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Talking about particular information needs in the health domain and ways in which technology can address these was the topic of the first Lwazi workshop held in Pietermaritzburg by researchers from the Meraka Institute of the CSIR, KwaZulu-Natal recently. Participants - persons with disabilities as well as professionals working with them - were drawn from Pietermaritzburg and its vicinity.

Lwazi is a Department of Arts and Culture-funded project, which aims to provide a multilingual, telephone-based, speech-driven information system for South Africa. At the workshop Dr Madelaine Plauché, a visiting researcher from the International Computer Science Institute in Berkeley, California, led a team of five researchers (Aditi Sharma, Olga Martirosian, Victor Zimu, Gugu Dladla and Shela Boshomane), representing the human language technologies research group and the National Accessibility Portal(NAP), the latter catering specifically for persons with disabilities. “Our goal was twofold - research on the kind of information this group might need, and a demonstration of technology currently under development. I believe we succeeded in both.”

Plauché facilitated the event that took the format of discussion groups. Focus was placed on themes such as how technology has influenced people's lives and when people have felt most connected. Open-hearted, personal responses were invited, with different responses surfacing from the various groups. She confirms, “For us as researchers, these responses are vital as a way forward on the design of our applications.”

Feedback by participants confirmed the value of the event in making clearer the context in which applications should fit. A case in point is that of a participant who runs a home for the disabled. The people at the home have almost total independence, although a curfew is in place. They have sheltered employment and are engaged in making cables and doing laundry. Their need is for specific information and services, which could be supplied by NAP. Other application challenges include those of the rural areas, where no electricity supply means that cell phone batteries cannot be charged and computers are impractical.

Participants found the experience useful in a number of ways. Responses included comments such as an amazing experience, the usefulness of well-designed technology and the joy of a promise of technology. Talking has led one participant to face her fears and deal with a barrier of communicating about mental disability (she is physically disabled due to polio). Plauché was amazed at the way in which the workshop was able to create real change in the lives of participants.

She adds, “Responses by individual team members have shaped our thinking and research direction. We realise the importance of sharing information and networking.” She is adamant that design of any application should always include the input of people for whom it is intended. Fellow researcher Martirosian was struck by the personal commitment of many individuals to finding solutions.

Plauché feels the success of this workshop augurs well for the next one, “We learnt so much from this group; the next workshop will engage with rural South Africans and we are sure to gain useful insights through these interactions.”

R&D partnership NAP is beginning to deliver on its promise of home-grown technologies for people with disabilities. The time is ripe for business to help convert them from concept to reality

THE AMERICAN statesman and orator Daniel Webster once observed: “If all my possessions were taken from me with one exception, I would choose to keep the power of communication, for by it I would soon regain all the rest.” However, there is often no such choice for the four million or more South Africans living with a permanent disability.

A local partnership is working towards giving people with disabilities some of their independence back by using ICT to enable them to communicate, and give them access to information and services.

The National Accessibility Portal, or NAP, is a five-year joint research and development project conceptualised by the CSIR's Meraka Institute, the Office on the Status of Disabled Persons in The Presidency of SA and the Disabled Persons Organisations.

Three years into its existence, the multimillion-rand project is beginning to make headway in a number of its key initiatives, says Hina Patel, NAP's programme manager.

ONE-STOP ICT PORTAL

July saw the launch of the first iteration of its one-stop information, services and communications channel, www.napsa.org.za. It aims to support everyone involved in the field, from persons with disabilities, to caregivers and the medical profession, to those offering services in this domain, potential employers and HR managers in the corporate world.

Designed in such a way that it's easy for a disabled person to navigate, the portal also offers various font-viewing options for those with sight disabilities, and will cater for users in all 11 of South Africa's languages, and in Sign Language.

Aside from providing information on specific disabilities, assistive devices, employment, education and training, the portal also provides news feed, allows users to communicate online via chat forums and contribute content to the portal.

