommit under intervjuerna och  befintliga designprinciper för interaktiva system med grafiska användargränssnitt. Ett förslag på vidare forskning inom ämnet diskuteras också. / This study aims to examine and identify appropriate design principles for interactive systems without visual interfaces. By developing an aid for the visually impaired with the help of AI and computer vision, it is possible to identify and evaluate important design principles. Theories within interactive systems, design principles, AI and computer vision have been collected in order to develop an artifact and to understand existing design principles. Design Science Research Methodology has been used to develop an aid that can detect objects in real-time. The method has been able to identify and evaluate different requirements for the artifact through an iterative process that results in a design proposal. In order to identify the requirements, qualitative data was collected from five people with visual impairment by conducting semi-structured interviews. Finally, the connection between the requirements identified from the interviews, and the existing design principles for interactive systems with graphical user interfaces is presented. A proposal for further research within the area is also discussed.

Thesis (M. A. (English Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / This study explored the challenges of pictorial illustrations in texts faced by Students: The case of the University of Limpopo in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study seeks to contribute to the process of understanding pictorial illustrations in a teaching and learning environment, where there are VI (visually impaired) students. This study employed a qualitative research approach, and interviews were used to collect data from the respondents. The respondents were ten VI students, five lecturers in the English discipline and two braillists from Reakgona Disability Centre. The selection was based on the roles they play in the learning and preparing of learning materials for VI students. The overall findings from the VI students were that pictorial illustrations are challenging when students are learning English language courses. It was established that pictorials materials exclude and confuse VI students when they are learning. Those pictorials also discourage participation of VI students, as they cannot see the pictorials. On the other hand, lecturers have challenges in explaining and describing pictorials during lessons. Again, it was discovered that when developing pictorial illustrations VI students are not taken into consideration because most content always includes pictorials. The overall findings from the braillists were that English language learning materials with pictorial illustrations are not easy to convert to braille and to enlarge for VI students. The study recommended ways to deal with pictorials in lessons and materials. For example, workshops to help lecturers to accommodate VI students in the learning environment. The study encouraged a good working relationship to assist VI students to overcome pictorial challenges in English courses. This study was intended to offer assistance in terms of the challenges experienced by V1 students with regard to pictorials illustrations in English language learning materials and courses.

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Denna studie är en kandidatuppsats inom området Informationsdesign med fokus på rumslig gestaltning. Arbetet syftar till att undersöka hur man kan underlätta den självständiga navigeringen i vår offentliga miljö för personer med synnedsättning. Hur man kan skapa en tryggare miljö genom informationsdesign i form av taktil wayshowing och färgkodning.  Att självständigt förflytta och röra oss i vår offentliga miljö ser de flesta som en självklarhet. Att sätta sig på tåget, tunnelbanan, eller bussen på väg till jobbet eller skolan, till vänner eller familj, eller bara göra en spontan resa dit du aldrig tidigare åkt inte är något hinder. Denna frihet skapar en gemenskap och tillhörighet i samhället som vi inte reflekterar nämnvärt över. Det finns dock personer som inte känner samma inkludering och trygghet i att göra samma typer av resor som du och jag – bland annat personer med synnedsättning. I dagsläget uppnår denna målgrupp ca 1% av Sveriges befolkning. Här finns dock ett mörkertal, men det är ungefär 100 000 personer som är inskrivna på syncentralen i dagsläget.Urbaniseringen och de växande städerna runt om i världen bidrar till den ekonomiska tillväxten, men även till sociala klyftor. Enligt FN:s hållbarhetsmål nr 11 - Hållbara städer och samhällen, så strävar man efter hållbar stadsutveckling för att skapa en trygg och inkluderande miljö – även för personer med funktionsnedsättningar. I Sverige har vi en arkitekturpolicy, som regeringen tagit fram. Den säger att vår offentliga miljö skall vara anpassad och utformad efter våra behov oavsett funktionsnedsättning och kognitiva förmåga. / This study is a bachelor thesis in the field of Information design with focus on spatial design. The work aims to investigate how to facilitate the independent navigation in our public environment for people with visual impairment. How to create a safer environment through information design in the form of tactile way showing and color coding.Most people take it for granted to move and move independently in our public environment. Getting on the train, subway, or bus on the way to work or school, to friends or family, or just making a spontaneous trip where you have never travel before is no obstacle. This freedom creates a community and belonging in society that we do not reflect significantly on. However, there are people who do not feel the same inclusion and security in making the same types of trips as you and me – people with visual impairment. At present, this target group reaches about 1% of Sweden's population. However, there is a dark figure here, but there are approximately 100,000 people who are currently registered at the vision center. Urbanization and the growing cities around the world contribute to economic growth, but also to social gaps. According to UN Sustainability Goal No. 11 – Sustainable cities and communities, sustainable urban development is strived to create a safe and inclusive environment – even for people with disabilities. In Sweden, we have an architecture policy that the government has developed. It says that our public environment must be adapted and designed according to our needs, regardless of disability and cognitive ability.

