O presente trabalho apresenta uma inovação (invenção) aplicada como uma ferramenta de inclusão à educação e de acessibilidade entre pessoas deficientes visuais, que representam 6,98% da população brasileira (IBGE, 2002). Propõe-se a impressão simultânea usando o sistema Braille tradicional aplicado com verniz poli(metacrilato de metila) em relevo polimerizável por ultravioleta (UV) junto com impressão tradicional em tinta (por exemplo, offset); sendo denominado pelo autor como i-Br/Vza-UVxmf e que pode estar presente em peças de embalagem, sinalização, rótulos, etiquetas, produtos editoriais e outros. O sistema proposto elimina o uso de alvéolos e microfuros deixados no sistema tradicional, que corresponde ao atual estado da arte, da impressão em Braille. Além disso, o sistema de microfuros apresenta o risco de contaminação (ou a passagem de substâncias) no caso de embalagens de alimentos, uso pessoal ou asseio; o que não ocorrerá no processo i-Br/Vza-UVxmf. Notou-se que, o processo proposto pode ser aplicado a qualquer produto promocional ou editorial (como um documento, livro ou embalagem). Este material impresso será útil tanto aos videntes normais (que lerão o que está impresso) como aos deficientes visuais (que “lerão” em Braille graças ao relevo gerado pelo verniz poli(metacrilato de metila)); aplicação de Tiflotecnologia que é a arte e técnica de escrever para cegos. Trata-se, então, de uma proposta facilitadora da convivência e relacionamento entre pessoas deficientes visuais com pessoas videntes normais, conduzindo-as para melhor nível de vida e educação. Além disso, o presente trabalho poderá contribuir com a aplicação da legislação vigente que exige a divulgação da informação nas embalagens de medicamentos, alimentos, material de uso pessoal e asseio; mediante a comunicação do nome, conteúdo, especificação, uso e validade de produtos, bens e serviços empacotados. Por fim, pessoas videntes normais poderão se beneficiar do sistema proposto, servindo-se do material impresso em tinta com caracteres gráficos e também em Braille, familiarizando-lhes no uso da comunicação táctil (escrita em Braille) Braille & Tinta. / This paper presents an innovation (invention) that is applied as a tool for education inclusion and of accessibility among visually impaired people, representing 6.98% of the Brazilian population. The simultaneous printing using the Braille system along with its equivalent in Portuguese (or any other language) is proposed. A text printed in Portuguese (e.g., using offset printing) will then be printed in Braille applied using acrylic varnish that is dried with ultraviolet (UV) rays. This printing approach has been named i-Br/Vza-UVxmf and may be present in packages or publishing products. The proposed system eliminates the use of micro-holes left by traditional printing in Braille. Moreover, the system of micro-holes presents the risk of contamination (or the passage of contaminating substances) in the case of food packaging, personal use or cleansing items, which will not happen in the i-Br/Vza-UVxmf process. Since the proposed process can be applied to any editorial product (as a document, book or package), this printed material will be useful either to the normal sighted (who will read the material printed in Portuguese) as the visually impaired (who read Braille thanks to the embossing generated by the acrylic varnish). It’s Tiflotegnologics the art and Technique to write and editing for impaired people Then, this approach is intended to facilitate the living and the relationship among visually impaired and normal sighted people; leading them to better living and education standards. Moreover, this study may contribute to the implementation of existing legislation that requires the disclosure of information on medicine, food, personal use or cleansing items packaging. Current legislation demands the communication of name, content, specifications and expiration date of products. Finally, normal sighted people can benefit from the proposed system, making use of the fact that the material is printed in Portuguese and in Braille; and making them familiar with the use of tactile communication(written in Braille).

