Making the future accessible

Written on |

For International Braille Day we talked to the head of TAU’s Sourasky Central Library about the future of accessibility

For many years, if you were vision impaired and wanted to read, you had to know Braille. Invented by Louis Braille, this unique form of tactile writing was introduced to the world in the 1830s and revolutionized access to information for people with visual disabilities. It allowed people the freedom to study, work, earn wages, and live independently, where before these options were extremely limited. By 1960, it was estimated that about 50% of children who were legally blind could read braille in the United States.

But in today’s digital age, new forms of accessibility have become more widespread. We wanted to find out – is Braille still relevant or on its way to becoming extinct?

From text to voice When we asked the staff at TAU’s Sourasky Central Library about books in Braille, we realized we were asking the wrong questions. The library doesn’t have any Braille books, investing instead of more modern forms of accessibility.

 “We see accessibility as a very important issue,” says Naama Scheftlowitz, director of the Sourasky Central Library. “But Braille isn’t the most efficient solution these days. We offer students with disabilities more advanced forms consuming text, such as text-to-voice programs and audiobooks. Another benefit is that these forms of accessibility help not just vision-impaired people, but a wide range of students and library patrons. For example, students who don’t speak Hebrew and have difficulty reading, but listening makes it easier for them to study.”

Audio is the future

Every computer at the library comes equipped with “Kolfix”, a text-to-voice program that can read any text on the screen out loud for the user. The library also offers students a subscription to iCast, an Israeli company that provides audiobooks, including translations of foreign books into Hebrew. The library’s search engine, DATA, also has a brand new feature that allows users to “voice search”, meaning to say the search term into a microphone instead of having to type it out.

Putting accessibility in the center

In the lobby of the library lives the Mia and Mila Pinkas Accessibility and Learning Assistance Center, maintained by the Dean of Students. Being placed in the lobby of the building means it’s centrally located on campus, and the library is right there for any assistance. It’s a spacious area containing work stations with advanced technological equipment, including magnification and reading software, and ergonomic equipment, aimed at making studying as accessible as possible for students with disabilities.

Some of the work stations at the Mia and Mila Pinkas Accessibility and Learning Assistance Center

“The very fact that the Accessibility Center is located within the library,” Naama says, “raises awareness of the issue, and we keep up to date with new technologies and adopt them. We even serve as an address for various inquiries to assist with complex student needs.”

Related posts

Declaration of the Tel Aviv University Senate Regarding the Violation of Israeli Democracy

7 March 2023

Travelling exhibition displayed for the first time in Israel

24 February 2023

Dan David Prize Announces 2023 Winners

23 February 2023

Love Blossoms at Tel Aviv University

14 February 2023

Are You an Entrepreneur at Heart?

9 February 2023

Prof. Karen Avraham Wins Prestigious FISEB STAR Award for Scientific Excellence and Leadership

1 February 2023

Thousands Take Part in Tel Aviv University’s Open Day

31 January 2023

Holocaust Education is Expanding in Africa, the Arab World, and Eastern Europe

26 January 2023

Coller School of Management Among World’s Top 100 Business Schools

17 January 2023

New National Research Center at Tel Aviv University

10 January 2023

Tel Aviv University Establishes Multidisciplinary Center for Research of Autoimmune Diseases

18 December 2022

Sir Frank Lowy Donates $18M USD to Tel Aviv University’s International School

12 December 2022

Surprising the Pope with The Artwork ‘Jesus from the Soil of the Holy Land’

5 December 2022

TAU Ready for Climate Action

9 November 2022

TAU 7th in World for Entrepreneurship

2 November 2022

20 Mayors Begin TAU’s World-class Training Program

2 November 2022

Victoria

Tok Corporate Centre, Level 1,
459 Toorak Road, Toorak VIC 3142
Phone: +61 3 9296 2065
Email: office@aftau.asn.au

New South Wales

Level 22, Westfield Tower 2, 101 Grafton Street, Bondi Junction NSW 2022
Phone: +61 418 465 556
Email: davidsolomon@aftau.org.au

Western Australia

P O Box 36, Claremont,
WA  6010
Phone: :+61 411 223 550
Email: clivedonner@thelinqgroup.com