Rehabilitation for The Visually Impaired in Taiwan

Thanks to your support, all the TDTB projects went well from July to September 2017. Major activities in the TDTB during this period are listed as followed:

1. Computer Training Courses:

1) The NVDA screen reader empowers visually impaired people (VIP) computer skill to access internet information. During the period of July and August 2017, there four one-day courses given in Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung, with over 40 attendees. In addition, we held one seminar on the NVDA in August 2017, and discussed with 30 VIPs about how to enhance their NVDA skill.

2) Chinese typing and data searching: In order to search data on the Internet, you have to key in the exact keywords of the information that you’re looking for. And that is why correct typing is critical to the VIPs accessibility to information. By holding competition on Chinese Dictation Typing and Data Searching in July 2017, we motivated 17 VIPs to enhance their computer skills as well as their data acquiring capabilities.

2. The promotion of DAISY books:

Digital Accessible Information System, or DAISY, is a format of digital talking books for people who wish to hear. We prepared 100 DAISY Players for VIP students in elementary and junior high schools. With these DAISY Players, VIP students would have a better chance to reach the outside world. In addition, we held three courses to train 20 VIPs to produce their own DAISY books. As a result of these trainings, the TDTB has produce 100 DAISY books during this period of time.

3. Vocational training:

In the ongoing vocational training starting from March, we equipped about 10 VIPs with vocational skills, such as computer file management, Microsoft Office operation, internet surfing, NVDA, DAISY books, and etc. This vocational training is a nine-month project, and will end in November.

4. Individual training:

From June to August 2017, we provided several VIPs in need with customized training courses. In these courses, we discussed about the operations, applications and conveniences of the NVDA and smart phone. During this period, these courses summed up to 124 hours.

5. Experience sharing:

On July 16^th and September 9^th, we held two seminars, and invited VIP speakers Ms. Zhang and Mr. Hsu to share their life experiences on overcoming visually disabilities. Ms. Zhang is a successful VIP business woman, and Mr. Hsu is now a VIP interior designer.

  (Sep. 2017)

Links:

• Visit the Taiwan Digital Talking Book Association

With your support, we have held many computer courses as we can.  From April. to June 2017, we have focused on two kinds of classes:

1. The iPhone/DAISY player class:

We hired visually impaired teachers to teach visually impaired people (VIP) how to use iPhone.  With VoiceOver (screen reader) and SIRI, iPhone is the best accessible smart phone for VIP.  Therefore, we provide FREE iPhone tutoring classes for VIP.  If VIP learned how to use iPhone, they can browse the internet, watch YOUTUBE videos, shopping online, use APP to check bus or taxi…., and so on.  They can really satisfy their needs and enjoy the fun of convenience with smart phones.

Secondly, we provide free class of DAISY player.  DAISY player is a small size, convenient tool for VIP to read. You can put books, songs and texts into the player, and DAISY player will be able to read them all.

2. Computer group classes:

We focus on NVDA (screen reader) and WORD classes.  If the VIP can use PC, they have to learn screen reader called NVDA. It’s a free and powerful screen reader for VIP, and it can almost read every word on the pc system or webpages.  And, if VIP can learn to use WORD and correct typing, they can read articles, improve their skills and have more possibilities to find a job. 

3. One day trip for VIP

With your support, we provide one day trip for VIP.  Visually impaired people hardly go for a trip because of their vision disability.  We provide trained volunteers to help every person to travel safe and sound.  We went to National Taiwan Museum in May to see historical buildings. We also went to Taipei Confucius Temple in April to understand ancient culture.  Lastly, we went to Taipei Fine Arts Museum in June to touch Installation art.

Finally, we offer psychology counseling services. Firstly, our social workers talk over the visually impaired face to face and learn to know their real needs. Secondly, we will find licensed counselors to arrange therapy. After the therapy, we expect them to recover their mental health gradually.

Maintain and Enlarge the Taiwan DAISY Library continually. 

This Online DAISY library is constructed in 2010, and all the visually impaired people are welcome to be our members from then.

Vocational training

A nine months vocational training, we teach various vocational skills to help visually impaired people find a job.  Those classes include: computer skills (file management, Office, internet searching…), screen reader, DAISY books, web accessibility, vocational preparation, vocational training (typing, assistant...).

When they finish their training, we will help them to interview and to find a job.

At present, our TDTB library has over 500 members and provides over 6,142 DAISY books.

(June. 2017)