O presente trabalho apresenta uma inovação (invenção) aplicada como uma ferramenta de inclusão à educação e de acessibilidade entre pessoas deficientes visuais, que representam 6,98% da população brasileira (IBGE, 2002). Propõe-se a impressão simultânea usando o sistema Braille tradicional aplicado com verniz poli(metacrilato de metila) em relevo polimerizável por ultravioleta (UV) junto com impressão tradicional em tinta (por exemplo, offset); sendo denominado pelo autor como i-Br/Vza-UVxmf e que pode estar presente em peças de embalagem, sinalização, rótulos, etiquetas, produtos editoriais e outros. O sistema proposto elimina o uso de alvéolos e microfuros deixados no sistema tradicional, que corresponde ao atual estado da arte, da impressão em Braille. Além disso, o sistema de microfuros apresenta o risco de contaminação (ou a passagem de substâncias) no caso de embalagens de alimentos, uso pessoal ou asseio; o que não ocorrerá no processo i-Br/Vza-UVxmf. Notou-se que, o processo proposto pode ser aplicado a qualquer produto promocional ou editorial (como um documento, livro ou embalagem). Este material impresso será útil tanto aos videntes normais (que lerão o que está impresso) como aos deficientes visuais (que “lerão” em Braille graças ao relevo gerado pelo verniz poli(metacrilato de metila)); aplicação de Tiflotecnologia que é a arte e técnica de escrever para cegos. Trata-se, então, de uma proposta facilitadora da convivência e relacionamento entre pessoas deficientes visuais com pessoas videntes normais, conduzindo-as para melhor nível de vida e educação. Além disso, o presente trabalho poderá contribuir com a aplicação da legislação vigente que exige a divulgação da informação nas embalagens de medicamentos, alimentos, material de uso pessoal e asseio; mediante a comunicação do nome, conteúdo, especificação, uso e validade de produtos, bens e serviços empacotados. Por fim, pessoas videntes normais poderão se beneficiar do sistema proposto, servindo-se do material impresso em tinta com caracteres gráficos e também em Braille, familiarizando-lhes no uso da comunicação táctil (escrita em Braille) Braille & Tinta. / This paper presents an innovation (invention) that is applied as a tool for education inclusion and of accessibility among visually impaired people, representing 6.98% of the Brazilian population. The simultaneous printing using the Braille system along with its equivalent in Portuguese (or any other language) is proposed. A text printed in Portuguese (e.g., using offset printing) will then be printed in Braille applied using acrylic varnish that is dried with ultraviolet (UV) rays. This printing approach has been named i-Br/Vza-UVxmf and may be present in packages or publishing products. The proposed system eliminates the use of micro-holes left by traditional printing in Braille. Moreover, the system of micro-holes presents the risk of contamination (or the passage of contaminating substances) in the case of food packaging, personal use or cleansing items, which will not happen in the i-Br/Vza-UVxmf process. Since the proposed process can be applied to any editorial product (as a document, book or package), this printed material will be useful either to the normal sighted (who will read the material printed in Portuguese) as the visually impaired (who read Braille thanks to the embossing generated by the acrylic varnish). It’s Tiflotegnologics the art and Technique to write and editing for impaired people Then, this approach is intended to facilitate the living and the relationship among visually impaired and normal sighted people; leading them to better living and education standards. Moreover, this study may contribute to the implementation of existing legislation that requires the disclosure of information on medicine, food, personal use or cleansing items packaging. Current legislation demands the communication of name, content, specifications and expiration date of products. Finally, normal sighted people can benefit from the proposed system, making use of the fact that the material is printed in Portuguese and in Braille; and making them familiar with the use of tactile communication(written in Braille).

M.Ed. / Because special Education and therefore also the education of visually impaired children, is an expensive undertaking, it is of great importance that every school for the visually impaired functions as effective as possible. In the light of this urgency, research was therefore done to determine the most effective way to manage a school for visually impaired children under the authority of the Department of Education and Training. Before a model for the management of a school for the visually impaired could be developed, attention was given to the historical development of the education of the visually impaired in the Republic of South Africa. This is followed by focussing on the present situation concerning the education of Black visually disabled children. Attention was given to the areas to be managed at such a school, namely: staff, Pupils, Parents and Community, Curriculum, Buildings and Physical assets and Methods and Procedures. Reference was also made to the present management situation at these schools under the authority of the Department of Education and Training and to the managerial functions to be performed by a principal of a school for visually impaired children. Management by objectives and its value for Educational Management was also considered. Finally, the Biblical-Christian perspective on science, management in general and Educational Management in particular, was also considered. The model for the management of a school for the visually impaired from this perspective was suggested. Because of the lack of space the model could be applied to only one management area, namely, staff. It can however be adapted to also suit the management of the other areas. With this model "in the hand" the Christian principal and the management team of a school for the visually impaired, should be able to manage the staff and other areas of the school (more) effectively. They should be able to transfer meaningful and formative education to the pupils entrusted to them and also experience a sense of deep inner satisfaction, because they know that they are busy with a task God has called them for, doing it in the way He wants it to be done.

