Talking laptops for visually impaired students

Body Text:
Bahrain has vowed to provide all visually-impaired students with talking laptops 
to integrate them to 
modern technology.

More than 300 blind that would be given free talking laptops are being trained on how to use them. The Ministry of Social Development provided 26 laptops to such students 
last year and the rest 
would be given soon.

The service comes shortly after the recently implemented experience, in which all blind 
students joined public schools with normal bodies.

The Minister of Social Development Dr Fatima Al Baloushi said that a workshop to train these students in computer knowhows was held early this week. She said that many of them had been able to obtain their opportunity in all aspects in life and be economically productive and effective.

“The laptops are equipped with special software that work as the eyes of their users, so the visaully-challenged could easily work on it and surf the net as well as use it for their studies,” she explained.

She stressed that it was the part of the responsibilities of ministries, government, civil and private sector establishments to work together to extend support for the visually-disabled to integrate them in the society and giving them equal opportunities in education, work and public life.