“Tiny Dots For Me” a project helping blind and visually impaired people achieve computer literacy.
The “Tiny Dots for Me” project, previously known as “Computer and Me” project, is being carried out since September 2002, when the Co-operating Netherlands Foundation (CNF) invested 23.000 Euro in the procurement of the necessary computer equipment for blind and visually impaired people. That same year the association Homer sent their computer and pedagogy professor for professional consultations and training to the Slovenian Center for Blind and Visually Impaired People “Škofja Loka” in order to apply the working method with our blind and visually impaired participants. Also, the educational plan and program was designed to correspond to European standards for computer and technical work with blind and visually impaired people. During the school year 2003/ 2004, 10 participants took part in the computer workshops while there were 9 participants during the school year 2004/ 2005.
The experience gathered so far in the work with blind and visually impaired people, although extremely practical, is insufficient for comprehensive work on the computer, which is nowadays an essential everyday aid for everyone. Technology keeps changing over and over, a frightening fact for the visually healthy and let alone for the visually impaired. Thus we have altered, the new program “Tiny Dots for Me” in order to adjust the technological and computer know-how to advancements in world technology and thus bring computer technology closer to blind and visually impaired people. Furthermore, the goal is to promote a positive computer-man interaction and free blind and visually impaired people from the sense of fear and helplessness towards the computer, which is nowadays an essential aid for everyday life. It is our aim that blind and visually impaired people perceive the computer as a positive helping tool and not a burden. Thus, we are preparing blind and visually impaired people for educational processes in the 21st century as well as the job market since without computer knowledge the possibilities for professional advancement, opportunities or pre-qualification are at a minimum.
The classes follow an educational plan whose program is adjusted for blind and visually impaired people. The classes are perceived on a one-on-one basis and encompass the following educational sections: computer basics, MS Word, MS Excel, Windows Explorer and Internet.
Long-term goal: Enabling visually impaired people to work independently on the computer. Supporting visually impaired youth in handling existing educational assignments and providing blind and visually impaired people of all ages the fundamental prerequisites for a professional pre-qualification. Thus, a visually impaired person will strengthen their self-esteem, enhance their personal development and become conscious about their own value; hence become socially fully integrated.
Short-term goals: Till year-end 2005, to enable 20 participants to work independently on the computer. The most qualified will thus be able to become teachers for other blind and visually impaired participants.
Projected activities for the year 2005/2006 are:
- Individual classes,
- Improvement of helpful educational materials,
- On-line – distance support system.
The program will be carried out, as it has been so far, all year round in the “Homer” association’s computer classroom. Enrollment for the program during the 2005/2006 school year is planned for June 2005. The program will be defined in its entirety depending on the number of applicants. The public will be notified about the program through advertisements issued in newspapers, on the web page and on the Croatian teletext. In addition to offering individual, one-on-one classes to all participants, educational materials are also going to be provided and an on-line distance support system offered for all users.
Expected results:
Upon completion of the project, participants should be able to work independently on the computer, and, efficiently use the equipment adjusted to their needs. By independent work we imply: turning on/off the computer, working with Microsoft Windows – multitasking from one program to another, working with Microsoft Word – writing and shaping texts, working with Microsoft Excel – working with tables (visually impaired people), working with files and maps with Windows Explorer, surfing the Internet and using electronic mail. In order to accomplish the above mentioned computer skills, the applicant will need to have learned the basics: what is a computer and how does it work, what are the different computer parts and how do they work, what is the operation network and how does it work, what is Microsoft Word and how do we organize texts, what is Microsoft Excel and how do tables work, what is Windows Explorer and why do we use it, what is Internet Explorer and electronic mail and how do we use it. We anticipate that participants will develop a positive attitude towards computers as add-on learning and researching tools, which will thus enhance their overall knowledge and capacity.