The purpose of this study was to investigate a program model in which parents and adolescents examine personal values, career decisions and plans. The subjects were visually impaired students enrolled in regular secondary school and their parents. Twenty volunteer adolescents with visual impairments and their parents from 18 school districts in the province of British Columbia participated in the study. The program consisted of four Partner’s Program (Cochran, 1985) booklets: a parent guideline manual, activity self-exploration exercises, career decisions framework, and a planning workbook designed to facilitate parent involvement in career development activities. Two special career reference publications which described a variety of occupations and necessary adaptations and technical devices designed for individuals with visual impairment were also included. These materials were presented in audio tape, large print and braille. Adolescent subjects and their parents were randomly assigned to two experimental groups. Each group received materials and were given five weeks to complete the program. The Career Decision Scale (Osipow, 1976), Parent Adolescent Communication Scale (Barnes & Olson, 1982), and Career Salience Scale (Greenhaus, 1971, 1977) were employed. All participants were interviewed following the program. A multivariate analysis of variance was computed, and the combined five dependent variables were significantly affected between groups upon completion of the program by the first group. The combined dependent variables were significantly affected again with the second group upon completion of the program. Examination of effect sizes for each dependent variable attributed the differences to gains in measures of career planning and career salience and a decline in career indecision. The effects on the measures of communication were inconclusive. The results indicated that students in both experimental groups confirmed their career choices and became more aware of personal career values. The subjects felt they were encouraged to plan and prepare for a career, explore options, and consider their visual disabilities. Career planning was deemed important by all participants. The importance of work and career were confirmed for participants. Students’ attitudes improved with confirmation of plans and career alternatives. The effects of the program in career development of adolescents with visual impairments and the importance of parent-student communication were positive. The comments of the parents suggested that they had acquired understanding of their child’s career choices. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

M.Ed. / This study is an investigation into cognitive mapping as strategy in the constructivistic approach to mathematics education to learners with a visual disability with the view to describe the change in pupils' thoughts on mathematical concepts, as well as their experiences during the process of cognitive mapping. The rationale for the investigation was derived from the shift in South African Mathematics teaching from traditional teaching to constructivistic (or problem-centered) teaching. As this implies a shift in paradigm, teachers will be in need of relevant constructivistic training to equip them with effective teaching strategies. The objective of this study is to examine cognitive mapping as a possible supportive strategy to constructivism . The study commences with a theoretical framework in which constructivism is clearly explicated. The principles of radical and social constructivism, the roots of which can be traced back to the epistemological theories of Piaget and Vygotsky, are explored. The constructivistic view of knowledge, with the relationship between public knowledge and the forming of personal knowledge, is discussed and extended to include the formation of mathematical knowledge. The focus then shifts to the concepts of instruction and learning and the role they play in the constructivistic paradigm. In the constructivistic view, learning implies cognitive restructuring, which is facilitated by assimilation and accommodation. The implications of this view of learning for instruction, and in particular mathematics instruction, is then discussed. This chapter concludes with the working definition the researcher has used to conduct the remainder of the study. The theoretical framework is structured furthermore to give background regarding cognitive mapping. According to the constructivistic approach, learning implies conceptual change. Cognitive maps externalise conceptual change by means of visual representations, and therefore it was decided to investigate them as a teaching strategy. Some definitions, as found in the literature, are given, and three types of maps are illustrated as examples. The different uses of cognitive maps, among which study strategy, lesson planning and means of evaluation, are discussed. A discussion on the different methods of constructing a map follows, with specific focus on how to include the whole class in the activity. The advantage of social interaction while constructing knowledge, is highlighted. Lastly, the advantages and disadvantages connected to cognitive mapping as teaching strategy, are discussed. The theoretical framework is complemented by a chapter on the design of the research, substantiating the choice of format and methods of data collection and analysis. The data is reported in the succeeding chapter, and examples of raw data from transcriptions, journals of the pupils and cognitive maps are presented. Finally, the consolidated data is interpreted. In the concluding chapter the findings of the study are discussed. The most significant findings of this study are: cognitive mapping, as mathematical teaching strategy, improved the understanding of grade nine learners, with a visual disability, of real numbers; the learners experienced the teaching strategy of cognitive mapping positively; the number of group members involved in the construction of a cognitive map, influenced.

