Welsh-language access technology interface: enabling a fuller educational experience through the medium of Welsh for blind and partially-sighted students
| Grant type: | Development (2000-08) |
|---|---|
| Round: | October 2004 |
| Amount awarded | £4,000.00 |
| Completed: | August 2006 |
| Leader(s): | Dr K Janet Pritchard |
| Organisation: | University of Wales, Bangor |
| Contact Email: | eds068@bangor.ac.uk |
| Contact phone: | (01248) 383082 / 351151 |
| Address: | Normal Site,Bangor,Gwynedd, LL57 2PX |
| Partners: |
|
| Interim report received: | 20 January 2009 |
| Final report received: | 18 November 2008 |
For a free copy of the Welsh Language Access Technology Interface produced as a result of the work from this project please contact:
Bob Hall
Technology Officer for Wales
RNIB, Cymru
Trident Court, East Moors Road, Ocean Park,Cardiff CF24 5TD.
Phone: 029 2044 9576
email: BobHall@rnib.org.uk
Blind and partially sighted people are able to use computer systems through the use of access software. This software can be used to magnify the contents of the computer monitor or it can be used to speak the contents of the computer monitor. This enables the blind or partially-sighted user to e-mail, word-process, access the Internet and use many other software packages.
Blind students studying through the medium of Welsh, or those studying the Welsh language, who are using speech output as their method of knowing what is on the computer screen are hampered by access software that has been written for the English language rather than the Welsh language.
The interface to the access software is used to control a large number of features. In addition there are a number of items of spoken information. These are currently said in English but are difficult to understand when spoken by a Welsh speech output system and, in any case, it is incongruous to be learning Welsh or using the medium of Welsh with occasional words spoken in English.