Visually impaired call for prioritization of screen reading software

People with visual impairment have asked government to prioritize the procurement of Jose screen reading software to allow the visually impaired people use computers.

Jose screen reading software specifically aids in reading the screen for people who are visually impaired.

Currently the visually impaired students do not have the opportunity to study computer due to lack of enabling software.

Visually impaired students of Sir Appolo Kagwa secondly school in Nakisunga sub county, Mukono district in the computer lab during the installation of the Jose screen reading software. Photo by Agnes Nantambi

According to Deus Turyatemba, a visually impaired and corporate affairs officer, also the project officer for  the Diversity and inclusion project at Standard Chartered Bank, blind people cannot read the computer other than through such a devise which uses voice.

"This is the only way inclusion can be promoted so that the visually impaired,  mostly students, do not become prospectors but also come to school to acquire computer knowledge to help them connect to the world, "he explained.

Turyatemba said this during the handover of the said software and printer to Sir Apollo Kagwa secondly school in Nakisunga Sub County in Mukono District.

He stressed that this kind of software helps the students to ably compete with their sighted peers .

"We came to realize that while at school they do not have access to print and audio information, so the software helps them to tap into the digital information and by that they are able to compete like the able bodied people.

He explained that himself without this kind of software, he would be leaving in the world of misery.