The older adult population in the United States is rapidly expanding both because of longer life expectancies as well as the aging of the baby boomers. While vision impairment is a growing concern among older adults, there have been few, mostly small studies, of the impact of vision impairment on this population. The present study uses a national data set, the Second Supplement on Aging (1994 -1996) from the National Health Interview Survey, in a cross-sectional study of 9,447 civilian non-institutionalized persons, aged 70 years and over at the time of their interview. The SOA II has been studied in the context of a social theory of aging that emphasizes interdependence through the life course using a stress process model that has been refined into a disability model. Disability is understood as a social construction outcome rather than as a medical outcome. Vision impairment is the stressor which is mediated by health (falls, functioning and self-health report), financial resources (education, income and having only public health insurance) and social support (marital, living along, having no living children, social activities in number and intensity). Depression is a possible, but not a necessary result of vision impairment. Disability may result when a medical pathology leads to an impairment which results in a functional limitation and finally a social disability. This secondary analysis used a multinomial logistic regression for both the whole sample as well as separately for each gender. For the whole sample the results indicate that a typical profile of a vision-impaired older adult depressed some/all of the time, would be a younger-old White woman (aged 70-74 years old) who has fallen in the past 12 months, has difficult with one or more Activities of Daily Living or with both one or more Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, has a poor to fair self-heath report, a family income under $20,000, a high school or less education, lives alone, has a living child and lacks social activities in number and intensity. In the gender samples, only the female sample at the some/all of the time depression category is significant. Older vision-impaired adults, especially older women who have more social supports are less likely to be depressed and so disabled. There is a need for social policies that will educate, encourage and support older vision-impaired adults as they seek to compensate for the loss of vision, often late in life.

A pesquisa tem como tema o Turismo de Aventura praticado pelo deficiente visual. A escolha foi feita em função de motivações pessoais e da relevância do assunto no âmbito do turismo, no momento em que se ampliam as possibilidades de reconhecimento da cidadania das pessoas portadoras de algum tipo de deficiência. O estudo teve como participantes portadores de deficiência visual congênita e adquirida. O referencial teórico pertinente ao Turismo de Aventura e a Deficiência Visual ainda é muito escasso, mas não foi fator que impedisse a realização da pesquisa, uma vez que o propósito foi produzir um trabalho acadêmico que abrisse mais uma janela no âmbito do turismo. Sob perspectiva do paradigma qualitativo, utilizou-se a metodologia descritiva do tipo estudo de caso. O quadro teórico engloba os seguintes tópicos: a) análise do objeto de estudo em questão; b) o turismo de aventura; c) a deficiência; d) estudo da deficiência visual, especificidades e características dos participantes; e) descrição das atividades de aventura como arvorismo, escalada, rapel e tirolesa; e, f) procedimentos técnicos que nortearam a realização das atividades. Os participantes do estudo foram 7 pessoas portadoras de cegueira congênita e adquirida na faixa etária entre 31 a 74 anos. A pesquisa de campo foi realizada no Alpen Park, na cidade de Canela/RS, local em que são oferecidos pela Empresa Atitude, Ecologia e Turismo atividades de Turismo de Aventura. O procedimento utilizado como os deficientes visuais nas atividades de aventura estudadas seguiu a mesma rotina utilizada com videntes. A coleta de informações englobou registros de dados cadastrais dos participantes, entrevistas semiestruturadas aplicada aos participantes, memoriais descritivos elaborados pelos participantes após a realização das atividades de aventura, memorial descritivo elaborado pela pesquisadora a partir das observações de campo, análise de vídeos e de acervo fotográfico construído a partir da experiência empírica com os DVs. As informações recolhidas são descritas e analisadas à luz do problema e dos sujeitos do estudo. As discussões e interpretação das informações se dão a partir de unidades de significados e categorias de análise. Os resultados apontam que o turismo de aventura é percebido pelos deficientes visuais como uma atividade que lhes proporciona satisfação e bem estar na superação do que poderia ser limitador aos portadores desta deficiência. O estudo indicou que não há necessidade de adaptações técnicas para que os DV pratiquem e desfrutem do turismo de aventura. O Turismo de Aventura é um segmento de mercado latente e pronto para ser explorado inclusive com deficientes visuais. / The research is about the Adventure Tourism practiced by visual disability. The choice was made based on personal motivations and the relevance of the issue within the tourism, when we are expand the possibilities of recognition of the citizenship of people with some type of disability. The study participants as people with visual disabilities congenital and acquired. The theoretical framework relevant to the Adventure Tourism and Visual Disabilities is still scarce, but they are not factors which prevent the achievement of research, since the purpose was producing a scholarly work that opens another window in the context of tourism. On a qualitative view of the paradigm, we used the methodology of the descriptive type of case study. The theoretical framework includes the following topics: a) analysis of the object of study in question; b) the adventure tourism; c) the disability; d) the disability visual study, specificities and characteristics of the participants; e) description of the activities like trees adventures, climbing, rappel and tyrol, and f) technical procedures that guided the implementation of activities. The participants were 7 people with congenital and acquired blindness in the age group between 31 to 74 years. The fieldwork was realized in Alpen Park, located in Canela/RS, where they are supplied by the Company Attitude, Ecology and Tourism Activities of Adventure Tourism. The procedure used for the visual disabilities in activities of adventure studied followed routine used with visionaries. Data collection included records of cadastral data of the participants, semi-applied to interview participants, descriptive memorial prepared by the participants after the completion of the activities of adventure, descriptive memorial developed by the researcher from the field observations, analysis of video and photographic collection constructed from the empirical experience with the DVS. The information collected is described and analyzed in light of the problem and subject of study. The discussion and interpretation of information is given as units of meaning and categories of analysis. The results indicate that the adventure tourism is perceived by the blind as an activity that provides them satisfaction and well being in overcoming what might be limiting this to people with these disabilities. The study indicated that there is no need for technical adaptations to the DVS practice and enjoy the adventure tourism. The Adventure Tourism is a latent market segment and ready to be exploited even with the blind.

