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In organising adult computer training in Lithuania, a close relationship of the Computer Centre with Lithuanian Association of the Blind and Visually Handicapped (LABVH) plays an important role. As a public organisation, it intermediates and helps to form a proper view towards a visually handicapped person in various institutions. Sometimes, using pressure on those, who must create good conditions for those people. Besides, this Association, covering the whole Republic, helps to solve people employment problems quicker, helps to provide them with necessary means, its participation helps to solve easier the problems of acceptance and financing various programs.
Lithuanian Blind and Visually Handicapped Computer Centre, founded in 1992, is trying to develop its activities in two directions. That is work with: - pupils learning in Lithuanian Computer Center for the Blind and Visually Handicapped. - post - graduates or those, who became visually handicapped at elder age.
Pupils learn at school 9 or 12 years. The first acquaintance with a computer is made at elementary school already. In senior forms regular classes are given, conditions for pupils' practice in leisure time are provided. Pupils year by year grow together with hardware development. This period must be used well enough, so that on graduation all the pupils should be acquainted with the possibilities, provided by hardware. Could write and print texts in computer, could master the keyboard in the "blind" system. Were acquainted with spread sheet, data base and communication programmes. We want that pupils on graduation could master the computer so well, that they could use it later and need not waste any more time for learning the computer alphabet. Many pupils want to continue studying in universities, some start working and are exposed to the need of one or another information. Ability to use hardware facilitates their studies, create conditions for independent studies.
This road is long, but reliable enough. We think that in five - ten years, a number of young visually handicapped people, able to practically use computer for their own needs, or at least having idea about the merits, provided by this equipment, will spread around Lithuania.
The other direction is work with people, who have already left school, but had no possibilities to learn and practise with hardware. Those are students, working people and people looking for jobs. The latter sphere is much more complicated and needs more concentrated work. The first reason is, that this category of people have not enough time for learning.
At this moment we think, that the course of two types could beorganised - for beginners (24 - 36 hours are enough), and special (for those, who already can use computer, but who need to improve their skills. Sometimes to master one of the programs.
At the beginning, only short course of 24 hours in the groups of 5 - 8 people, was organised, which sometimes lasted for three weeks(two days per week, 4 hours each). This course is organised in the evenings or at weekends, because it is more convenient for the working or studying people.
The aim of this course is to introduce the hardware merits to the course attendants and to teach to use the text editor. Of course, having certain level of vision, we teach to use the language synthesiser or the program of symbol maximising.
The effectiveness of this course is not very big. At the beginning, on foundation of our Computer Centre, courses of similar type were organised quite often. The aim of the courses was to introduce new technologies to as many people as possible. During the 4 years of existence, approximately 140 people attended them. Some of the people understood what work with computer means, and now they are using it for their needs. But a big part of the attendants have not used a computer since the end of the course. There are several reasons.
Some of them thought that ability to write a text or to read it in the computer would be enough to get a new job. The professional capabilities of the person himself were ignored. Some of them thought, that ability to operate hardware by itself will give them a profession. Others would need a computer very much in their working places, but the organisation that employs them, can not create such conditions for them, and in that case any further motivation for computer - literacy perfection disappears.
Still others would like to learn to operate computer, but being very busy and with the lack of time, the learning is always postponed, and the usual work equipment is used. The big part of this type are people working as authorities or engaged in scientific work.
A separate sphere is work with students. Vilnius students often need help in material preparation in a usual or Braille script. This help is usually rendered individually.
Formation of technical base for free rent: meaning, strong points and problems
From 1994, Lithuanian Blind
and Visually Handicapped Computer Centre, with the help of Lithuanian Association
of the Blind, started to accumulate equipment, which is rent free to visually
handicapped people. As not every organisation can give to a blind or visually
handicapped person a possibility to have at one's work a computer, MEMONA
(electronic notebook for the visually handicapped) or a synthesiser, we
make a fixed - term (3 - 6 months) free rent agreement with a person, rent
him a computer or a synthesiser. It gives:
- better possibilities to
find a job for a visually handicapped person;
- to improve the skills
independently;
- the staff accepts the
person better (he does not take away anyone's computer).
Experience in equipment distribution
has been accumulated in several years. Some factors are important in distribution:
- can the applicant use
it;
- is there a real future
vocation;
- is it clear enough what
work will have to be done;
- is there a sufficient
professional preparedness.