In order to broaden its reach beyond those with Internet connectivity, NAP is also planning to roll out 27 dedicated service centres nationally in urban, peri-urban and rural areas by end 2009. These specially-equipped centres will be located in schools, clinics, hospitals, multi-purpose community centres, linking up with existing government, private sector and Disabled Peoples' Organisations' structures where possible. Last month NAP deployed its first pilot centre in Tokologo, in Soweto.

With these centres NAP will expose people to its programmes and technologies for persons with disabilities. Usage by unskilled people will be facilitated by interpreters and helpers trained in ICT and disabilities, including people with disabilities themselves.

“The real challenge is to take this [programme] to our rural areas, to people who don't have anything, who live hand to mouth,” observes Dr Essop Pahad, Minister in The Presidency, addressing the business community on the progress of NAP.

HOME-GROWN TECHNOLOGIES

NAP has also advanced the development of devices and software that make services available to people with different disabilities in an affordable way. Although one has to ask if they're not reinventing the wheel, Patel points out that technologies from the US or Europe are often prohibitively expensive, aren't maintained locally and haven't been designed with the South African context in mind. Thus far, the NAP research team has developed an open source screen reader, Notetaker, and GNApp technology demonstrator.

GNApp is an assistive communication system for people with speech, hearing and physical disabilities. The system that, for now, operates off commercial devices, works as a text-to-speech screen reader.

GNApp provides synthesised speech in local English, Afrikaans and Zulu. It is easily configurable, and can be used with a variety of input mechanisms, including a mouse or switch. It works with text prediction, and icons are ordered according to frequency of use, categories, topic or activity, and alphabetic or numeric properties.

For visually impaired people, NAP has developed the Notetaker portable information device. It has the same dimensions as a standard keyboard and can run off standard rechargeable batteries. Speech is used for standard output, but the Notetaker will be configurable to use external refreshable Braille displays as well.

Commenting on these developments, Patel says that the time is now ripe to engage business to convert NAP's R&D efforts into sustainable products that will change the disability landscape. “Continued research funding is required for the NAP platform and technologies and significant investment is required to bring the NAP initiative to a point of financial independence.”

NAP is currently working out the operational and financial models for co-operation with the private sector, she notes. And, it has invited expressions of interest from business in “forging mutually beneficial partnerships”.

The National Accessibility Portal (NAP) - a partnership aimed at improving the lives of persons with disabilities – celebrated key technology milestones in its research and development (R&D) initiatives at a business breakfast in November 2006 at the CSIR in Pretoria.

Three years since its inception, the NAP initiative has been able to initiate integration within the disability environment and unite all stakeholders in a commonality of purpose to achieve the vision of changing the disability landscape in South Africa. Demonstrations and presentations at the event by Meraka Institute researchers Dr Quentin Williams, Willem van der Walt, Martin Pistorius and Dr Louis Coetzee focused on the progress in technology development of the open source Screen Reader, Note-taker and Gnapp. Each of these assistive technologies represents an affordable communications mechanism to allow persons with disabilities to join communities of practice and interact with peers and other groupings. Guillaume Olivrin of the institute's Sign Language Laboratory discussed progress to date on this aspect.

Additional milestones highlighted at the event were the release of the portal version 1 via the internet in July 2006 for testing and input by NAP partners; the first successful usability testing iteration; and the announcement of the first NAP pilot centre deployment in Soweto at the end of November 2006.

NAP is a five-year joint R&D project by the Meraka Institute (managed by the CSIR), the Office on the Status of Disabled Persons in The Presidency of South Africa and the Disabled Persons Organisations (DPOs). It is aligned with the strategy of the New Partnership for Africa 's Development (NEPAD) and with the goal of the Africa Decade of Persons with Disabilities (1999 to 2009) to empower persons with disabilities in Africa.

Dr Essop Pahad, Minister in the Office of The Presidency, was the guest of honour at the event, where he also delivered the keynote address. Other dignitaries at the event were Dr Sahim Khothu, Director-General of the Department of Health; Ms Petronella Linders, Chief Director: Disability Unit of the Department of Communications; and Dr Sibusiso Sibisi, President and CEO of the CSIR. Addressing guests from government, academia and industry at the event, Pahad commented on the manner in which NAP had enhanced earlier efforts by DPOs and had transcended all disabilities by recognising “the capability, potential, intelligence and emotions of people before recognising their disabilities”. He highlighted the contribution within the NAP team of persons with disabilities tasked with R&D of technologies such as the open source screen reader for the Blind and the open source communication device (GNApp for the physical and speech-related disabilities. Sign language research is done by a team of Deaf and hard of hearing individuals.

