A Second Look at What High School Students

Who are Blind Should Know About Technology

Stacy M. Kelly, Gaylen Kapperman

Visual Disabilities Program, Northern Illinois University

skelly@niu.edu, gkapperman@niu.edu

Abstract

This article presents an overview of mainstream and assistive technology skills and tools to be

mastered by high school students who are blind in preparation for postsecondary education. It is an

update to an article written on this exact topic fifteen years ago. The recommendations focus entirely on

what is necessary in today’s high-tech society for high school learners who read and write braille

competently (e.g., read braille tactually at a minimum rate of 30 words per minute). The number of

recommendations from the original article in 2004 has more than doubled. There were only 14

recommendations in 2004. In 2018 there are more than 30 recommendations for students who are blind to

relate to their use of assistive technology. The Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist for

People with Visual Impairments (CATIS) provides a Scope of Practice and Body of Knowledge that is

sufficient for supporting the substantial growth in the assistive technology-related knowledge, skills, and

tools recommended in this article.

Keywords

Assistive technology, blind, certification, education, visually impaired

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Introduction

This article represents a “second look” at the issue of competence in the use of

appropriate technology to be mastered by students who are blind and who may be enrolling in

some type of postsecondary educational program. The first attempt was made fifteen years ago

by Kapperman and Sticken (2004). Research prior to and after this first attempt occurred

consistently shows that the vast majority of students who are visually impaired are not receiving

the training they need with assistive technology (AT) (Abner and Lahm; Candela; Edwards and

Lewis; Kapperman, et al.; Kelly, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2016). In order to remedy this most

unfortunate situation, a new AT specialization for people who are visually impaired has been

developed after several decades of effort (Augusto and Schroeder; Kelly, 2016). This specialized

training leads to a credential in the use of AT that has been developed for use by individuals who

are visually impaired. The Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialist for People

with Visual Impairments (CATIS) is the new certification that was launched by the Academy for

Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) in 2016 (Kelly,

2016). The new CATIS certification has established competencies and standards in the area of

AT training for people with visual impairments.

Thus, at this important juncture we are updating that first attempt by Kapperman and

Sticken (2004) in direct response to the new CATIS competencies and the ongoing need for AT

training among learners who are visually impaired. Since the first article was published in 2004,

the AT arena has changed dramatically for braille-reading students.

Discussion

The skills and proficiencies that should be acquired by students who are blind prior to

their high school graduation and enrollment in postsecondary education programs are described

Journal on Technology and Persons with Disabilities

Santiago, J. (Eds): CSUN Assistive Technology Conference
© 2018 California State University, Northridge
 A Second Look at What High School Students Who are Blind Should Know About Technology 387

below and outlined in Table 1. Also, Table 1 compares each of these skills and proficiencies to

recommendations from Kapperman and Sticken (2004). There are significant alterations to the

recommendations. Considerable progress has been made in the development of technology since

the first attempt to summarize their needs was made. Table 1 shows that there were 14 skills or

tools specifically identified in 2004 that students who are blind needed to acquire prior to high

school graduation. Fifteen years later, this list has more than doubled to 35 essential skills or

tools. It is likely that this list will continue to grow exponentially over time.

Table 1. Comparison of Prior and Current Recommendations for Essential Skills and Tools

Related to the Use of Assistive Technology by High School Students Who are Blind.

2004 2018
Essential Skills and Tools
n = 14 n = 35
Amazon products and services (e.g., Alexa, Echo, and Tap) No Yes
Apps (i.e., accessible apps for portable devices) No Yes
Beacons No Yes
Braille embosser Yes No
Braille reading (reading braille tactually at a minimum of 30 words per
No Yes
minute)
Braille notetakers connected to a computer and monitor Yes Yes
Braille notetakers connected to a tablet and smart phone No Yes
Cloud-based storage No Yes
Configuration of technology No Yes
Dictionary and encyclopedia (standalone programs) Yes No
Dictionary and encyclopedia content available from online search engines
No Yes
and built into programs
Downloading and storing of ebooks (no format specified) Yes Yes
Downloading and storing of ebooks in multiple formats (e.g., audio, brf,
No Yes
DAISY, and EPUB)
Downloading and storing of music legally Yes Yes
Email program (skill with only one program is sufficient) Yes No

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 A Second Look at What High School Students Who are Blind Should Know About Technology 388

