Doha, Qatar: Over the past few years, technology has been making strides in revolutionising methods of learning and teaching with the support of various tools. Mada (Qatar Assistive Technology Center) is dedicated to enabling individuals with disabilities to enhance their independence with the use of assistive technology.
The potential of using virtual reality (VR) for people with disabilities was highlighted by the Mada Center’s latest issue of Nafath periodical which provides up to date trends in innovation and ICT Accessibility in the Arab world.
The issue emphasised the importance of the projects by Mada Center and elaborated that some projects have been proposed by Mada Center to support people with disabilities using VR technologies.
Citing an example of the research project called ‘Flight Journey Simulation Lab’ it noted that this project supports parents and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) during their flight journey.
The research project, proposed as part of the Mada Innovation Program, implements a simulation lab based on the best aspects of VR and augmented reality to simulate the full flight journey for children with ASD in immersive environments. One of the common features of children with ASD is the inclination to recognise unknown situations and environments as a source of anxiety. It is common for them to tend to avoid novel experiences, including traveling to new destinations, and therefore an environment like an airline trip can be overwhelming, it added.
It further stated that the simulation lab provides children with ASD along with their parents the opportunity to experience air travel without the anxiety of leaving on a trip. The solution will target the key aspects of flying and all the main norms related to it.
Individuals with a sensory impairment encounter problems with one or more of their senses, including hearing, vision, and touch. VR technology can play a significant role in assisting those individuals to experience what would normally be challenging or impossible for them.
It transforms information from the affected sensory modality into information that can be recognised by the undamaged senses. Through VR, it is possible to create simulations for individuals with sensory impairments like blind, deaf, and hard-of-hearing people.
The Nafath periodical also noted that Mada Center is committed to advocating for the implementation of accessible digital kiosks in Qatar to enable persons with disabilities to ICT. Mada works with strategic partners to raise awareness about the importance of accessible kiosk design and to advocate for the adoption of best practices and guidelines.
It is engaged in collecting efforts and running advocacy campaigns to encourage the government and private businesses to adopt accessible kiosk technology.
Additionally, Mada is providing training and resources to businesses and organisations to help them understand the benefits of accessible kiosk design and the steps they can take to make their kiosks more accessible.
The Center is playing a key role in advocating for the implementation of accessible digital kiosks in Qatar and promoting a more inclusive society for all individuals. Moreover, through the Mada Innovation Program, it is showcasing the latest accessible kioks to raise awareness about the importance of digital inclusion through their sponsors at MadaLab.