Thesis (M.Ed. (Community and Continuing Education)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / This study is an exploration of the educational needs and assets of the visual impaired undergraduate students at a Rural-Based University in South Africa. The research question addressed is What are the educational needs and assets of the visual impaired Undergraduate students at a Rural-Based University in South Africa. The study is underpinned within the interpretivist paradigm. A qualitative research approach was adopted, utilising a case study design. Data was collected through document analysis, semi-structured interviews and observations. Analytic induction in which themes, patterns and categories emerged from the data was deemed appropriate. The study sample was composed of the Director of Reakgona Disability Centre, four the visual impaired undergraduate students from the three faculties of the University of Limpopo (Humanities, Management and Law, and Science and Agriculture), as well as four academic staff members teaching the sampled students. The total study sample comprised nine participants. The study has revealed the existence of a highly inflexible curriculum, lack of assistive devices, poor teaching and assessment strategies, untrained academic staff, poor support from the majority of academic staff members, poor support from a few of the peers with normal sight, difficulties during transition from secondary school to university, and limited library services that led to the marginalisation of the visual impaired undergraduate students. The study also found that the visual impaired undergraduate students possess the following educational assets: the availability of Reakgona Disability Centre, support from the majority of peers with normal sight, support from a few academic staff members, availability of associations and institutions that offer financial assistance to the visual impaired students, and the health clinic that provides health care. Based on the findings of the research some conclusions were drawn. Several recommendations are made to address the educational needs and assets of the visual impaired undergraduate students at a Rural-Based University in South Africa. Suggestions for future research are made to close the gap that exists in research on the education of students with visual impairments

Le taux de chômage des personnes vivant avec une déficience visuelle (PDV) demeure préoccupant, malgré la mise en place de lois progressistes et d’actions diverses pour favoriser leur emploi. Les PDV éprouvent continuellement des difficultés d'intégration à l'emploi en raison de barrières dans le marché du travail et de l’inaccessibilité des lieux de travail. L'objectif de ce mémoire était de développer le contenu d'un outil de mesure qui pourrait évaluer l’état de préparation des milieux de travail pour accueillir des PDV. L’objectif a été atteint en deux temps. Premièrement, une synthèse de la littérature scientifique a permis de prendre la mesure des connaissances existantes et d’identifier les lacunes dans la recherche sur l'intégration à l'emploi. Deuxièmement, une étude co-créative a exploré les expériences vécues d’employés vivant avec une déficience visuelle et celles d’experts dans la création d’environnement de travail prêt à employer des PDV. Les résultats indiquent que traditionnellement l’approche pour faciliter l'intégration à l'emploi des PDV visait l'identification d’obstacles et de facilitateurs à la réussite professionnelle. Cette approche axée sur l’individu, souhaitait préparer les PDV à l'emploi. Peu de recherches ont été menées sur les efforts déployés par les employeurs et sur l’environnement de travail. Même si le milieu de travail a été identifié comme facteur de réussite et comme barrière dans l'intégration en emploi, aucune approche n'existe pour préparer les employeurs à l'arrivée de PDV. L’atteinte d’une répartition équitable des efforts impliquant tous les déterminants dans la réussite passe inévitablement par la préparation des environnements d'emploi. / The unemployment rate among people living with vision impairment (PVI) remains a significant concern, despite the implementation of progressive laws and various actions committed to promoting their employment. PVI continually experience difficulties in employment integration due to labor market barriers and inaccessible workplaces. The objective of this master’s thesis was to develop the content of a tool to access the