Joint project ‘InclusiveOCW’

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Objective:
Nowadays, work places and even private environments can hardly be managed without displays and screens and the usage of the eyesight.

The integration of people with vision impairment into the labour market therefore is a special challenge. The ongoing digitalization complicates their inclusion. Otherwise, with Braille display and voice input/output technologies digitalization itself creates new opportunities to participate in the labour market.

The joint project focuses on technical procedures like image recognition and on methods like the collaborative development and updating of accessible learning content (inclusive OpenCorurseWare) and its accessible usage in vocational training practice.

Content:
The platform SlideWiki (https://slidewiki.org) , which has been established by Fraunhofer, is a collaborative learning platform based on OpenCourseWare (OCW) that follows similar ideas to those of Wikipedia. The basic software of SlideWiki will be adapted to the special needs of blind and visually impaired users. That implies for instance the intelligent information extraction from visual data. This way, descriptions of pictures may be (partly) automatically generated and provided to users with special needs. Furthermore, native software applications will be developed for common systems (Android, Apple iOS, Windows) and the connection to technical aids like screen reader and Braille display will be implemented and tested.
Making vocational learning content available via OCW to IT assistants and office management assistants is a main task of the BFW Halle. This practical usage will be completed after the accessible adaption of SlideWiki is finally done.

Project partners:
Berufsförderungswerk Halle (coordinator)
German Central Library for the Blind, Leipzig
German National Library of Science and Technology, Hannover
Research Centre L3S, Leibniz University Hannover
Fraunhofer IAIS, Schloss Birlinghoven Sankt Augustin

Funding period:
01 December 2017 – 30 November 2020
Funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF) and the European Social Funds (ESF).

Contact details:
Berufsförderungswerk Halle (Saale) gGmbH
Dr. Ulf Gläser
Bugenhagenstr. 30
D-06110 Halle
Germany
Phone: +49 345 1334-116 or -117
Email: uglaeser@bfw-halle.org