2004 2018
Essential Skills and Tools
n = 14 n = 35
Email programs (skill with multiple programs is necessary) No Yes
Exploration of emergent technology (e.g., 3D printing and haptic
No Yes
technologies)
Gestures for accessing Apple/iOS devices No Yes
Global Positioning System (GPS) and wayfinding accessible
No Yes
applications/devices
Google-based products (e.g., Google Chrome, Chromebooks, Drive, and
No Yes
Home)
Internet browser and search engine (skill with only one program is
Yes No
sufficient)
Internet browsers and search engines (skill with multiple programs is
No Yes
essential)
Keyboarding (touch typing a minimum of 50 words per minute) Yes Yes
Keystroke commands for both desktop and laptop computers No Yes
Keystroke commands for Apple No Yes
Keystroke commands for Windows Yes Yes
Maintenance of technology (e.g., installing updates and antivirus protection) No Yes
Microsoft programs (i.e., Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) Yes Yes
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology and supporting
Yes Yes
applications
Refreshable braille display connected to a computer and monitor Yes Yes
Refreshable braille display connected to a tablet and smart phone No Yes
Screen reading program (skill with only one program is sufficient) Yes No
Screen reading programs (skill with multiple programs is necessary) No Yes
Smart phones (e.g., Andriod and iPhone) and built-in accessibility features No Yes
Social and professional networking online platforms (e.g., Facebook and
No Yes
LinkedIn)
Talking book player No Yes
Third-party software setup and customization No Yes
Troubleshooting of technology Yes Yes
Voice-activated personal assistants (e.g., Cortana and Siri) No Yes
Video calling applications (e.g., FaceTime, Skype, and Zoom) No Yes

Journal on Technology and Persons with Disabilities

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 A Second Look at What High School Students Who are Blind Should Know About Technology 389

Summary of Current Recommendations

In addition to being able to read and write braille competently (e.g., reading braille

tactually at a minimum rate of 30 words per minute), we recommend that the student use a

standard keyboard and be able to touch type competently at the rate of at least 50 words per

minute. Being able to use a standard keyboard is essential for the effective use of a computer.

We believe that among the many important areas of competence is being able to use

screen reading software. We recommend that the student should have mastered the intricacies of

at least two screen reading programs. For example, Job Access with Speech (JAWS) and

NonVisual Desktop Access (NVDA). JAWS is the most widely used screen reader worldwide

(WebAim). As a consequence, many programs have been in some fashion adapted for use with

JAWS. There are many special scripts which have been written to enable JAWS to be used with

a large assortment of commonly used software utilized by sighted individuals. For example,

JAWS can be used very effectively in the study of foreign languages (Kapperman et al., 2017).

The mastery of at least one other screen reader such as NVDA is recommended. We

believe that students who are blind and attend college should have at least one “backup” screen

reader along with several other alternative pieces of hardware and software. Depending on one

single, very vital piece of technology is not recommended. Having multiple methods of using

technology to accomplish the same task is a recent development with these recommendations

that is evident with many regularly used programs (e.g., email, internet browsers, and search

engines). It is now common place in today’s society to have multiple email accounts and to use

more than one search engine online.

Thus, it is recommended that the student should have mastered all keystroke commands

to be able to function expertly using at least two screen reading programs. To facilitate this, for

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© 2018 California State University, Northridge
 A Second Look at What High School Students Who are Blind Should Know About Technology 390

example, the settings in NVDA can be set to use “JAWS” key stroke commands. Thus, the

student need to master only one set of keystroke commands. In addition, the student should be

well-acquainted with all major keystroke commands which are used in whichever version of the

operating system is found on the student’s computer. This includes both Windows and

Apple/iOS keystroke commands and gestures. Likewise, knowledge of both the desktop and

laptop configuration of keystroke commands is important for flexibility in the use of various

devices available to the student throughout their education and professional career.

The student should be competent in the use of several Microsoft programs including

Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Skype. Skype is one example of a video conferencing

application. A range of video calling applications are available such as Google Hangouts, Zoom,

and FaceTime that can be used by a students who are blind to facilitate their academic and

professional networks. In addition, the student should know how to use cloud-based storage such

as Dropbox, iCloud, or OneDrive and the many additional Google-based products designed for

information sharing among global communities.

Thus, the student should be competent in the many resources that the Internet can offer.

Chief among these for a student who is blind is the seeking out, downloading, and using of books

in multiple formats (e.g., audio, brf, DAISY, and EPUB) from such sources as Bookshare, the

Library of Congress, and Learning Ally. An accessible talking book player is one of several tools

that a student who is blind should be able to use to read these readily available materials.

Also, the student should be effective in sending and receiving email from a range of

email service providers, seeking out information, downloading files, and making purchases

online as well as taking advantage of the other wide range of benefits that the Internet offers for

digital social networking (Kelly and Smith).

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To reiterate as we described above, the student should be a competent reader and writer

of braille. Thus, he or she should be competent in the use of refreshable braille displays and

portable braille notetakers that are supported by screen reading programs. The use of a braille

displays and portable braille notetakers alleviates the need for large amounts of hard copy braille

which can result in difficulty with organization and storage.

Obtaining access to the printed word is one of the most challenging aspects of education

for a student who is blind (Presley and D’Andrea). Thus, he or she should also have expertise in

the use of accessible scanning applications and hardware that utilize the latest optical character

recognition (OCR) technology to convert print documents into accessible digital formats. He or

she will find this capability of vital importance given that not all printed information that he or

she needs to read may be easily acquired through other means.

