SuperNova Access Suite Case Study: Access for visually impaired South Africans.

Dolphin and Sightsavers International.

Dolphin, in conjunction with Sightsavers International and the South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB), was pleased to provide a two day training programme on Dolphin’s Supernova, for computer trainers and teachers in South Africa. More than a third of the 115 million children who are unable to go to school in the developing world are disabled.

Only 2% of all disabled children receive an education and ironically these children are most at risk of social exclusion and exploitation; for them the risk of spiralling further into poverty is even greater. Sightsavers International is a charity that seeks to erradicate poverty in the developing world by providing free eye treatment and support for the blind and visually impaired. Where treatment is unable to save the sight of the children, they offer equipment and training to schools and training centres, to ensure that everyone has the best chance of access to education and work. Dolphin Computer Access Limited has been working closely with SANCB for a number of years, to provide an effective software solution that will help blind and low vision people in Africa to use a computer. As part of this on going process, Dolphin staff recently spent two days in South Africa, in order to train a number of support staff and computer trainers from across the African continent, including South Africa, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda.

The objective was to train the support staff on the use and benefits of Dolphin’s Supernova, on a portable Pen drive. Using the Supernova Pen - a small portable USB device that measures just 6cm long and 2cm wide and plugs straight into the USB slot of a computer, users are able to carry their software with them to any compatible PC and run Supernova directly from the USB Pen instantly. Just plug it in and go! Supernova is the world’s only fully combined and integrated computer screen reader and screen magnifier with full Braille support. Whether you need speech, magnification or Braille – or all three, the award-winning Supernova allows blind and low vision computer users to access their computer system in the way that suits them best. Whether using email, the internet, word processors or spreadsheets, there is no need to buy a separate screen reader and screen magnifier to access your applications – Supernova has everything you need for screen access, whatever your level of sight.

Fifteen delegates attended the training programme, which took place at the South African National Council for the Blind in Pretoria, on the 18th and 19th April 2006, with the support of Spencer Ellis, Dolphin’s training coordinator. Many of the delegates had travelled hundreds of miles to participate, and their desire to learn and to use this knowledge to help others in their country was very humbling.

Spencer comments; “Training people with a real interest in the Dolphin software and a strong desire to learn and to help others was a real pleasure. At the start of the course the delegates were apprehensive as would be expected of people being confronted by new computer software. As the course went on the delegates started to become more confident with the software and by the end of the course they were all talking positively about the features available in Supernova, the advantages of using the Pen version and the various uses that they could now see for the Pen after the training. I think that the training was also greatly helped by the fantastic facilities that were provided by the SANCB.”

The training programme was such a success that many SANCB staff (even those not involved with the training course), were all talking about it. Everybody that heard about the Supernova Pen thought that this would make a real difference to the blind and visually impaired in their countries or provinces. All fifteen delegates successfully completed the training course, and were personally presented with a Dolphin certificate. Each delegate also received their very own Supernova Pen, which they can now use to train visually impaired computer users in their country.

Robin Spinks, from Sightsavers International comments; “I wanted to say a big thanks to Dolphin on behalf of Sightsavers for the excellent two day training workshop at SANCB. The pace of the workshop was just right and the content very helpful for both new and existing Supernova users. In summary, the workshop was a great success and everyone benefited from Dolphin’s support and guidance throughout.”

Deena Moodley, one of the course coordinators from Pretoria, also comments; “After two days of what turned out to be a very exciting training course, I must now say that the Dolphin Pen course was a resounding success. At the commencement of the course, the delegates were very apprehensive but within the first hour, people felt very at home with their Supernova Pen and at the conclusion people were starting to talk about the uses that they see for the Pen. Many of the delegates are so excited by the Pen and its advantages that they can not wait for the roll out.”

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