Technology: A Key Support for People with Disabilities

Technology has permeated our world, no longer limited to a particular group but extending its benefits to people with disabilities, helping them feel more integrated into society. Through various programs, individuals with disabilities can now access tools tailored to their needs. For example, there are specific programs for the visually impaired that allow them to read information on computers. Similarly, technology has aided people with other disabilities in developing multiple skills, as experts point out that these programs help users engage more than one sense at a time. Many individuals with disabilities now easily use social media platforms, facilitating their interaction with friends and staying up to date with current events. Some students and experts have also taken the initiative to develop new technological programs and projects to further ease challenges for this community.

Awaatif Ahmed Akbari, Director of Internal Operations at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority's (KHDA) Tamkeen Center in Dubai, explains: "Different technological programs are used by people with disabilities. For instance, Windows, Supernova, and screen-reading programs are designed for the visually impaired, enabling them to use computers and integrate into the job market. These programs are voice-enabled, reading aloud whatever appears on the screen, while users can type by memorizing the keyboard layout. There are also font-enlarging programs for those with partial vision, helping them see what’s displayed on the screen."

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Akbari further clarifies that the visually impaired can use computers just like any sighted individual, including operating Windows, Excel, the internet, and word processors, and they can change the size and color of text as needed. Moreover, they are now able to easily use smartphones such as iPads and Galaxy devices, which are equipped with voice-enabled programs, allowing them to complete various tasks, interact with others via social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, and receive training through the center to continue their education and join the workforce.

Haider Taleb Rabea, Project Manager at Al Thiqah Club for the Disabled in Sharjah, points out that the club offers training for individuals with disabilities to use technology through courses in ICDL, Microsoft Office, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. They also provide technological devices and programs tailored to various disabilities, whether physical, auditory, or visual, with voice-assisted programs or even for cerebral palsy. In collaboration with university students, they develop technological devices like a solar-powered wheelchair. One such chair was developed in partnership between Ajman University students and the club, although it remains a single prototype. Recently, they also created a wheelchair that moves based on brain signals. The user wears a headset that detects brain signals, which are sent via Bluetooth to a computer, enabling the wheelchair to move left or right. Additionally, they’ve developed a chair that provides electric massage therapy for individuals with disabilities, reducing the risk of inflammation from prolonged sitting.

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On the topic of advancing these innovations to production, Rabea notes that there is no local production line for standard wheelchairs in the UAE, let alone for specialized chairs. These innovative projects are often driven by students, with the club offering technical consultations, drawing on its experience working with individuals with disabilities.

In the realm of hearing impairments, Rabea mentions the use of a small cochlear implant to replace the eardrum with sound vibrations. Previously, the battery for such implants had to be surgically replaced, but newer designs are more efficient.

He also highlights the availability of modern electronic devices for those who have lost limbs. These devices, while currently under development in Europe, assist individuals with mobility.

Yousef Al-Najjar, an engineering student who, along with his colleagues at Ajman University, developed the brain-signal-controlled wheelchair, explains that the chair is equipped with a front camera to provide information on nearby obstacles. It also features night vision to prevent collisions, and includes a smartphone app linked to the headset that sends alerts to a doctor if the patient experiences a seizure. The headset can also control household appliances, such as lights or fans, remotely. This project won first prize at the Second Student Scientific Research Competition held in Abu Dhabi in May.

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Mohammed Sultan, a special education teacher at Rashid Center for the Disabled, emphasizes the importance of computer use for people with disabilities, as it helps develop skills such as attention, memory, and thinking. He points out that educational and entertainment programs, as well as modern devices like smart boards, are particularly beneficial for children with disabilities, including those with autism. The smart board, for example, aids visual focus and allows students to write their names using different colors and font sizes. It also enables access to educational and entertainment activities through websites like Starfall.com, which help enhance various skills.

Students with developmental learning difficulties, particularly in reading and writing, benefit greatly from technology. Programs like Lotus offer information about animals, birds, the human body, and modes of transportation, helping students engage multiple senses simultaneously. Such programs are also helpful for children with ADHD, offering educational materials in the form of games to help improve their condition.

Several individuals with disabilities shared how technology has impacted their lives. Rashid Mohammed Al-Ghafli, Senior Public Relations Executive at the Community Development Authority and a visually impaired graduate of the University of Sharjah’s journalism program, says, “Technology helps me a lot in performing my job tasks. Using the ‘Ibsar’ program, which reads out the computer screen, I can track news articles, write reports, and manage my emails.”

He also highlights the use of social media, noting that many visually impaired individuals use VoiceOver on their iPhones to navigate platforms like Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, and Instagram, making it easier to communicate with friends and respond to comments.

Raashid Al-Marzouqi, who works in the Care and Integration Department at the Community Development Authority, has a physical disability. He is a graduate of Rashid Center for the Disabled and holds a diploma in business from Dubai College of Computer Studies. He uses the internet to search for information related to services for people with disabilities and prepares reports for management. He is also an avid user of social media, where he actively engages with content on his page.

Shereefa Badr Al-Omari, another visually impaired individual, works at Emirates NBD Bank and graduated from the University of Sharjah with a degree in Public Relations. She says, "Technology has eliminated most of the obstacles that visually impaired people face in joining the workforce and becoming integrated into society."

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