With the entire new range of mobile phone sets coming without keypads which the visually impaired are finding a bit difficult to use, newer hardware and software are being evolved for their aid.

Saksham, an NGO for the visually impaired, today distributed mobile phones to 33 students of Class XI. The phones were loaded with talking software Talkback loaded on them and a tactile screen guard on it for knowing the tentative location of the keys on the touch screen phone. Also, a three-day workshop was started by the NGO today at Mehr Chand Polytechnic wherein resource persons from Android had come to impart training to the students on using the software. Resource persons Sunil and Pradeep too are visually impaired.

Deepika of Saksham said, “The phones with keypads were much more comfortable for us. In this era, we cannot do without smart phones, all of which are coming with only touch screen option. It is very difficult for us to use these phones which we primarily do by hit and trial. To make things convenient especially for the students who cannot strive ahead without smart phones, our NGO arranged for a workshop wherein we called in students from across the state and provided them handsets at a very nominal rate. The sets which are available in the market in the range of Rs 8,000 to 9,000 were given out to them for Rs 2,800. We arranged for the sponsorships through World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and Accessible Book Consultant (ABC).”

Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/jalandhar/talking-software-tactile-screens-for-visually-impaired/195269.html