The Aids and IT Centre
address:
TyfloCentrum Brno, o.p.s.
Chaloupkova 7
612 00 BRNO
Czech Republic
Head of Centre: Mr. Martin Vrana
E-mail: info@tyflocentrumbrno.cz
Our technical evaluation facility for the disabled provides the following services:
Individual suitability testing and choice optimisation of PC based aids for facilitation of textual information access and processing for severely visually-impaired people , who apply for government funding to purchase their equipment. The Centre also issues Notices of Compliance for Social care departments of relevant authorities;
User adaptive equipment training is provided if deemed indispensable for the applicant. The need is individually assessed for each applicant.
Organizing regional workshops where employees of Social Care departments of relevant district or municipal authorities can get acquainted with new aids, or new manufcturers/distributors of aids entering the market;
Individual consultations provided to aids users and to all people interested in the topic, mostly to those, who are involved in aids funding.
The above mentioned services include the following activities:
- searching for and identifying suitable aids for the visually impaired; the search is based on market research and surveys of the needs of the visually impaired;
- testing the suitability of aids, designing the methodology for testing and user training;
- elementary user training for advanced PC based aids, such as
keyboard instruction, developing tactual skills for braille display reading,
training in the analysis of acoustic information provided by voice outputs;
- collection and exchange of information among similar centres and other specialized institutions (health insurance companies, schools, etc.);
- awareness raising and educational activities and information campaigns aimed both at professional and general public (participation in exhibitions, rehabilitation camps, and other events for the visually impaired);
- short-time loaning of selected aids to users whose aids are temporarily out of order, limiting the person's ability to attend to his/her school or job duties;
- administration of the stock of aids for lending out, their redistribution and repairs .
These activities help us to:
- overcome or reduce one of the gravest effects of visual impairment, i.e. the
inaccessibility of textual information and the impossibility for visually impaired people
to process such information efficiently; we achieve this by helping them obtain the most
suitable PC based aid, which would assist them in their studies, work or just broaden
their general knowledge, and subsequently by teaching them to use it;
- increase the efficiency of budget subsidies provided for the visually impaired in the form of a support grant for a PC based adaptive aid;
- check the efficiency of the PC aid utilization for the purpose of applications for an additional IT component or special software, or other similar aids.
AN OVERVIEW OF TRAINING COURSES AND CONSULTATIONS
Preparatory courses - the aim of these courses is to prepare the client for the elementary course; the preparatory course includes typing skills, analysis of acoustic information from the voice output, honing tactual skills for using braille display; these courses are provided free of charge.
Elementary courses - the aim is to teach the client the basics of working with a PC aid which the client intends to buy or has just bought (using the reading functions of the device, text processing - writing, editing, correcting, printing, saving, storing, working with data management software). With regard to its demanding and specific nature, the elementary course is conducted individually (one client with one instructor). Since this is a basic course for aids users, the client may obtain a government subsidy to attend it.
Advanced courses - for PC aids users who want to further develop their skills in using the aid; Internet, text editing and programming courses are some of the most popular ones.
Follow-up courses - for clients who finished the elementary course and feel they should further practise some of the basic functions of their PC aids, or just feel uncertain about operating an advanced aid. These courses can also help clients who, for various reasons, haven't been able to use their equipment for longer time, and now are starting to use it again.
Consultations - technical support for PC aids users, or for applicants who want to carefully consider their choice of a PC aid, and get acquainted with different functions of individual programmes.
Further activities:
For people with severe visual impairment - scanning and printing services:
- transfer of printed texts (hardcopy) into digital format, according to the client's request. The client receives the OCR-processed text on a floppy disk in the format of his/her choice, or printed in enlarged print or in Braille;
- proof reading of scanned texts upon client's request;
- obtaining electronic texts from publishing houses upon client's request;
- cooperation with BraillNet Electronic Texts Library for the Blind ;
- printing in enlarged print or Braille;
- in providing these services, we are limited by our capacity. However, we can recommend other centres providing these services, which are better equipped.
The Internet
- advice on selecting internet provider and technical equipment;
- assistance in the initial set-up;
- basic internet user training;
- individual consultations concerning choice of complementary internet aids and software.
We also run an Internet club for the visually impaired in Brno where our clients are invited to come on Thursday afternoons.
Activities for people with other disabilities:
- keyboarding courses for people with severe physical impairments who can only use one hand to work the keyboard, or have to learn special skills to use their afflicted arms;
- PC control courses for people with severe physical impairments who can use a PC mouse to no, or just limited, extent;
- advice on selecting a specially adjusted PC or keyboard.
The Internet
- advice on selecting internet provider and technical equipment;
- assistance in the initial set-up;
- basic internet user training.
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