preparedness of the employment environment to welcome PVI. This objective was accomplished across two phases as presented in this thesis. First, a scoping review synthesized existing knowledge and identified gaps in employment integration research. This knowledge informed the second phase, a co-creation study that explored the experiences of employees with vision impairment and employment domain experts in the creation of a work environment that is prepared to employ PVI. The findings indicate that previous attempts to facilitate the employment integration of PVI focused mainly on identifying barriers and facilitators to employment success. Furthermore, attempts to translate findings into employment integration plans focused on the individual perspective, making PVI employment ready. There has been little research into the efforts made by employers and their environments to achieve sustainable employment. Even though the employment environment was identified to contribute to employment success and lacking in the ability to ensure employment integration, no approach exists to prepare employers for the arrival of PVI. To achieve an equilibrium of effort among all the determinants of employment success, the preparedness of the employment environments must also be explored.

La perception visuelle implique une interaction complexe entre les yeux, le cerveau et les processus cognitifs, transformant les stimuli visuels en une représentation interne de l'environnement. Bien qu'une fraction limitée des informations parviennent à notre conscience visuelle, le cerveau traite une quantité considérable d'informations de manière inconsciente. Des recherches en imagerie par résonance magnétique fonctionnelle (IRMf) ont visé à mieux discerner les corrélats neuronaux associés à la perception consciente et inconsciente. Cependant, l'identification précise des régions cérébrales impliquées dans la génération d'une perception consciente, et leur modulation par l'expérience ou par des lésions cérébrales, demeure un défi. Cette thèse examine le traitement conscient et inconscient de l'information visuelle à l'aide de tâches visuelles et de neuroimagerie, pour comprendre comment ces processus se reflètent dans l'activation cérébrale et l'impact de lésions du cortex visuel. L'article 1 vise à identifier de manière empirique les zones d'activation fonctionnelle associées au traitement visuel conscient et inconscient chez les individus neurotypiques, en menant deux méta-analyses quantitatives de données de neuroimagerie. Les résultats révèlent que le traitement conscient mobilise la jonction fronto-inférieure, le sillon intrapariétal, le cingulum antérieur dorsal, le gyrus angulaire, le cortex temporo-occipital et l'insula antérieure. Le traitement visuel inconscient sollicite davantage les régions postérieures, comme le complexe occipital latéral. L'article 2 traite des processus cognitifs associés à la modulation de l'activation fonctionnelle suite à une lésion du cortex visuel. La déficience visuelle cérébrale (DVC) est caractérisée par une perte des fonctions visuelles due à un dommage cérébral plutôt qu'à une atteinte des yeux. Bien que la majorité des individus ne regagnent pas une vision normale, dans certains cas fascinants une amélioration peut être notée avec le temps en raison de la capacité du cerveau à se réorganiser. La perte visuelle peut s'accompagner du blindsight, où les individus sont capables de traiter de l'information visuelle tout en niant l'avoir vue. Cet article novateur utilise un paradigme de détection de mouvement pour évaluer l'activation des structures corticales et sous-corticales lors d'une performance de blindsight chez un individu avec DVC. Cette contribution significative met en évidence des corrélats neuronaux indépendants des aires visuelles primaires, associés à des structures spécifiques pendant la détection de mouvement en blindsight. Le chapitre 4 présente une base de données d'IRM haute résolution pour la perception du mouvement visuel d'individus neurotypiques et atteints de DVC. Les données incluent des mesures d'IRM structurelles, fonctionnelles, et de diffusion, des évaluations comportementales et de suivi du regard, des mesures électrophysiologiques, en plus de données prétraitées, le code et des métriques de contrôle de la qualité. L'article 3 caractérise les conséquences neurologiques des lésions cérébrales chez les participants DVC, ainsi que l'impact sur leur capacité à traiter divers stimuli de