Information appliances such as notebook computers and cellular telephones are becoming integral to the lives of many. These devices facilitate a variety of communication tasks, and are used for employment, education, and entertainment. Those with disabilities, however, have limited access to these devices, due in part to product designs that do not consider their special needs. A usability evaluation can help identify the needs and difficulties those with disabilities have when using a product and universal design principles can then be applied to enhance accessibility and usability. This study addresses the usability of two of the most common information appliances - notebook computers and cellular telephones. The usability of notebook computers was evaluated using a remote ethnographic method where participants recorded usability-related critical incidents. Participants included those with a wide range of abilities, such as legal blindness, total blindness, and upper extremity physical disabilities. Objective and subjective measures were used to determine the effects of several specific design parameters for cellular telephones. The notebook computer study revealed that participants have difficulty with non-standard keyboard layouts, the use of isometric pointing devices, case latches, and inadequate system feedback. User performance and ratings in the cellular telephone study were the best with the 12 mm lateral pitch and 0.7 mm key height, while the fewest task failures were committed using the 0.5 mm keystroke. Participants also preferred telephone models with large <Power>, <Send> and <End> keys located in prominent locations, and 22-point and 36-point display fonts. These results were used to generate product-specific design guidelines that can be used to design notebook computers and cellular telephones that are more usable and accessible for users with visual and upper extremity physical disabilities. Universal design implications are also discussed. / Master of Science

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / To access interactive systems, blind and visually impaired users can leverage their auditory senses by using non-speech sounds. The current structure of non-speech sounds, however, is geared toward conveying user interface operations (e.g., opening a file) rather than large theme-based information (e.g., a history passage) and, thus, is ill-suited to signify the complex meanings of primary learning material (e.g., books and websites). In order to address this problem, this dissertation introduces audemes, a new category of non-speech sounds, whose semiotic structure and flexibility open new horizons for facilitating the education of blind and visually impaired students. An experiment with 21 students from the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ISBVI) supports the hypothesis that audemes increase the retention of theme-based information. By acting as memory catalysts, audemes can play an important role in enhancing the aural interaction and navigation in future sound-based user interfaces. For this dissertation, I designed an Acoustic EDutainment INterface (AEDIN) that integrates audemes as a way by which to vividly anticipate text-to-speech theme-based information and, thus, act as innovative aural covers. The results of two iterative usability evaluations with total of 20 blind and visually impaired participants showed that AEDIN is a highly usable and enjoyable acoustic interface. Yet, designing well-formed audemes remains an ad hoc process because audeme creators can only rely on their intuition to generate meaningful and memorable sounds. In order to address this problem, this dissertation presents three experiments, each with 10 blind and visually impaired participants. The goal was to examine the optimal combination of audeme attributes, which can be used to facilitate accurate recognitions of audeme meanings. This work led to the creation of seven basic guidelines that can be used to design well-formed audemes. An interactive application tool (ASCOLTA: Advanced Support and Creation-Oriented Library Tool for Audemes) operationalized these guidelines to support individuals without an audio background in designing well-formed audemes. An informal evaluation conducted with three teachers from the ISBVI, supports the hypothesis that ASCOLTA is a useful tool by which to facilitate the integration of audemes into the teaching environment.

The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences (both professional and personal) of the therapist who is visually impaired or blind. This is a post-modernist dissertation contextualised within the ecosystemic-hermeneutical epistemology. These paradigms are two sides of the same coin and emphasize a social constructionist worldview. A descriptive methodology within the domain of language and narrative discourse is utilised in accordance with this worldview. The narratives of two research participants were recounted through the researcher's lens within particular `dimensions of understanding'. These `dimensions of understanding' were interpreted, deconstructed and co-constructed (with the research participants). Thus this dissertation operates simultaneously on a number of different levels which emphasises the social constructionist worldview. This also allowed for the hermeneutic-ecosystemic analysis of these `dimensions of understanding' as method of data analysis. There are also emerging `dimensions of understanding' from the researcher's own perspective and personal experience as a visually impaired therapist in training. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)