Pahad called on those present to engage with the NAP team to discuss joint service delivery opportunities; identification of co-funding opportunities and the acceleration of the NAP development and roll-out. ”My Ministry remains committed as the custodian of this project of tremendous national importance,” he concluded, “The challenge is [for you] to partner with us to achieve successful implementation and longevity of the initiative.”

The NAP initiative aims to enhance the development and independence of persons with disabilities. Based on highly innovative and efficient information and communications technology, the initiative comprises nine complementary components: the NAP portal; NAP centres; R&D; client applications and devices; replicable methodology; advocacy and broader service delivery; and sustainability models.

These components have been put in place to ensure that the initiative delivers on its objective of enabling people with different disabilities to access information and services, and to interact and communicate – irrespective of age, gender, disability, language or level of literacy. The system is based on internet technologies and uses open source software to provide affordable alternatives.

Commenting on these development, CSIR NAP project leader Hina Patel notes, “The time is ripe to engage in meaningful partnerships with government and industry to further R&D, deploy centres nationally, and work towards the sustainability of the initiative over the long term.”

The National Accessibility Portal (NAP) – a partnership aimed at improving the lives of persons with disabilities – held a business breakfast on 24 November 2006 at the CSIR in Pretoria to celebrate and showcase key milestones in its research and development initiatives over the past three years. Dr Essop Pahad, Minister in the Office of The Presidency was the guest of honour at the event, where he also delivered the keynote address. Other dignitaries at the event were Dr Sahim Khothu, Director-General of the Department of Health; Ms Petronella Linders, Chief Director: Disability Unit of the Department of Communications and Dr Sibusiso Sibisi, President & CEO of the CSIR.

NAP is a five-year joint research and development (R&D) project by the Meraka Institute (managed by the CSIR), the Office on the Status of Disabled Persons in The Presidency of South Africa and the Disabled Persons Organisations. It is aligned with the strategy of the New Partnership for Africa 's Development (NEPAD) and with the goal of the Africa Decade of Persons with Disabilities (1999 to 2009) to empower persons with disabilities in Africa.

The NAP initiative aims to enhance the development and independence of persons with disabilities. Based on highly innovative and efficient information and communications technology (ICT), the initiative comprises nine complementary components: the NAP portal; NAP centres; R&D; client applications and devices; replicable methodology; advocacy and broader service delivery and the sustainability models.

These components have been put in place to ensure that the initiative delivers on its objective of enabling people with different disabilities to access information and services, and to interact and communicate, irrespective of age, gender, disability, language or level of literacy. The system is based on internet technologies and uses open source software to provide affordable alternatives.

Three years since its inception, the NAP initiative has been able to initiate integration within the disability environment and unite all stakeholders in a commonality of purpose to achieve the vision of changing the disability landscape in South Africa. Key milestones achieved to date are:

• the release of the portal version 1 via the internet in July 2006 for testing and input by NAP partners;
• progress in technology development of the open source Screen Reader, Note-taker and Gnapp: each of these assistive technologies represents an affordable communications mechanism to allow persons with disabilities to join communities of practice and interact with peers and other groupings;
• the first successful usability testing iteration; and
• the first NAP pilot centre deployment in Soweto on 27 November 2006.

Commenting on these development, NAP project leader Hina Patel notes, “The time is now ripe to engage in meaningful partnerships with government and industry to further R&D, deploy centres nationally, and work towards the sustainability of the initiative over the long term.”

For many of us advances in computer technology mean little more than sleeker, faster, better tools or toys; but for someone like Martin Pistorius computer technology makes life worth living. Speaking at the Department of Science and Technology`s Insite 2006 exhibition in Sandton this week, the severely disabled Pistorius explained how advances in specialised communication computer software have helped him to become a happier human being, able to do some of the things we all take for granted, like communicate with another person.