mouvement, comparés à un groupe de contrôles neurotypiques, en utilisant des techniques comportementales et d'IRM fonctionnelle à haute résolution. La détection automatisée des lésions a permis de quantifier de manière fiable l'étendue des dommages cérébraux et les participants ont été catégorisés selon leur capacités visuelles résiduelles. Les résultats confirment que le cerveau peut traiter des informations visuelles malgré l'absence de zones visuelles primaires intactes. Les participants DVC ont présenté des altérations fonctionnelles étendues, contrairement aux participants neurotypiques, qui ont montré une activation focalisée dans des régions spécialisées pour le traitement visuel et de mouvement. L'hémisphère lésé présente une activation plus synergique dans l'aire temporale médiane et le complexe occipital latéral. Dans l'hémisphère intact, ce dernier peut répondre à une stimulation du champ visuel atteint. Le thalamus et le pulvinar ipsilésionnels ont montré une dominance ipsilatérale en réponse au mouvement, contrairement à la dominance controlatérale dans l'hémisphère intact et chez les participants DVC avec des capacités visuelles résiduelles comparables à celles des contrôles. Cette thèse, par une approche multimodale, étudie les mécanismes neuronaux du traitement visuel chez les individus neurotypiques et atteints de DVC. L'utilisation d'étapes empiriques séquentielles, notamment une étude de cas, des analyses de groupes et des méta-analyses, renforce la fiabilité et l'applicabilité de la recherche, et vise à cartographier l'adaptation cérébrale après une lésion du cortex visuel. / Visual perception involves the intricate interplay of the eyes, brain, and cognitive processes, enabling photons of visible light to be captured on the retina, processed through specific pathways in the brain and transformed into a rich internal representation of our surroundings. While only a fraction of information reaches conscious awareness, the brain can process the remaining unconsciously. Functional magnetic resonance imaging studies have sought to understand the neural signals associated with conscious versus unconscious perception. However, comprehensively understanding the core brain regions involved in generating a conscious perception and their modulation through experience or brain damage remains a challenge. In this thesis, we investigate the conscious and unconscious processing of visual information through a series of visual tasks. We aim to understand how these processes are reflected in brain activation and how they can be modulated by damage to the visual cortex. Article 1 aimed to empirically identify and characterize areas of reliable convergence in functional activation of regions engaged during either conscious or unconscious visual processing in neurotypical participants by conducting two distinct quantitative meta-analyses. The findings reveal that conscious visual processing readily engages a constellation of regions comprising the inferior frontal junction, intraparietal sulcus, dorsal anterior cingulate, angular gyrus, temporo-occipital cortex and anterior insula, whereas unconscious processing recruits posterior regions, mainly the lateral occipital complex. The aim of Article 2 was to provide a detailed understanding of cognitive constructs and functional alterations following visual cortex damage. Cerebral visual impairment (CVI) refers to a loss of visual function caused by damage to the brain rather than the eyes. While most individuals do not recover intact vision, some cases have demonstrated improvement over time due to the brain's ability to reorganize itself. In certain instances of visual loss, blindsight can occur, allowing individuals to process visual information without conscious awareness. To our knowledge, this article was the first to propose the use of an event-related motion detection paradigm to assess functional activation in cortical and subcortical structures, independant of primary visual areas, during a CVI individual's blindsight performance. Chapter 4 aimed to conceptualize and acquire a unique high-resolution MRI dataset for studying visual motion perception in neurotypical and CVI individuals. This comprehensive dataset encompasses multiple modalities, including structural, functional task-based, resting-state and diffusion MRI, behavioral and evaluations, electrophysiological measures, and eyetracking data, in addition to preprocessed data, code and quality control metrics. Article 