An Educational Software in Computer Skills for Visually Impaired Arabic-speaking Students 1

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1 An Educational Software in Computer Skills for Visually Impaired Arabic-speaking Students 1 Wafa AlSaleh (1), Abdulmalik AlSalman (2), Ali ElZaart (2), and Mohammad Mostafa (2) (1) Special Education, Ministry of Education, Saudi Arabia (2) Computer Science Dept, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia salman@ksu.edu.sa Introduction Close inspection of the obstacles encountered by visually impaired Arabic-speaking students has revealed the problems faced by those students in learning and acquiring computer skills. In the academic year 2009/2010, there were 1655 visually impaired students, male and female, who enrolled in special institutes and integrated schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2. The actual methods for teaching computer courses in these institutes and schools, along with the strategies and the educational and teaching aids used in the courses, were all the subject of careful examination and constant follow-up. In addition, a questionnaire was conducted on a random sample of the visually impaired for the purpose of evaluating their level of computer proficiency. The sample that participated in answering the questionnaire came from high school students who had already completed a computer course. The results of the study revealed that 17% of the students had no competence whatsoever in using computers, and that 68% had a theoretical knowledge of the basics of computers. It also revealed that 15% of the students were able to turn on a computer and access a word processing software by using speech synthesizers, and that 60% of the students did not have computer keyboarding skills. These results appear to suggest that there is a problem in our attempt to equip the visually impaired students with basic computer skills-- as apparent in the lack of keyboarding skills, and in their inability to use certain word-processing applications. This problem can have a direly negative impact on the life, educational prospects, and careers of these students in the future. Upon reviewing relevant studies and literature in English and Arabic, especially studies dealing with the design and production of software packages for enhancing the computer skills of visually impaired Arabic speaking students, it became quite obvious that there is a scarcity of Arabic software packages that focus on basic skills such as computer keyboarding, and the use of a word processing. On the other hand, there are many studies and software packages that focus 1 This project is Supported by NPST program, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. Project Number INF The total number of visually impaired people is around half a million in Saudi Arabia. There are more than 5 million visually impaired in the Arab world (almost 2%).

2 on those skills in English such as Talking Typer for Windows 2000; Portset Typing Tutor, 2004; Typing Tutor Companion, 2006; and PC Talking Typing Tutor. Hence, the present study intends to focus on determining the specifications for instruction programs prepared for the visually impaired Arabic-speaking students; to focus on formulating instructional design guides and styles and also on the media that can be used. The study will then attempt to construct a model that can guide the designing processes, a model that has the ability to fit the characteristics of the target population and to succeed in attending to their needs and demands. The study will also attempt to design a computer instruction program customized according to the above mentioned specifications, and, ultimately, to evaluate the effectiveness of this instruction program in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Research Procedures This study will apply the systematic approach as the basic approach in designing the instruction program. It will proceed in two stages. 1. Designing a proposed model for constructing a computer instructional program. The model goes through five phases: Phase One: Study and Analysis Analysis is the starting point of the instructional design process, and should be completed before the next phase even begins. The analysis phase is about defining the learners needs and determining their distinguishing characteristics. This entails making a list of the desired goals and objectives in general; those goals and objectives that the learners are supposed to master. The actual level of performance should be assessed and then compared with the target level of performance, along with suggesting viable and appropriate solutions for the problem of lack of performance. This phase also includes analysis of the distinguishing characteristics of the target population of learners and their entry behavior such as the general characteristics of maturity for each age group. This phase further includes analysis of the learners special sensory, mental, and psychological features and capabilities. Phase Two: Design The purpose of this phase is to establish the conditions and specifications of the instruction resources and their processes. The design phase is composed of two fundamental steps: educational design and technical design. (a) Educational Design: it includes Designing the instructional objectives of the software

3 Defining elements of the instruction content of the software Preparing lesson plans for the instruction units Designing criterion-referenced test items Designing and managing the instruction process Designing instruction and teaching aids Designing and preparing printed materials Visualizing and preparing the learning environment (b) Technical design: it includes Designing the scenario for the instruction software Designing a flowchart for the data of the instruction software Designing the screen layouts for the instruction software Phase Three: Development The development phase refers to how criteria and instructional specifications are transformed into complete product and ready-to-use. This phase includes: Actual production of the software Formative evaluation (administering a pilot test) The actual production of the software includes: Arranging the instructional content for producing it electronically, Selecting programming techniques and styles, and Finally programming the instructional content. As for the step of formative evaluation, it starts after the pre-production version of the software. The prototype is evaluated, improved, and modified before beginning the production of the final version. Phase Four: Implementation and Field Trial Implementation refers to trying out the product on large samples by following the steps and procedures: Finalizing evaluation instruments such as test items, observation notes, outlines of criteria of measurement; all of which have been prepared during the design process Trying out the software in the field in its intended setting, in real-life instruction situations Applying the instruments of measurement and evaluation Statistical processing including analysis of results along with discussing and interpreting thereof

4 Analyzing points of strength and weakness of the software and determining necessary revision Phase Five: Evaluation This phase aims at analyzing the product s utility and feasibility in different learning environment. It aims at collecting evidence and proof of the product s effectiveness and efficiency when used in various learning situations so as to show its general features and benefits. The purpose is to convince individuals and institutions, i.e. the general public, to adopt the product and make it serve a wider population inside the existing system. 2. Producing the computer instruction software based on the proposed instruction model The technical design of the software comprises the following three steps: (i) Designing a scenario for the instruction program To propose a scenario for computer instruction software for the visually impaired, one must first define the objectives and the goals that the instruction means to achieve, and determine the content components of the software, and also construct curriculumembedded tests. In the light of all of these, the proposed scenario should attempt to: -- Determine the amount of information to be incorporated in the program -- Select the logical sequence according to which the program s content components can be presented, and the selection process applies to script, dynamics, sound, background etc. -- Describe the method by which the components of each instruction unit are to be linked -- Establish the way by which the transition between the unit s lessons is to be made -- Designate the type of multimedia that would accompany each lesson in each instruction unit The scenario will be compiled in the form of a booklet that explains in detail the scientific content of each instruction unit in the computer software. The booklet will also show the technique of presentation of content, the sequencing of lesson explanations in each unit, and will include curriculum-embedded tests and exercises for each unit as well. ( ii ) Designing a data flowchart for the instruction software The flowchart of the proposed software will demonstrate the logical and sequential flow of the data ( iii) Designing screen layouts for each of the instruction units of the software: The software is comprised of three units: the unit for learning computer basics, the unit for learning computer keyboarding, and the unit for learning word processing. The following pictures show the main screens of the three units.

5 Example 1: The main screen for the unit of computer basics Example 2: The main screen for the keyboarding unit Example 3: The main screen for the word-processing unit

6 References The authors have surveyed more than 50 references and visited more than 30 related web sites. Listing them will consume more than 1500 words.