MALINGUNDE – In a bid to understand the power of accessibility in early education, a delegation from Emmanuel University recently visited the Malingunde Resource Centre for the Visual Blind. The visit focused on two critical areas: how young learners use assistive technology to master academic content, and the techniques behind their independent mobility on campus.

From Standard 1 to Standard 8, the university guests observed that blindness is not a barrier to learning, but a challenge met with the right tools. They witnessed children as young as six using braille writers and slate and stylus to complete math and literacy exercises.

The second major objective was to study Orientation and Mobility (O&M) training. Staff at the centre explained how learners as young as Standard 3 are taught to navigate the campus alone. Using a white cane for sweeping and tapping, students learn to memorize landmarks.

The visit concluded with a dialogue on how universities can better train future teachers to use these assistive devices and mobility techniques. Emmanuel University plans to incorporate these findings into its special needs education curriculum to ensure that visual impairment never dictates a child’s destiny.