This thesis is based on five empirical studies of pupils with visual impairments, their reading ability and processes of reading acquisition within the framework of mainstream education in comprehensive schools. The aim of the thesis is to increase our understanding and knowledge of reading acquisition in pupils with visual impairments in mainstream education. A further aim is to find factors, which influence reading acquisition from an individual, as well as an environmental, perspective. Developmental theories regarding the individuals' possibilities to acquire an optimal development in interaction with their environment offer a theoretical framework for the thesis. Different research designs, descriptive and explorative, have been used to fulfil the purpose. The studies have revealed a heterogeneous group of readers with visual impairments bearing in mind functional visual ability, reading media (print and braille) and reading ability. As a result of these studies, it was possible to divide the readers into three groups with regard to reading performance. About one quarter of the population was average or high achievers, another quarter extremely low achievers, irrespective of visual acuity, reading media or reading devices. In most cases, additional impairments, intellectual impairment or language problems caused low achievement. The largest group, about half of the population, consisted of readers who were able to read but demonstrated difficulties in other ways. Visual acuity and reading media varied greatly in this group. There were uncertain readers, readers with low reading rate but good comprehension, readers with less stamina and readers who did not use their reading ability except for schoolwork. The pupils were well equipped with optical devices, lighting and special desks but seldom used the facilities for reading. In general, the pupils with visual impairments read less compared with their sighted peers. Nor were they exposed to text in natural situations in society, which decrease their incidental reading training. Consequently, a large group of readers with visual impairments need an adapted reading program in order to stimulate reading from the start and to use their potential ability. Competence in the school and home environment is necessary for compensating lack of training and preventing the visual impairment being the reason for reading difficulties. Reading disabilities due to biological factors were significant for a smaller group. Visual impairment as a reading handicap is, in this thesis, identified when a person, able to read, does not have access to the text in an appropriate reading medium or format, reading and writing tools are missing or reading must be performed in a badly adapted environment. Increased knowledge and effective environmental measures could reduce a reading handicap caused by a visual impairment for a larger group of children and young people. / <p>Härtill 5 uppsatser. Endast sammanfattning s. 1-93 i fulltext.</p><p></p>

<p>People with disabilities constitute a big group of Internet users. Due to great advances in adaptive technology for people with disabilities more and more disabled will have access to Internet. For that reason it is extremely important for a web developer to be aware of different disabilities that complicate or prevent using Internet, different adaptive technologies that facilitate using Internet and different methods, both in design and programming, that make Internet accessible for people with disabilities.</p><p>In this report we have dealt with three problems:</p><p>• Which types of disabilities that complicate or prevent using Internet?</p><p>• Which types of adaptive technologies are available concerning using Internet?</p><p>• How can a web developer or programmer increase the accessibility to Internet for people with disabilities?To investigate how disabled people use adaptive technologies and which difficulties they experience when using Internet we have interviewed people with various types of disabilities.</p>

People with disabilities constitute a big group of Internet users. Due to great advances in adaptive technology for people with disabilities more and more disabled will have access to Internet. For that reason it is extremely important for a web developer to be aware of different disabilities that complicate or prevent using Internet, different adaptive technologies that facilitate using Internet and different methods, both in design and programming, that make Internet accessible for people with disabilities. In this report we have dealt with three problems: • Which types of disabilities that complicate or prevent using Internet? • Which types of adaptive technologies are available concerning using Internet? • How can a web developer or programmer increase the accessibility to Internet for people with disabilities?To investigate how disabled people use adaptive technologies and which difficulties they experience when using Internet we have interviewed people with various types of disabilities.

This thesis attempts to answer how a “braille-only” calculator can be constructed and what needs consideration. An attempt to create such a device has been made. The underlying purpose is the poor selection of braille devices readily available in the market. Braille literacy is very low and the development of easy to use devices that utilize braille actively might encourage the learning of the language. A new design for a braille display, which is the display of the calculator, is proposed and a prototype has been built to test it. The first prototype is promising, albeit impractical and quite large. It functions as a calculator but it requires manual calibration upon startup to set the braille wheels to their starting positions. / Rapporten försöker svara på hur en miniräknare som enbart använder blindskrift can byggas och vad som bör tänkas på. Ett försök till att konstruera en sådan apparat har gjorts. Den bakomliggande anledningen till detta är det tunna utbudet av blindskrifts-apparater på marknaden. Läskunnigheten av blindskrift är väldigt låg och utvecklandet av apparater som aktivt använder blindskrift kan uppmuntra lärandet av språket. En ny design till en braille skärm, som blir skärmen till miniräknaren, föreslås och en prototyp har konstruerats för att testas. Den första prototypen är lovande, även om den är ganska opraktisk och stor. Den fungerar som en miniräknare men kräver manuell kalibrering vid uppstart för att nollställa läget hos braille-hjulen.