Abstract
This paper addresses the needs of low-vision students by examining the development of ZoomLinux, a DVD containing specially selected open source educational software products. The DVD was created in 2008 by a group of researchers and professionals who have gained extensive experience in visual impairment through studies conducted over many years. ZoomLinux differs from similar products devoted to people with special needs by being “especially normal”: the software applications and the platform itself are readily usable by each and every student in the classroom, thus satisfying the most important requirement of e-inclusion. This approach offers new opportunities for educational and methodological settings: the teacher can customize system and software options in order to meet different special needs. For each educational software, the DVD provides detailed informations about strengths, weaknesses regarding use with low vision students, accessibility analysis and notes explaining how teachers can customize the interface.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Caruso, G., Ferlino, L., Ott, M., Tavella, M.: Digital tools and school inclusion: a practical approach. In: INTED 2008 International Technology Education and Development Conference, Valencia (2008) (in print)
Dini, S.: Tecnologie e ausili per migliorare l’integrazione scolastica degli alunni disabili visivi. In: L’integrazione scolastica e sociale, Erickson, Aprile 2006, vol. 5/2 (2006) (ISSN 1720-996X)
Viisola, M.: Statistics on Children with Visual Impairments. ERIC Education Resource Information Center Publication ED432106 (1999), accessed February 2007, http://eric.ed.gov/
World Health Organization, WHO Magnitude and causes of visual impairment Fact Sheet N282 (2004), accessed February 2007, http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs282/en/print.html
Burzagli, L., Emiliani, P.L., Graziani, P.: Accessibility in the Field of Education. Lecture Notes In Computer Science, pp. 235–241. Springer, Germany (2004)
Lesar Judge, S.: Computer Applications in Programs for Young Children With Disabilities: Current Status and Future Directions. Journal of Special Education Technology 16(1) (2001)
Anderson, P.: The Future of Human-Computer Interaction in Emerging Technologies for Learning, BECTA (2006), accessed May 2008, http://partners.becta.org.uk/page_documents/research/emerging_technologies.pdf
Dini, S., Gettani, A.: L’approccio al computer da parte dell’alunno disabile visivo: l’importanza di un intervento precoce. Handyted Genova 2005 Proceedings (2005), http://www.itd.cnr.it/handyted2005/
Dini, S., Ferlino, L., Gettani, A., Martinoli, C., Ott, M. (Online 2006 - Print 2007) Educational software and low vision students: evaluating accessibility factors. In: Universal Access In The Information Society, Springer, Heidelberg (2006)
Zingirian, M., Gandolfo, E.: Ipovisione. Nuova frontiera dell’oftalmologia, SOI Societá Oftalmologica Italiana, Fabiano (2002) ISBN: 8887333785
Dini, S., Ferlino, L., Martinoli, C., Ott, M.: Low Vision Students: Considerations about the Accessibility of Educational Software. In: HCI International 2005, Las Vegas (2005)
Baracco, L., Cunico, E., Fogarolo, F.: Questione di leggibilità - Se non riesco a leggere non solo colpa dei miei occhi. Comune di Venezia (2005)
LAW 4/2004 Provisions to support the access to information technologies for the disabled, accessed February 2007, http://www.pubbliaccesso.it/normative/law_20040109_n4.htm
Dini, S., Ferlino, L., Martinoli, C.: Usability of Educational Software for visual impairment: a question of viewpoint. In: Miesenberger, K., Klaus, J., Zagler, W., Burger, D. (eds.) ICCHP 2004. LNCS, vol. 3118. Springer, Heidelberg (2004)
Stephanidis, C., Savidis, A.: Universal Access in the Information Society: Methods, Tools, and Interaction Technologies. In: Universal Access in the Information Society, vol. 1(1), Springer, Heidelberg (2001)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Caruso, G.P., Dini, S., Ferlino, L. (2008). ZoomLinux: A Research Result Providing a Tangible Response to the Needs of Low Vision Students. In: Miesenberger, K., Klaus, J., Zagler, W., Karshmer, A. (eds) Computers Helping People with Special Needs. ICCHP 2008. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 5105. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-70540-6_119
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-70540-6_119
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-70539-0
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-70540-6
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)