Pistorius` story is one of triumph over adversity.
“I was a pretty average kid up until the age of 12,” he told his audience with the help of software he had a hand in developing, software that could change the lives of thousands of disabled people across the country “Then I got sick, a brain infection that left me with severe motor-neuron problems and took away my ability to speak.”

Confined to a wheelchair and unable to speak, Pistorius spent years of his life in care centres for the severely mentally and physically disabled, and it was presumed that he had the mental ability of a three-month-old baby - all because he had lost the ability to communicate properly.

Maybe it doesn’t sound all that disastrous, he said. “But just think about it.Imagine not being able to ask for something, imagine not being able to tell someone you love them, imagine not being able to swear at the idiots on our roads. I was trapped in my body. It was like being trapped in a jail with no one else to speak to. To be honest, there were many times I wished and prayed for death.”
Now, with the assistance of a loving family, computer equipment and specialised software, Pistorius can communicate.

Using a “brow mouse” attached to his forehead, Pistorius can select from the software on his wheelchair-attached computer pre-programmed words and phrases, which, in turn, are spoken out loud by an electronic voice. If the conversation takes a turn not covered in the pre-programmed responses, he can simply type out his response using the same system.

The change to his life was phenomenal. From being thought of as a helpless “big baby”, he now has advanced certificates in education and web design, and works as a disability consultant at the University of Pretoria`s Centre for Augmentation and Alternative Communication three days a week, and as a researcher at the CSIR`s Meraka Institute two days a week.

Much of his work is focused on improving the technology that helped him. “Currently 99% of all augmentative and alternative communications (AAC) technologies are imported, which makes them incredibly expensive,” he said. “Just to give you an idea, the top-of-the-range dedicated AAC device called a Pathfinder costs approximately R90 000, and if it breaks it needs to be shipped back to the US, repaired and shipped back.” Not only is the repair costly, but it can take up to a year for the device to be returned. “It could mean that for a year, or however long, someone is left without an effective means to communicate. They are, essentially, left without a voice.

To overcome such problems, Pistorius teamed up with researchers at the Meraka Institute to develop an open source solution called GNApp, a highly configurable and low-cost AAC framework that forms part of the larger National Accessibility Portal (NAP) project.

NAP is a five-year research and development project that aims to address the marginalisation of people with disabilities in South Africa through ICT. Although still in its pilot phase, the project plans to eventually roll out 27 specially-equipped centres around South Africa where people with disabilities will be able to access disability-related information, training materials, and e-commerce facilities.

“There’s a huge need for assistive technologies that are affordable and localised,” said project manager Hina Patel, “because the ones that are proprietary, or are imported, are often not supported locally.” The GNApp framework enables people who use assistive technologies to design and develop their own user interfaces, based on the individual`s need, education and literacy.

Minister of Science and Technology, Mosibudi Mangena, visited the Meraka Institute recently at the request of the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The Meraka Institute, which is managed by the CSIR, receives funding from the DST for several of its projects.

Welcoming the Minister at the start of the visit, Dr Sibusiso Sibisi, CSIR President and CEO, noted “the importance of ensuring the close proximity of the DST to the CSIR, which provides more opportunities for the Minister to visit the CSIR.” His welcome address was followed by presentations and a visit to the laboratories within the institute for a hands-on experience.

Mangena had the opportunity to test the institute's capabilities, including the openphone project developed by the Human Language Technology research group, and to interrogate its possible applications for the 2010 World Cup.

A demonstration by the research group working on ICT for persons with disabilities and the aged (Independent Living) highlighted to the Minister the progress made in this domain through work on the National Accessibility Portal and research on the Enabling Environment. Team members participated in the demonstration, at times using Sign Language to communicate and interact with the Minister.

A demonstration of mesh networking illustrated in real-time the feasibility of low-cost connectivity, models and new paradigms. The visit concluded with the Digital Doorway project, which is well-known to Mangena, during which the future of the Digital Doorways in collaboration with the mesh networking capabilities was presented.

