Increasing Braille Literacy in the Philippines: Braille Bunny

Abstract

Braille literacy is decreasing despite braille being crucial for the social and economic opportunity, which are linked to higher rates of employment, higher education, financial stability, self-sufficiency, and self-esteem. The Philippines is one area in the world, which is particularly affected by braille illiteracy. Up to four percent of the people there are blind or visually impaired, compared to one percent in Canada. In a previous study by Lopez aimed to identify what visually impaired child-barriers encounter when using existing assistive technologies for learning to read, Lopez found that accessibility, portability, durability, and usability were key design criteria that directly related to user needs. We hypothesize that the design criteria captured by Lopez did not entirely encompass all criteria that could lead to the best device outcomes. The purpose of this research was to develop a comprehensive set of ideal design criteria for a device for braille literacy education in the Philippines, to implement these criteria in future design work.