Towards Devising a Low-cost and Easy-to-use Arithmetic Learning Framework for Economically Less-privileged Visually Impaired Children

Abstract

Basic arithmetic operations are essential skills needed in our life, and this is no different for the visually impaired. However, working arithmetic out on paper is always a challenge for visually impaired people. This situation is exacerbated by low-resource settings due to a paucity of low-cost and easy-to-use solutions. As a remedy to this situation, we propose a low-cost and easy-to-use arithmetic learning framework and draw a contrast between the conventional means of solving arithmetic problems and our proposed framework. Our proposal is engendered from comprehensive studies, both qualitative and quantitative, over the challenges faced by visually impaired children from two low-income countries. These studies are conducted in three phases—exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory—involving six visually impaired children and sixteen visually impaired grownups. User evaluation of our framework, in disguise of a tutorial session, confirms its acceptability and adaptability, along with its effectiveness in evoking interest in arithmetic. We believe that our study and proposed framework will help in breaking barriers to similar challenges in other developing regions across the border.