In the previous article which was written fifteen years ago, the use of a braille embosser,

online dictionary, and online encyclopedia were all recommendations. We no longer recommend

those items here. With the advances in technology and refreshable braille devices, we believe

that a hard copy braille embosser need not be necessary. A similar situation exists for online

dictionaries and encyclopedias that we believe need not be necessary as standalone applications.

The internet has this information readily available through online search engines, for example.

The student should be competent in the use of a smart phone such as an iPhone or an

Android and the accessibility features built into these smart phones. In addition to the many

specially designed apps which can function on these devices, special attention should be paid to

the use of accessible Global Positioning System (GPS) and wayfinding apps designed for use by

individuals who are visually impaired.

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The use of other wayfinding devices and emergent technology that exists in smart cities is

important too. A talking handheld GPS system can be used for navigation within local

communities and around the world. Beacons provide indoor and outdoor turn-by-turn directions

as well as location descriptions that a designed specifically for people with visual impairments.

Equally as important to the smart cities technology is the smart home technology that is

readily available. Voice-activated personal assistant such as Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home

are in high demand on today’s market. For students who are blind, these devices can provide

instant access to information, home appliances, music, products, and services.

The student should be proficient in configuring technology in order to be able to use it.

This includes the ability to connect to peripheral devices as well as access points using

technology such as Bluetooth, Wi- Fi, and Near Field Communication (NFC) (ACVREP, 2017).

Built-in features and third-party software should be able to be setup and customized by the

student. When it comes to refreshable braille displays and braille notetakers, for example, this

means being able to connect them not only to computers and supporting screen reading

applications but also to smart phones, tablets, and other forms of portable technology.

The competent user of access technology should have the capability of troubleshooting

effectively. This set of knowledge includes a fundamental understanding of the technical aspects

of operating systems and how to make needed alterations in settings. The ability to perform

routine maintenance such as software updates and antivirus protection is an essential skill. Also,

the individual needs to know how to find help by reading user documentation and working

together with others. This includes contacting existing technical assistance agents who represent

the various manufacturers of the pieces of hardware and software which populate the student’s

assortment of AT.

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In additional to all of the skills involved in using existing technology, the student should

have the ability to use emergent technology and to adapt with the technology as it continues to

evolve. Exploration is a key component of this competency. The student’s review of technology

tools should occur whenever possible through opportunities such as public beta testing, online

vendor training, and free trials (ACVREP, 2017).

Providing Students Who are Blind with the Necessary Assistive Technology Instruction

It is evident that there has been substantial growth in the scope of the assistive technology

skills and tools recommended for high school students who are blind over the past fifteen years

and the shortage of instructional expertise to support this growth is a longstanding problem in the

field. The new certification in the area of assistive technology for people with visual impairments

has an emphasis in instruction and has been developed to alleviate this problem. In fact, the letter

“I” in CATIS stands for “Instruction”. These newly certified individuals are instructional

specialists in the area of assistive technology for persons with visual impairments. For the first

time ever, there are individuals who have met national standards and qualifications in this area of

instruction. Figure 1 overviews the instructional strategies from the CATIS Scope of Practice. In

addition to the information about instructional skills provided in the CATIS Scope of Practice,

there is a comprehensive list of 21 specific instructional skills outlined in the CATIS Body of

Knowledge in the ACVREP CATIS Handbook (2017). These instructional strategies are used by

CATIS to support the wide range of ever-growing assistive technology knowledge, skills, and

tools now required of high school learners who are blind. In addition to the instructional domain

there are similarly exhaustive lists of practice and knowledge skill sets in the assessment,

configuration, and exploration domains. CATIS are required to master and demonstrate each of

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 A Second Look at What High School Students Who are Blind Should Know About Technology 394

these domains to become certified. The CATIS is an integral component of the effective

instructional delivery of the recommended skills and tools outlined in this article.

Fig. 1. Instructional Strategies from the ACVREP CATIS Scope of Practice.

Conclusions

The world has become an increasingly more complex environment to be negotiated and it

requires much more highly developed expertise to be a success at that very daunting task. The

challenges are even greater for those individuals who cannot see and who face the

aforementioned longstanding challenge of the lack of AT training (Abner and Lahm; Candela;

Edwards and Lewis; Kapperman, et al.; Kelly, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2016). However, the newly

developed CATIS certification is designed to address these barriers to information for people

Journal on Technology and Persons with Disabilities

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© 2018 California State University, Northridge
 A Second Look at What High School Students Who are Blind Should Know About Technology 395

who are visually impaired. Furthermore, the recommendations that have been outlined are well-

represented in the CATIS Scope of Practice and Body of Knowledge (ACVREP, 2017). These

recommendations are intended to support learners who are blind in taking their place in the

twenty-first century where skill in the use of a wide range of mainstream and assistive

technology is paramount for success.

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 A Second Look at What High School Students Who are Blind Should Know About Technology 396

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© 2018 California State University, Northridge
 A Second Look at What High School Students Who are Blind Should Know About Technology 397

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© 2018 California State University, Northridge
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Santiago, J. (Eds): CSUN Assistive Technology Conference
© 2018 California State University, Northridge