The Minister indicated his appreciation of the scale and depth of activities at the Meraka Institute and the need for growing the institute to meet future demands.

Commenting on Mangena's visit, Llew Jones, interim Director of the Meraka Institute, said, “It was indeed an honour for us to host the Minister at the institute for the first time and introduce him to our people, our research and our innovations.”

A team of researchers from the Meraka Institute visited Meerhof School in Hartbeespoort on with the aim to get firsthand exposure to the specialised education and training school for the multi-disabled learners. The Meraka Institute is managed by the CSIR.

The researchers were led by Hina Patel, competence area manager for the information society applications group. The entourage visited the school on 2 August 2006 and were taken on a tour around the school.

The visit was part of the National Accessibility Portal's aim to enhance the development and independence of persons with disabilities. The National Accessibility Portal (NAP) aims to enhance the development and independence of persons with disabilities. This will be achieved through the creation of a highly innovative and efficient information and communications system.

Thea Lewis, an occupational therapist at the school, revealed to researchers that “we need access to information and communication”. “Disabled children can’t go out so we must bring the world [of technology] to them,” she said.

The two research groups (Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for independent living and ICT in Education) from the Meraka Institute were surprised to learn that the school was not part of the technological world. “The school is very well kept and managed, and helped the teams to identify problems and provide some solutions,” said Patel on the visit.

Dr Ennio Macagnano, an ergonomics and architecture specialist of the NAP, said: “They [Meerhof learners] have to get in contact with the rest of the world and they should know who is doing what and where.”

Meanwhile, some learners took time to exploit the visit when technological-based games were displayed by the Meraka Institute research interns. The game which stole the show is called Body Ping Pong, was designed at the Meraka Institute's ICT in Education research group.

A 13-year-old child with disability, Thato Segapo, who enjoyed the strange but uncomplicated game said: “I can participate and play with other people who are not disabled. It's fun and I like it because I can beat other boys,” he said emphasising that the children do play games but not technological ones. “These games can help us and one can actively participate.”

But for 11-year-old Bradley Olivier, luck was not on his side. He was beaten to submission by other competitors, who are also disabled.

Despite being on the losing streak, Bradley conceded that it was the first time he had seen or played the game. “I’m very happy about your visit because I can talk to people and do new things,” he said.

For persons with disabilities, Body Ping Pong can be played by using feet or hands.

The Meraka Institute was filled with excitement on Tuesday 18 July 2006 for a visit by Mr Mosibudi Mangena, Minister of Science and Technology. The visit was arranged at the request of the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The Meraka Institute, which is managed by the CSIR, receives funding from DST for several of its projects.

Welcoming Mr Mangena at the start of the visit, Dr Sibusiso Sibisi, CSIR President and CEO, noted “the importance of ensuring the close proximity of DST to the CSIR, which provides more opportunities for the Minister to visit the CSIR.” His welcome address was followed by presentations and a visit to the laboratories within the institute for a hands-on experience.

A demonstration by the research group working on ICT for persons with disabilities and the aged (Independent Living) highlighted to Mr Mangena the progress made in this domain through work on the National Accessibility Portal and research on the Enabling Environment. Team members participated fully in the demonstration, at times using Sign Language to communicate and interact with the Minister.

The Minister indicated his appreciation of the scale and depth of activities at the Meraka Institute and the need for growing the institute to meet future demands.

Commenting on the Minister's visit, Llew Jones, interim director of the Meraka Institute, said, “It was indeed an honour for us to host Minister Mangena at the institute for the first time and introduce him to our people, our research and our innovations.”

The live web deployment of the National Accessibility Portal (NAP) takes place on Monday, 17 July 2006. The NAP initiative will provide a one-stop information, services and communications channel to support everyone involved in the disability field - persons with disabilities, caregivers, the medical profession, and those offering services in this domain.

The aim of the deployment is to allow NAP consortium partners to evaluate, use and populate the system with content and to provide feedback for future development. The partners working on this initiative are the Meraka Institute (managed by CSIR); the Office on the Status of Disabled Persons in The Presidency; the Independent Living Centre; the SA National Council for the Blind; the Deaf Federation of South Africa; the National Council for Persons with Physical Disabilities in SA; the QuadPara Association and the South African Federation for Mental Health.

