The Municipal Institute of Culture and Tourism (IMCT) has implemented the Universal Design of Learning Environment on the first floor of the Gabriel Turbay Public Library. This inclusive space is dedicated to people with reduced mobility (PMR) and offers workshops every Wednesday morning, focusing on the use of accessible technologies such as digital typhology. Currently, the program serves 65 users monthly, including people with disabilities, teachers, caregivers and the community in general.
Natalie Trujillo, a graduate in special education from the National Pedagogical University of Bogotá, leads these workshops. Trujillo, whose research has focused on typhlology, visited the Cultural 100.7 FM station to talk about inclusion and the digital tools offered by the IMCT. In addition, she invited Bumangueses to join the friends of Turbay, registering on the first floor of the library or contacting Ana Delia Herrera at 3208390454.
A Day Learning Digital Technology
During the workshops, users enter the room, sit down, receive a device and headphones to familiarize themselves with the technology. Groups, limited to 15 people, receive personalized attention as they browse, write and read in real time. According to the IMCT workshop leader, “We have a unique room in the country that has cutting-edge technology for teaching people with visual disabilities and deafblindness. Braille display devices allow users to write and read simultaneously, facilitating access to information and teaching basic English, spelling and writing.”
Duration and Contents of the Workshops
Each workshop lasts 20 hours and includes instruction in English, Braille Sense U2, and Sense Polaris. These devices, which function as screenless computers, allow users to access YouTube and email without the need for a screen reader, making them optimal for people who are deafblind.
Additional Services at IMCT
The IMCT offers a variety of additional services, including abacus instruction, screen magnification with Suntext, teletypewriter, the Jaws screen reader and the ZoomText magnifier. They also have All Reader to scan documents and convert them into audio, an invaluable resource for university students and other users who prefer to listen to information on their cell phones.
Conventional Typhlology vs. Digital Typhlology
Conventional typhology uses traditional braille with tools such as the board and stylus, and the Perkins machine, which has 6 keys configured according to the French army code. In contrast, modern typhotechnology uses devices connected to the Internet, significantly optimizing many educational processes.
Universal Learning Environment Design at IMCT is revolutionizing the way visually impaired and deafblind people access education and information. With cutting-edge technology and a dedication to inclusion, IMCT is providing meaningful educational opportunities for the entire community.
For more information and registration, visit the first floor of the Gabriel Turbay Public Library or contact 3208390454.
MARÍA EUGENIA MEJÍA
Journalist La Cultural 100.7 FM
