Navigating indoors without a map can be challenging, especially for visually impaired individuals in unfamiliar settings. Many existing indoor navigation methods rely on building maps, pre-deployed infrastructure (like BLE beacons or RFID), or visual-based systems that require a clear line of sight to a camera. These requirements can make…

Voice assistants (VAs) (e.g., Apple Siri, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, etc.) offer considerable potential to users. The hands-free nature of these technologies, enables users to perform tasks which would otherwise be difficult to accomplish. As individuals who are blind are already familiar with spoken output through the use of screen readers,…

Aim/Purpose: This paper proposes a new approach to developing a deep learning-based prototyping wearable model which can assist blind and visually disabled people to recognize their environments and navigate through them. As a result, visually impaired people will be able to manage day-to-day activities and navigate through the world around them…

Since the passing of the Higher Education Opportunity Act in 2008, more students with intellectual disability are being admitted to inclusive postsecondary education programs at U.S. colleges and universities. One of the challenges many students with intellectual disability face when arriving on a college campus is learning to navigate their new…

This study examined the differential effects of a GPS based navigational app displayed on a smartwatch and a paper map on the ability of individuals with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities (ID) to independently navigate unfamiliar walking routes. A single case alternating treatment design was used to compare the effectiveness of these…

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often lack skills in order to navigate in the communities. Given the availability of the mobile devices and their potential use as assistive technologies for learners with IDD, we investigated the effects of constant time delay (CTD) on acquisition of the steps required to plan…

Spatial computing is the fourth paradigm of the digital revolution and could profoundly transform learning. It is the convergence of several technological developments, including Augmented and Virtual Reality (XR), Artificial Intelligence, haptic feedback, motion-capture, and situational awareness engines. This article explores how the shift from…

To examine how individuals with visual impairments understand space and the way they develop cognitive maps, we studied the differences in cognitive maps resulting from different methods and tools for spatial coding in large geographical spaces. We examined the ability of 21 blind individuals to create cognitive maps of routes in unfamiliar areas…

Introduction: This study investigated the user requirements of individuals with visual impairments regarding the information to be included in orientation and mobility (O&M) aids in order for optimally useful audio-tactile maps of campuses to be developed. In addition, this study aimed at investigating the importance (usefulness) that…

A common problem for people with disabilities, particularly those who rely on mobility devices, is learning to navigate a new environment. This is especially troublesome for students who are attending a new university and need to figure out how to get from one place to another. All Together Now is a mobile multi-player cooperative game developed…

In this study, the researchers investigated accessibility and usability needs of students enrolled in blended courses in high school. Needs addressed were: course preference or course satisfaction, accessibility of support systems, and help-seeking behaviors. Students enrolled in a twelfth-grade blended course in a high school in the southwestern…

Introduction: As the number of people with visual impairments (that is, those who are blind or have low vision) is continuously increasing, rehabilitation and engineering researchers have identified the need to design sensory-substitution devices that would offer assistance and guidance to these people for performing navigational tasks. Auditory…

Navigational and reaching spaces are known to involve different cognitive strategies and brain networks, whose development in humans is still debated. In fact, high-level spatial processing, including allocentric location encoding, is already available to very young children, but navigational strategies are not mature until late childhood. The…

Most of the spatial information needed by sighted people to construct cognitive maps of spaces is gathered through the visual channel. Unfortunately, people who are blind lack the ability to collect the required spatial information in advance. The use of virtual reality as a learning and rehabilitation tool for people with disabilities has been on…

Introduction: Development of a sensing device that can provide a sufficient perceptual substrate for persons with visual impairments to orient themselves and travel confidently has been a persistent rehabilitation technology goal, with the user interface posing a significant challenge. In the study presented here, we enlist the advice and ideas of…