31-07-2012, 04:47 PM
Voice Recognition browser for reduced vision and vision loss Learners
Voice Recognition browser.pdf (Size: 539.4 KB / Downloads: 67)
Abstract
Learning through the use of web technology or web based learning has become an important media in the education revolution of the 21st century. The Internet particularly, has become an important tool for learners to acquire information and knowledge that encompasses various elements such as text, graphic, numeric, and animation for their learning process. Learners soon learn that the links in the Internet can lead them to various web pages that can lead them to more information that have a link with one another or to other information that has no link at all with the previous information. However, the visually impaired learners who actually represent a substantial proportion of the world’s population living in certain parts of the world have no access at all to this tool nor can it be easily taught to them as they are not able to see the links in the web pages. There is a need to democratize education as this is the basic human right and a way to achieve world peace. This paper hopes to highlight the Mg Sys VISI system to enable the visually impaired learners experience the world of the Internet.
INTRODUCTION
Malaysia is aspiring to be a developed nation in 2020. As she works towards achieving this aspiration, she has to encounter the change that is rapidly taking place in the world: changes in technology, values, culture, and world view and in the way the country competes and allocates its intellectual resources. It is therefore imperative that Malaysia responds to these changes particularly in the area of education. The country had made substantial achievements in providing opportunities for all types of learners (including the learners with learning disabilities like the visually impaired).
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Learning through the web or web-based learning has become an important teaching and learning media in the education revolution that is taking place throughout the world. Learners today, have to acquire specific skills in order to use the browser effectively when browsing the Internet in the process of conducting their learning tasks. The Internet includes all types of information and knowledge based on the various elements: text, graphic, numeric and to a lesser extent, audio, video and animation. However, the visually impaired learners are deprived of this very important tool of learning.
MODEL AND MODULES OF MG SYS VISI
The Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) is the
first module found in the Mg Sys Visi for the visually
impaired learners.
The most important factor that needs to be taken
into consideration with the ASR is the intersession
variability and the variability over time [7], [8]. The
changes can occur from the user themselves when they
are recording their voice in a different place or the noise
in the background of the place where the voice of the
user is being recorded. The speaker normally is not able
to to repeat in the same manner with the same intonation
at all times. However, it always better when a recoding is
conducted straight at one time as compared to when
recording is interrupted and continued at a different
time. Two types normalization exist that is: the
parameter domain normalization and the Equalization
domain technique.
DATA FLOW DIAGRAM OF MG SYS VISI
Below are examples of the data flow diagrams of Mg Sys Visi and the end-user. Figures 4 and 5 show examples of the con-text diagram of Mg Sys Visi. The former shows the scope and boundary of the response between the system and the end user; whilst the latter shows a more detailed interaction be-tween the system and the user. The navigational sub module of the Mg Sys Visi, functions as a web browser and capable of searching information online based on keyword searching.
CONCLUSION
The Mg Sys Visi was tested with teachers and students
at the Malaysia Association of the Blind (MAB) and the
preliminary study carried out with them indicates that Mg Sys
Visi is effective in helping visually impaired learners browse
the Internet for information necessary to carryout their assignments.
The functionality of the system that is able to convert
the Html codes to voice codes means that visually impaired
learners can now browse the Internet to carryout their
assignments.