NAP Project manager, Hina Patel of the Meraka Institute states, “This very important, significant and exciting milestone has been made possible through the contribution of the NAP team, including our partners. We are very proud to be at this point.”

She explains,“The Portal that is now being launched provides a framework for the information and services to be provided and needs to be populated with content before it becomes useful. It may on the surface look like just another website, but behind the scenes, sophisticated technology addresses accessibility and interactiveness as well as assistive technology specifically required by persons with disabilities.”

The deployment and subsequent input by consortium partners will be followed by a workshop with the NAP advisory committee. The research and development done is specifically needed for the issues that are addressed by NAP. The sustainability activities have been initiated with the assistance of a UK-based expert.

It's one thing relying on proprietary technology to write a document, touch up a photograph, or send an email. But the stakes are much higher when the technology may be your only communication link to the world.

This is the reality for people like Martin Pistorius, a disability consultant who is quadriplegic and cannot speak. He uses a head-mounted pointer to select words on a computer screen using proprietary software imported from the UK.

“Currently 99% of all augmentative and alternative communications (AAC) technologies are imported, which makes them incredibly expensive,” Pistorius told Tectonic via email. “Just to give you an idea, the top of the range dedicated AAC device called a Pathfinder costs approximately R90 000 and if it breaks it needs to be shipped back to the US, repaired and shipped back.” Not only is the repair usually costly, but it can take up to a year for the device to be returned. “It could mean that for a year, or however long, someone is left without an effective means to communicate. In other words: without a voice essentially.”

It's a costly and frustrating exercise, and one of the reasons Pistorius has teamed up system architect, Dr Louis Coetzee, and other researchers at the CSIR to develop an open source solution called GNApp, a highly configurable and low cost AAC framework, as part of the larger National Accessibility Portal project.

“There’s a massive need for assistive technologies that are affordable and localised,” says Hina Patel, project manager of the National Accessibility Portal, “because the ones that are proprietary, or are imported, are often not supported [in SA].”

Patel says the GNApp framework enables people who use assistive technologies to design and develop their own user interfaces, based on the individual's need, education and literacy. “The idea is that we don't just take this and develop, but that we actually get it out there so people can actually contribute to it,” says Patel.

The open source model has “significant cost advantages”, says Pistorius. “If you run it on an Ubuntu Linux machine the only cost would be the hardware, which you could probably get for about R3 500.”

“The other major advantage to the GNApp framework is because it's being developed locally we are able to address our rich cultural and linguistic diversity, something none of the proprietary systems cater for,” he adds. “All the TTS (Text To Speech) systems are only available in European languages. Now if you are an individual who needs to use AAC and your only real language of communication is Zulu and there are only English-based TTS systems available it becomes a huge barrier.”

The National Accessibility Portal is a five-year research and development project that aims to address the marginalisation of people with disabilities in South Africa through ICT. Although still in its pilot phase, the project plans to eventually role out 27 specially-equipped centres around South Africa where people with disabilities will be able to access disability-related information, training materials, and e-commerce facilities. The web-based portal will also enable persons with disabilities and others to communicate with other disabled people and share experiences and advice.

The NAP team is also planning to develop or extend an open source screen reader for the South African context.

Willem van der Walt, a blind Linux programmer working for the team, says proprietary screen readers are expensive. “The cost of screen readers in general is high – R8000 and more,” he says, and proprietary solutions are built for Windows.

Van der Walt currently uses a Linux console-based screen reader called Speakup. “We are looking at localising Speakup which currently just supports English,” he says. “We [will] also look at working with the people developing Orca for the graphical Gnome desktop.”

Says Patel: “Whenever we talk about open source screen readers, there is this flood of relief, from a lot of people who are not economically able to afford R9 000.”

She says the team is looking to work more closely with the open source community. “We really need critical mass here, because there are so many different types of modules and applications and development that we need to do.”

People interested in the project can visit the National Accessibility Portal website and subscribe to mailing lists hosted on the site.

