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Using Braille Technology in Distance Learning
Braille Technology is assistive technology which allows blind or visually impaired engage themselves in activities such as writing, browsing the Internet, typing in Braille and printing in text, engaging in chat, downloading files, music, using electronic mail and reading documents.

Due to multiple disruptions COVID-19 has caused for remote learning, visually impaired student within a distance learning environment faced challenges with limited technology to feel full social integrated. The engineering team at Orbit Research partnered with American Printing House for the Blind, National Federation of the Blind, Perkins School for the Blind, Royal National Institute of Blind People, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Vision Australia, Blind Foundation of New Zealand, Sight Savers, Association Valentin Hauy (France), Norwegian Blind Organization to research and develop new technology that allowed the visually impaired an opportunity to fully engage in distance learning.

Distance Learning has been challenged for the visually impaired for many years as it has hindered social inclusion and the inability to fully emerge in a distant learning environment due to the lack of supportive technology. Orbit Research a technological research company continues to provide the support through developing new technology like the Orbit Teacher Remote as a solutions to enable visually impaired to function more inclusively in a remote environment.

History of the Orbit Teacher Remote
In 2019, Orbit Research announced the launch of the Orbit Teacher™ platform. The platform provides seamless interaction with blind students and their teachers through an app on a smartphone, computer or table. The device allow students to connect with their teachers remotely using the Orbit Reader display and an Android app. Teacher are able to view the student’s braille display, monitor what they are learning, and even type and navigate on the student’s device, in a manner similar to screen-sharing software used on computers

After the pandemic, Dr Gina Spagnoli, research founder at Orbit Research, saw the need to develop support system for the visually impaired Orbit Teacher Remote for teachers to provide braille instructions for blind students. The platform allows students to interact with instructors, correct assignments and Zoom and Skype platforms. The concerns of limited trained teachers of the Visually impaired prompted the development of this technology.

Orbit Reader Capabilities

 * It is a device with 3-in-1 features and serves as a self-contained book reader, a note-taker and as a braille display by connecting to a computer or smartphone via USB or Bluetooth.
 * When used as a standalone reader, it enables the user to read any file from the SD card
 * Student can load content on the SD card without internet or a computer device.
 * Connects to most devices, OS, Windows, Android.
 * While using the screen reading capability on the computing device, such as Voiceover, Brailleback or popular PC screen readers the user can control the functions of their computer or smartphone, use their favourite apps, read and send text messages and email and browse the internet.
 * Fitted with editing and note taking functions.
 * The Orbit Reader 20 Plus is very compact, measuring a little over an inch in height and about 6 inches by 4 inches and weighing under a pound.
 * Powered by a user-replaceable fast-charging lithium battery which is recharged through the USB port.

App Capabilities

 * The Orbit Teacher platform enables teachers in mainstream classrooms to interact with blind students through an app on a smartphone, computer, or tablet.
 * The app connects over Bluetooth to the student’s Orbit Reader braille display and provides a real-time text translation of the braille being read or written by the student.
 * The device provides the same capability remotely, over the internet.
 * Teacher can view student’s braille display, monitor what they are learning, and even type and navigate on the student’s device, in a manner similar to screen-sharing software used on computers.[1]
 * Resource materials and books can be ported to the device with capabilities to train students to read braille.
 * Instructors do not need experience using braille as the notes are integrated during the transfer process.
 * The device can translate over 40 languages.

About Orbit Research
Dr Gina Spagnoli is the founder of Orbit Research, a technology company that develops and manufactures innovative and affordable products that enable an independent lifestyle for blind or visually impaired people. Founded with the mission to fulfil the urgent need for affordable assistive technology products, the company has introduced breakthrough products like the Orion family of accessible scientific and graphing calculators, the iBill Talking Banknote Identifier and the Orbit Reader 20 refreshable braille display that define the state-of-the-art in features, functionality, convenience and affordability. .