Abstract:

The “DigitalPakt Schule 2019 bis 2024” defines the preparation of pupils in Germany for digitisation in all areas of life one of the major tasks for the future. Participation and majority for all adolescents and equal opportunities for every child are to be ensured by the education system (cf. Federal Ministry of Education and Research, 2019). The inclusive education system required by Article 24 of the UN BRC also takes account of technical progress and the opportunities it offers. The use of digital tools and media is, especially for pupils with impaired vision, one of the essential prerequisites for self-determined participation in inclusive education processes (Capovilla & Hubwieser, 2013) and thus also for social participation per se (Douglas et al., 2007).

The operating concepts of information and communication technologies used by people with impaired vision are fundamentally different from the conventional way of working at the computer. For people with impaired vision or blindness, the graphical user interface of computers and digital terminals loses its significance and alternative operating concepts for them must be learned. These alternative operating concepts are not or only partially known to the majority of teachers and must be learned explicitly by them. In particular, the operation of information and communication technologies from the point of view of a person with impaired vision occupies only a very small part, if any, in the training of teachers. Teachers' knowledge of the special features and routine handling of alternative operating concepts is, however, essential for pupils with impaired vision to improve their learning conditions and enable participation in the digital future.

The Department of Education with Visual Impairment of the Institute for Rehabilitation Education at the Humboldt University of Berlin has identified this need and is developing a massive open online course for teachers and special education staff at schools with a focus on information and communication technologies for pupils with visual impairment.

The article will first give an overview of current offers for the continuing education of teachers and other pedagogical staff, with a focus on information and communication technologies for the teaching of pupils with impaired vision. Offers in the German-speaking and international, English-speaking areas will be examined and compared. As a result, the structure and contents of the web-based training programme are explained

References:
[1] Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (2019). DigitalPakt Schule 2019-2024. Retrieved from https://www.bmbf.de/files/VV_DigitalPaktSchule_Web.pdf
[2] Capovilla, D., & Hubwieser, P. (2013). Teaching Spreadsheets to Visually-Impaired Students in an Environment Similar to a Mainstream Class. In IEEE (Chair),
[3] Douglas, G., Corcoran, C., & Pavey, S. (2007). The role of the WHO ICF as a framework to interpret barriers and to inclusion: visually impaired people’s views and experiences of personal computers. The British Journal of Visiual Impairment. (25(1)), 32–50.

Keywords:

Digital literacy, visually impaired people, massive open online course, MOOC.