AN ADVANCED TRAINING COURSE OF COMPUTER SOFTWARE (JAWS & NVDA) HELD BY DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF SPECIAL EDUCATION FROM 07TH TO 18TH AUGUST, 2023

The Directorate General of Special Education hosted a two-week "Advance Training of Computer Software (JAWS & NVDA)" course at National Mobility & Independence Training Center. A diverse group of 26 visually impaired participants from varying origins were welcomed to the training course. The purpose of the course was to give visually impaired people comprehensive knowledge and practical experience with screen reader software for computer accessibility. It was created to improve the ability of people who are visually impaired to access and explore digital content using screen reader software (JAWS & NVDA). Its goal was to equip participants with the knowledge and abilities needed to operate a computer on their own for a variety of tasks, including communication, document creation, and online browsing. Additionally, it contributed to the development of a welcoming and cooperative learning atmosphere where participants could exchange insights and best practices on assistive technologies.

The participants felt that the training course had a profoundly favorable effect on their learning towards use of computer. Participants reported greater confidence and proficiency in using JAWS and NVDA for computer accessibility by the end of the two weeks. They showed that they could use different software programs, find materials online, and complete work on their own. Participants also valued the possibility to interact with others who were dealing with comparable issues and the potential to gain knowledge from one another's experiences.