SuperNova Screen Reader Case Study: Visually impaired pupils in Portuguese Schools benefit from Dolphin software.

Dolphin and Vodafone work together to provide a better future for visually impaired pupils in Portugal Each year Vodafone offers funding for European initiatives that will have a significant impact upon the lives of vulnerable or disadvantaged members of the community. Each year, each Vodafone's local Foundation selects an appropriate cause, which they agree to champion and support for 12 months.

In 2003 the Vodafone Portugal Foundation decided to support visually impaired and blind pupils within mainstream education, with the objective of providing solutions that would allow the full inclusion and independence of these children within the classroom. This would not only aid them in the learning process but also build self confidence and self esteem. It was identified that 400 children would benefit from the availability of assistive technology in the classroom, principally in the form of computer screen readers. This became the target for Vodafone to achieve.

The Vodafone Portugal Foundation approached key suppliers of adaptive technology products in order to obtain the best solutions for the children. In March 2003, Electrosertec, (a Lisbon based dealer of adaptive technology solutions), approached Vodafone with a range of Dolphin Computer Access solutions. The proposals put forward by Dolphin were evaluated against all the other manufacturer's products, The final product selection would depend upon the satisfaction of several strict criteria, including: Product quality Product performance Flexibility and range of use Level of support Cost After considerable evaluation, the Vodafone Portugal Foundation decided to select the Hal screen reader from Dolphin as the preferred solution, due to its performance and flexibility of use. Hal provided complete access to the internet as well as many other key applications required within the classroom, and therefore the blind and visually impaired pupils were able to work along side their sighted classmates. The products were delivered via Electrosertec in Portugal, who also provide all the technical support on behalf of Dolphin. The products were delivered with a synthesiser specifically for the Portuguese market and included the training materials for quick use, in Dolphin's original package.

Dolphin's CEO, Steve Palmer is delighted.

"This is what is so rewarding about what we do at Dolphin," he smiles, "technology is improving the quality of life for these pupils in Portugal. The partnership between Dolphin, the Vodafone Foundation and Electrosertec will make a real difference to blind school children in Portugal. They are now able to fully participate within the classroom, and at the end of the day, we're helping equip them for their working lives. The issue of inclusion is important, and one which we see every day in the workplace and in public services as much as in the classroom. Dolphin products are being used right through the educational spectrum from primary schools through to universities, here in the UK, Europe and as far afield as Hong Kong and the United States." Alexandre Ovídio, Project Supervisor at Electrosertec, continues, "For the last 14 years, ElectroSertec has had a leading role in providing access technologies for blind and partially sighted people in Portugal.

The Dolphin screen readers were the first access products to be sold in Portugal, and they are the most reliable and versatile. We are very proud to deliver such a fine product, now for the first time with a natural-sounding Portuguese speech synthesiser. It is also very rewarding to be able to deliver 400 Hal licences to children with special needs all over the country. It is the first time that such a project has been undertaken in Portugal, and it has only been possible due to the commitment of the Vodafone Foundation, ElectroSertec, and Dolphin Computer Access. Vodafone Portugal Foundation's Executive Committee Chairman, Luisa Pestana, concludes, "After considerable evaluation, it was decided that the Dolphin products offered the best solution. Only the Hal screen reader, by Dolphin, provided access to the vast majority of Windows applications along with the internet, ensuring that the blind children would be able to fully participate in the classroom and to use exactly the same computer applications as their sighted peers, giving them complete inclusion and independence." Dolphin's European Sales director Steve Bennett was delighted with the outcome in Portugal and hoped that other European countries might adopt the Vodaphone model, adding that "Dolphin is delighted to be associated with a high profile and worthy cause."

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