3 aimed to understand the functional consequences of brain damage in CVI individuals and the resulting impact on their ability to process diverse visual motion stimuli, including looming and biological motion, compared to a group of neurotypical controls, using behavioral and high-resolution neuroimaging techniques. Automatic lesion mapping enabled to reliably quantify the extent of brain damage and participants were categorized based on their residual visual ability. The findings demonstrate that the brain can process and represent visual information, without intact primary visual areas. CVI participants exhibited broad functional alterations, contrasting the focused activation in visual and motion processing regions for neurotypical controls. Specifically, the lesioned hemisphere displayed synergistic activation in the middle temporal area and lateral occipital complex, while the intact hemisphere's lateral occipital complex responded to impaired visual field stimulation. The ipsilesional thalamus and pulvinar demonstrated an ipsilateral dominance in response to looming motion, in contrast to the contralateral dominance in the intact hemisphere and among CVI participants with residual visual abilities akin to neurotypical controls. By employing a multi-modal approach integrating behavioral assessments, structural and functional neuroimaging methods, this thesis comprehensively investigates the neural mechanisms underlying visual processing in both neurotypical individuals and those with CVI. The use of sequential steps in empirical science, namely a case study, group analyses, and meta-analyses, enhances the reliability and applicability of the research, and effectively contributes to help map brain adaptation post visual cortex injury and further inform neurotypical visual information processing.

According to Hatlen (2004), most learners with disabilities in an inclusive educational setting are socially isolated. This statement contributed to the research question of this study, how do learners with visual impairment experience the social aspects of their inclusion in a Namibian mainstream secondary school? The aim of this study was to design a case study to analyse and describe data collected from learners with visual impairment and other participants to determine how they are socially included in a mainstream setting. A qualitative research methodology was used, which included purposive sampling to select participants. The researcher functioned in an interpretive/constructivist paradigm. It was found that the learners with disabilities and the able-bodied learners do not truly mix, however, the learners with disabilities are content in the mainstream school and they prefer it. / Om aan 'n groep te behoort en sosiaal ingesluit te voel is 'n basiese menslike behoefte - dit is net so belangrik soos die basiese behoeftes van kos en veiligheid. Sosiale inklusie kan as een van die kritiese elemente beskou word wat onderskei tussen mense wat ongesteld is en mense wat gesond is. Betekenisvolle verhoudings dra by tot self-aktualisering. Lae sosiale inklusie beteken vir leerders eensaamheid en swak aanvaarding deur portuurgroepe. Sosiale inklusie is van groot belang vir kinders se ontwikkeling. Navorsing het bevind dat inklusiewe hoofstroomskole die effektiefste manier is om diskriminasie te beveg en sosiale insluiting te bevorder. Hatlen (2004) is van mening dat die groter meerderheid van leerders met gestremdhede in 'n hoofstroomskool sosiaal gei soleerd is. Die doel van hierdie kwalitatiewe studie was om leerders met gestremdhede se persepsie van hulle eie sosiale aanvaarding binne 'n inklusiewe hoofstroom sekondere skool te ondersoek. Die navorser het binne 'n interpretatiewe/konstruktivistiese paradigma gewerk. 'n Kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetodologie is gevolg en het die volgende ingesluit: doelbewuste seleksie om te bepaal wie die deelnemers sou wees; onderhoude, observasie, dokumente en refleksies om data te genereer; en inhoudsanalise om die data te analiseer. Navorsingsbevindinge dui aan dat leerders met gestremdhede vir jare afgesonder was van die res van die samelewing deur hierdie leerders in spesiale skole te plaas. Dit het veroorsaak dat mense vervreemd van mekaar is en het 'n skeiding tussen 'ons' en 'hulle' veroorsaak. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie beklemtoon die belangrikheid van bewusmaking tussen leerders met gestremdhede en leerders sonder gestremdhede. Daar kom wel afknouery voor op die skoolgronde en ware vriendskappe tussen leerders met gestremdhede en leerders sonder gestremdhede vind nie in die ware sin van die woord plaas nie. Hierdie leerders is egter tevrede en verkies steeds om in 'n hoofstroomskool te wees. Inklusiewe onderwys is nog 'n nuwe konsep en in die ontwikkelingsfase in Namibie, terwyl die leerders nog onbekend is met inklusie, asook met mekaar. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (with specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