`n Rekenaarprogram wat die wêreld vir Suid-Afrika se sowat 4 mijoen gestremdes gaan open.

Die program, wat ontwerp is deur navorsers by die WNNR, is eergister deur dr. Essop Pahad, minister in die President se kantoor, in Pretoria bekend gestel.

Die stelsel, wat verlede jaar begin het, is daarop gemik om gestremdes se ontwikkeling en onafhanklikheid te bevorder.

Dit sal gedoen word deur die program, wat inligting en kommunikasie bevorder.

Tydens die bekendstelling is gewys hoe `n blinde, wat nooit tevope met 'n rekenaar kon werk nie weens haar gesiggestremdheid, die netwerk kon gebruik om deur die intemet aansoek te doen om werk.

Maatskappye wat `n sekere aantal gestremdes in diens moet neem, sal ook van die databasis van die netwerk gebruik kan maak om gestremdes aan testel. Gestremdes sal die netwerk verder kan gebruik om met mekaar te kommunikeer in geselskamers.

Mnr. Martin Pistoriuss, `n kwadrupleeg van Pretoria wat ook nie kan praat nie, het gister gewys hoe hy met die stelsel kan kommunikeer. `n Elektrontese toestel, wat hom in Staat stel om met bewegings van sy kop die sleutels op die sleutelbord te teiken, om sodoende met ander gestremdes te kommunikeer, verbreed sy wêreld.

Die rekenaarprogram bevat verder inligting oor gesondheid, onderwys, sport, vervoer en toerisme wat gemik is op gestremdes.

Me. Hina Patel, projekleier van die stelsel, het gesê dit sal binne die volgende jaar landwyd versprei word.

Dit word in samewerking met die regering gedoen en sal eerste in Limpopo begin. Gauteng en die Vrystaat sal volg.

Dr. Essop Pahad, minister in die President se kantoor, by mnr. Martin Pistoriuss, `n kwadrupteeg van Pretoria, wat `n rekenaarprogram vir gestremdes beproef. Mnr. Bob Mabaso, LUR vir maatskaplike ontwikkeling in Gauteng, me. Joyce Mashamba, LUR vir onderwys in Limpopo, en me. Kaglso Chikane van die WNNR is ook deel van die projek. Foto: BRENDA MULLER

Research body is spearheading a project aimed at helping SA`s 4-million people with handicaps to use computers to communicate.

MACKEED Masemola and his friend Martin Pistorius are having a conversation through their computers. Mackeed, confined to a wheelchair, has switched on a video conferencing tool and waves a cheery hello to his friend.

He speaks into his microphone and his greeting comes out through the speakers. Pistorius wants to reply but cannot speak, nor does he have much use of his hands. He is a quadriplegic.

So he moves his head in dozens of almost imperceptible little jerks, sending a beam of light dancing across the computer screen from a device strapped to his forehead.

Drilling down through icons bearing labels such as small words, people, landscapes, grammar and the alphabet, Pistorius uses his strongest thumb to squeeze a sensor when the beam highlights the desired word.

Later, he nods rapidly and clicks to type a sentence explaining he has used the software since 2002 to keep in touch with friends and access information.

The software and headset device are part of a project by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research designed to help SA`s 4-million disabled people to use technology to communicate, access information and even find jobs.

The council`s National Accessibility Portal was unveiled on Tuesday after 18 months of research and development.

In another demonstration, Ngwanakopi Ramushu shows how blind people can apply for a job online.

As she types, "screen-reader" technology confirms each keystroke as she logs into the portal. As she moves her mouse, the voice reads out the icons and menus she is passing over.

She clicks on a job-search icon and the voice reads out the option: a call-centre vacancy, perhaps the perfect job for a blind person with good listening skills.

She types her details in the application form, a voice reassuring her she has hit the right keys, and submits her application.

Ramushu, the chairwoman of South African Blind Women in Action, does not need a job. But because only 1% of people with disabilities in SA are economically independent, a major goal for the council`s technicians is to help them find work and become more self-sufficient.

The prototype technologies being demonstrated will begin real-world trials next year in partnership with organisations representing the blind, the deaf and people with physical disabilities.