There are problems in the formation of this technical base for rent. First of all, much more and better equipment is desirable. The equipment that we now have is usually old computers, speech synthesisers and MEMONA.
Another thing is that some institutions are not strong enough to provide the blind with the necessary equipment later. That is why we think, that a wide and good discussion with governmental and labour exchange institutions is necessary, so that the base could regularly be enriched and could acquire a more stable and wider character. The present equipment belongs to the Association of Blind so far.
Search for vocations within and outside the system of Lithuanian Association of Blind and Handicapped
Among the blind and visually handicapped of Lithuania there are specialists who can already master the special hardware, use it in their work, who could teach other visually handicapped people. At the moment in Lithuania computers are used by visually handicapped journalists, editors, lawyers, students of universities and higher schools, institutions staff. Computerised member registration of the Union of Blind and Visually Handicapped is made. Hardware is already used in publishing with the help of Braille script. Special programs are prepared , technology mastered, employees - visually handicapped are trained.
It is not easy to find suitable vocations for visually handicapped people. In Lithuania such vocations were searched for in the institutions of LABVH. We still face the problem of employment in the centres of LABVH. Very much depends on the professional training of the blind or visually handicapped himself.
In the future we want to equip at least one computerised vocation in all the biggest towns. They may be near libraries or stronger computer centres, which would be convenient for the blind and visually handicapped to come and work with computer. Very often the blind have to print the text with Braille or usual printer. To provide with Braille printers is hard due to high prices. It is necessary for the blind to have a possibility to practice with the equipment nearer his home, besides, a specialist's help is often necessary.
Importance of good examples in explaining to the society the possibilities of the blind in work with computer
I think that at the first stage it is very important that the first blind people on starting working were enthusiastic and ready to fight difficulties. It is very important in respect of the future vocations. Good pioneers in this field create a very good atmosphere for others in vocation search, whereas every bad case or failure can destroy the efforts of other people.
No less important is introduction
of the existing computerpossibilities to the society and especially to
staff of certain institutions. It is a rather thorough and long work. We
are trying to use the possibilities of press, radio and television. A big
significance is attached to concrete demonstration of all the present possibilities.
For this purpose we invite people to visit the Computer Centre of the Blind.
We want those to be people in some way connectedwith the blind or who can
have some influence on the decision making.
Professional school
From autumn of 1995 we have started professional training of the blind and visually handicapped. That is the qualification of computer tupist. In this school year, the second group is studying the computer typist speciality. The whole course will last for 1,5 year. The group consists of six pupils, five of which can not use the usual script. One blind pupil has not got left hand, and only one finger of the right hand can function. Now we already are glad, he managed to master hardware well enough. On good computer keyboard mastering, having enough knowledge of hardware, the pupils must soon be able to enter the necessary information. We have many questions so far, but I believe, that we will fight all the difficulties and will have one more speciality, accessible to the blind. We believe that having mastered the computer technologies, the pupils will find better vocations, will integrate easier in the society, will be more independent in the work activities.
Human ability and professional skills for integral work
The ability to use hardware would facilitate studies, work, open new professional possibilities to approximately half a thousand of visually handicapped people, most of whom are children and youth, others - able to work people engaged in the sphere of intellectual work. These people need a particular professional rehabilitation: they need help in keeping the previous job, providing with special technical means, hardware among them, or retraining, requalifying, taking into consideration the people's possibilities and situation in labour market.
We do not think that all the problems can be solved only on providing the blind or visually handicapped with special equipment. It is important to know exactly what work he will be engaged in, and not to require everything at once. Gradually the person is involved into the activities, and the circle of work can widen. It is important to know who will be able to consult on use and adaptation of special equipment problems. Many people simply do not believe that a blind could be a good, efficient and competitive employee. Very much depends on the activities of Rehabilitation Services, but especially on the professional training of the blind himself.
Lack of information about the concrete work spectre of the blind
In Lithuania computer training and employment of the blind and visually handicapped is only developing. In this road we have many vagueness and questions. We would like to know the opinion of other countries that already have a sufficient experience in this sphere. We would like to know better their work in training and employment of the blind. I think this experience would help other countries, who are working towards computerisation of the blind. Lack of sociological research on vocation and professional possibilities of the blind.