Accessing Foreign Language Materials as a Blind or Low Vision Student

For people who are blind or low vision, learning a foreign language and getting the resources needed just became easier. The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) encourages people who are blind or have visual impairments to learn a foreign language and pursue international travel with a purpose. Towards this goal, the NCDE published an informational guide to support blind and low vision students to take a broad range of foreign language courses, from Arabic to Turkish, by providing the tools needed so that course materials can be accessed.

The document "Accessing Foreign Language Materials as a Blind or Low Vision Student can be read online or downloaded in various formats for free and includes information on:

• The capability of commonly used assistive technology and software to handle foreign languages
  
• Guidance for locating audio, braille or large print materials in foreign languages
  
• Tips on transcribing braille textbooks in foreign languages or using readers and scribes

The primary emphasis of this informational guide is on accessing the reading and writing components of critical need languages, such as Arabic, Chinese, Hindi/Urdu, Japanese, Korean, Persian/Farsi, Russian and Turkish, although information is also applicable to more commonly taught languages such as French, German, and Spanish.

Click this link to read or download Accessing Foreign Language Materials as a Blind or Low Vision Student.

Thee National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE), which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Mobility International USA, works to increase the participation and inclusion of people with disabilities in international exchange programs. For more information, contact:

Mobility International USA
132 E. Broadway, Suite 343
Eugene, Oregon 97405 USA
Phone: 541-343-1284