The work gives a comprehensive overview of the education of students with severe visual impairment, focusing on teaching language education. Currently, more and more advancing the concept of integration / inclusion of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream education are the teachers in mainstream schools subject to requirements that the process of integration / inclusion of these pupils were able to cope. It is therefore necessary that the teachers have to orientate in this field, and especially to know who can work with, who to turn to. To create a homogeneous group within the class is very appropriate for the pupil with severe visual impairments to participate in any activities with their peers, under which, inter alia, the work also comes with teaching aids. To support such a common activity, I made a technical cooperation tactile teaching materials focusing on language education. You can also use the intact classmates in the classroom, which could eliminate the differentiation of students "without " and "with" special educational needs as much as possible.

Cette thèse présente les modalités d’expérience muséale proposées aux visiteurs déficients visuels et auditifs. Elle expose pour cela à la fois les dispositifs d’accueil et de médiation culturelle des musées, leurs discours sur l’accessibilité et la différence, mais aussi la réception et l’expérience vécue par ces visiteurs. À partir d’un travail de terrain mené dans des établissements muséaux d’Île-de-France et auprès d’individus en situation de handicap, il s’agit d’abord de montrer comment ces institutions structurent et révèlent le traitement social du handicap. Les processus sociaux assignant une place et une identité sociale y étant fortement perceptibles, le musée est pris comme cadre d’analyse et de compréhension des trajectoires identitaires des personnes en situation de handicap. Plus encore, le dispositif muséal conditionne aussi le rapport sensible à l’environnement, notamment par le biais des outils de médiation culturelle. Il contribue en conséquence à imposer une image de soi, et à structurer la carrière de visiteur. En outre, cette recherche souligne la capacité des individus à s’emparer de ces éléments pour élaborer leurs propres trajectoires identitaires. Ainsi, la responsabilité portée par l’institution muséale est mise en évidence, puisqu’elle participe à la construction des identités sociales et des modalités d’être au monde des visiteurs en situation de handicap. / This PhD dissertation focuses on the ways and means of the museum experience for visitors with visual or hearing deficiencies. For that matter, the aim is to grasp both the cultural mediation systems, the welcoming apparatus proposed by museums but also the experience lived by the visitors. This allows to touch upon the discourses then carried out regarding accessibility and difference. A field work was carried out in the museums of the region Île-de-France and through interviews with people with disabilities. The main objective was to bring out the way in which museums, through the devices they propose and by the discourses they carry and relay on accessibility, organize and reveal at the same time the social treatment of disability. Museums can be considered frameworks for analysis and for understanding identity trajectories, since the social processes giving a place and an identity to people are strongly perceptible in this institution. Moreover, the sensitive connection to environment and, in this case to the exhibits, is also conditioned by the museum. It therefore contributes to establish a self-image for the visitor, and thus to structure the visitor's journey. In addition, by also highlighting the ability of individuals to seize these elements to develop their identity trajectories, this work highlights the responsibility of the museum as an institution, which participates in the construction of social and personal identities.