The first trials will be held in Limpopo to prove technology can be used in rural areas. Where there is no electricity or telephones, the council will set up wireless connectivity.

The portal also features chat forums so that people with disabilities can share experiences and ideas, or make new friends to end their isolation.

Large amounts of information are being made available online so that interested parties can find out about the benefits and services that are available.

Employers will be able to find out how to adapt the workplace to cater for those staff members who have physical disabilities, while the educational material includes lessons in sign language. "The whole idea is to use the power of the internet to integrate all areas of disability and bring people closer to each other, and provide them with access to a lot of services," says Louis Coetzee, the project`s systems architect. One challenge is devising workable ways to use a computer for people with different disabilities. While Martin Pistorius uses his thumb to mimic a mouse click, handless people can use a "dwell mode" on a headset device, and linger over the desired menu item to activate it.

The need to develop affordable alternatives has seen the council use a lot of open-source software, which is free to use and can be adapted from basic versions by software programmers.

"There are a number of benefits in using open source because we can change it to suit our specific needs, develop our own applications, and add our voices for text-to-speech conversions," says Coetzee.

Technology that still needs more work is converting text to sign language so that broadcasts or information are automatically translated for deaf users.

For Coetzee, the most rewarding aspect is to interact with people who have never been able to communicate, and help them to express their needs and wishes.

The work involves site visits to see what information or services people want to access and what physical limitations must be overcome. So far, the team has not come across anyone with a disability too severe to be catered for, says project leader Hina Patel.

Maluta Mulibana, a co-ordinator from the South African National Council for the Blind, says 12% of SA`s population is moderately to severely disabled. Many are isolated, poorly educated, unemployed and financially dependent on other people.

SA is not technically equipped to respond effectively to that massive challenge, he says.

That will be alleviated through the innovative communications and data-sharing system using the power of the internet, he says.

But money could prove a stumbling block. The project has been split into a technology development and a sustainability component, each needing about R15m over the five-year lifespan.

So far, it has received Rl,5m from Eskom`s Development Foundation to fund the initial pilot phase.

JOHANNESBURG. - `n Rekenaarprogram wat die werêld vir Suid-Afrika se sowat 4miljoen gestremdes gaan open.

Die program, wat die navorsers by die WNNR ontwerp het, is gister deur dr. Essop Pahad, die minister in die President se kantoor, in Pretoria bekend gestel.

Die stelsel wat verlede jaar begin het, is gemik daarop om gestremdes se ontwikkeling en onafhanklikheid te bevorder. Dit sal gedoen word deur die program wat inligting en kommunikasie sal bevorder.

Tydens gister se bekendstelling is gewys hoe `n blinde persoon die netwerk sal kan gebruik om deur die Internet aansoek om werk te doen. Maatskappye wat `n sekere aantal gestremdes in diens moet neem, sal ook die databasis kan gebruik om gestremdes aan te stel.

Gestremdes sal ook die netwerk kan gebruik om met mekaar te kommunikeer deur geselskamers.

Mnr. Martin Pistoriuss, `n kwadrupleeg van Pretoria wat ook nie kan praat nie, het gister gewys hoe hy met die stelsel kan kommunikeer. `n Elektroniese toestel, wat hom in Staat stel om met kopbewegings die letters op die sleutelbord te tik en sodoende met ander gestremdes te gesels, verbreed sy wêreld.

Die rekenaarprogram bevat verder inligtingsvelde oor gesondheid, onderwys, sport, vervoer en toerisme wat op gestremdes gemik is.

Me. Hina Patel, projekleier van die stelsel, het gesê dit sal binne die volgendejaar landwyd versprei word. Dit word in samewerking met die regering gedoen en sal eerste in Limpopo begin. Gauteng en die Vrystaat sal kort daarna volg.

Volgens Patel gaan die stelsel, wat op `n persoonlike rekenaar gelaai kan word, eers versprei word aan `n toetsgroep van mense met gestremdhede.

Pahad het gesê die projek moet volgende jaar aan die kabinet voorgelê word. - (Marietie Louw)