ARMENIA ESTABLISHED FIRST READING ROOM FOR BLIND

RIA Oreanda
Economic News
October 7, 2008 Tuesday
Russia

Yerevan. ">OREANDA-NEWS . October 7, 2008. The ceremony of opening of a
special reading room for the convenience of blind and visually impaired
people took place in the National Library of Armenia. Services provided
at this special disabled-friendly reading room can benefit over 5000
blind and visually impaired people all over Armenia; special software
and computers installed in the Library have ability to recognize
characters and convert text into speech thus giving opportunity to
benefit from advanced technology. For the realization of the project,
as a socially-responsible company, VivaCell-MTS provided AMD 1.102
million, thanks to which special software was created as well as
computers and necessary accessory, were procured.

It is hard to imagine that nowadays in Armenia the blind cannot use
all the opportunities of computer to communicate with others, type,
even draw, write or download music and read, which is available for
people with low or no vision in other countries. There are a lot
of libraries across Armenia but the books specially designed for
the blind and visually impaired are old and outdated, while their
modern analogues are on hand abroad. And to enable the library to
cater to the blind and sight-impaired also, VivaCell-MTS supported
in adaptation of Arev software to their needs (created by Yerevan
Scientific Research Institute of Mathematical Machines). A person is
typing (first, the blinds will be trained to the typing skills) or
scanning the ready text and the computer technology converts almost
all typewritten or typeset material into easily-understood speech.

Reading and interacting with the outside world are the two major
wishes of the blind.

We hope that from now on they can have a real no-barrier reading
experience in this special reading room, said the General Manager of
VivaCell-MTS Ralph Yirikian. ‘It is vital that the society understands
the importance of accessibility of reading for the blind people. They
our compatriots, should be given equal access to books for recreation
and study. We are delighted to have supported with the creation of
such a well-equipped reading room in Armenia thanks to which the
blind and visually-impaired people will feel themselves closer to
the society and enjoy the pleasure in reading.

Now when Arev software is developed and the special-reading room is
set up, special well-thought-out training program will be organized
for the blind and visually-impaired people for them to learn how
to use computer, scanner and printer and how to surf internet and
communicate via e-mail in order to make them more independent in the
quest for information.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress