Stimati colegi, Dorim sa va informam despre inceputul unui nou proiect adresat persoanelor cu deficiente de vedere. Proiectul se numeste AHVITED - Audio Haptics for Visually Impaired Training and Education at a Distance " Instrumente audio-tactile pentru folosire in invatamantul la distanta de catre persoanele cu deficiente de vedere" - si se deruleaza cu sprijinul Comisiei Europene in cadrul programului Socrates Minerva (nr. de referinta 227444 CP 1 2006 UK MINERVA-M) in perioada octombrie 2006 septembrie 2009, sub coordonarea The Royal National College for the Blind, din Hereford, Marea Britanie. Parteneriatul proiectului este alcatuit din organizatii din Austria, Danemarca, Italia, si Romania. Romania este reprezentata de Societatea Romana pentru Educatie Permanenta.
Persoanele nevazatoare sau cu deficiente de vedere nu au acces la imagini grafice vizuale, ceea ce reprezinta un mare dezavantaj in procesul de invatare, mai ales in contextul invatamantului la distanta. Acest proiect va oferi o metoda inovativa de redare a graficelor, prin intermediul pipaitului si sunetului, prin folosirea diagramelor tactile cu sunet incorporat. Astfel, scopul proiectului este de a realiza materiale pentru cursuri e-learning, ce fac apel la sunet si pipait prin intermediul tehnologiei "Talking Tactile" . O diagrama tactila este o diagrama cu linii, textura si denivelari in reliev, ce poate fi explorata prin atingere cu degetul, in mod similar cu Braille. Inovatia consta in adaugarea fisierelor audio pentru a explica utilizatorului continutul. Pentru o mai buna intelegere a conceptului, va invitam sa vizitati site-ul coordonatorului din Anglia, Royal National College for the Blind, http://www.rncb.ac.uk/t3/index.html Grupul tinta al proiectului este format din persoanele nevazatoare sau cu deficiente de vedere, care participa in programe de invatamant la distanta, insa beneficiile se vor reflecta si in invatamantul traditional. Principalele activitati vor consta in dezvoltarea sistemelor, folosite in mod curent in salile de curs, pentru a putea fi aplicate si in cadrul cursurilor de invatamant la distanta, precum si crearea a trei materiale de curs pilot in scopul evaluarii metodologiei propuse. De asemenea, la inceput, se va realiza si o cercetare pentru a intelege problemele complexe cu care se confrunta furnizorii de invatamant la distanta, in redarea informatiilor vizuale persoanelor ce nu pot vedea. Folosirea acestei noi tehnologii este extrem de simpla. Dispozitivul (de marimea unui laptop, cu senzori la atingere) se conecteaza la un computer standard printr-un USB, iar apoi se introduce CD-ul. Pentru a se activa sistemul, este nevoie doar de o diagrama de tip "talking tactile" ce se pozitioneaza pe suprafata dispozitivului, iar utilizatorul trebuie doar sa o atinga cu degetul. Rezultatele proiectului vor include si un website unde se vor regasi informatii despre proiect, recomandari despre beneficiile acestui nou sistem de predare, si despre cum se pot crea propriile programe, adaptate unor grupuri specifice. De asemenea, vor exista si o serie de standarde si indrumari pentru design-ul si producerea de materiale de tip "talking tactiles", in vederea promovarii standardizarii internationale. Din punctul nostru de vedere, acest proiect este foarte inovativ pentru Romania. Daca si dvs. considerati la fel, si daca aveti informatii despre folosirea unei astfel de tehnologii in Romania, ne- ar face placere sa schimbam opinii cu dvs. Adresa noastra de contact este: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Va multumim anticipat pentru timpul si interesul dvs. Cu stima, Simona Capatan Societatea Romana Pentru Educatie Permanenta Dear colleagues, We would like to inform you about the launch of a new project addressed to visually impaired people. The project is called AHVITED - Audio Haptics for Visually Impaired Training and Education at a Distance and it is developed with the support of the European Commission within the Socrates-Minerva programme (Ref. no. 227444 CP 1 2006 UK MINERVA-M) in the period October 2006 September 2009 under the coordination of The Royal National College for the Blind, in Hereford, UK. The project partnership is made of organizations from Austria, Denmark, Italy and Romania is represented by our organisation, Romanian Society for Lifelong Learning. People who are blind have no access to visual graphic images and are at a substantial disadvantage in the learning process, particularly when studying in a distance learning situation with no specialist support. This project will provide an innovative method of delivering visual graphics to people who are visually impaired by the way of touch and sound using tactile diagrams with integrated sound files. Thus, the core theme of the project is to deliver graphic intensive e- learning course content material by sound and touch through the medium of "Talking Tactile Technology". A tactile diagram is a diagram with raised lines, textures and infills that be can be explored by finger touch in a similar manner to Braille, the innovation in talking tactiles is the addition of merged audio files to explain and inform the user of the content of the tactile diagram. In order to understand better the concept, we invite you to visit the website of the coordinator from UK, Royal National College for the Blind, http://www.rncb.ac.uk/t3/index.html The main target group for this project is learners who are blind or visually impaired studying on distance learning programmes, with the secondary benefit to education and training providers. The main activities will be the development of systems currently used in the classroom for wider application in distance learning courses and the creation of 3 sets of pilot course materials to evaluate the proposed methodology. Initial work will include a research period to fully understand the complex problems experienced by distance learning providers in delivering visual data to those who cannot see. The use of this new technology is very simple. The device (laptop sized, touch sensitive) is connected to a standard computer through a USB connection and then the CD is inserted. To activate the system all that is needed is a talking tactile diagram to be placed on the surface of the device and touched by the operator's finger. The results of the project will include also a website with information about the project, specific advice to distance learning providers on the benefits of this new teaching system and how they can create their own adaptive programmes for our target group. As well, there will be a set of common standards and guidelines for the design and production of talking tactile materials to promote transnational standardization. >From our point of view, this is a very innovative project for Romania. If you think the same, and if you have information about the use of such a technology in Romania, we would like very much to exchange opinions with you. Our contact address is: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thank you in advance for your time and interest. Yours sincerely, Simona Capatan Romanian Society for Lifelong Learning
