An experience of technology transfer success of software for children with disabilities

Abstract

This article describes an experience of technology transfer success of software for visually impaired children in Ecuador. The starting point was the personal experience of the author with his daughter with special needs. This fact allowed the development of AINIDIU (Intelligent agent for visually impaired children). AINIDIU is a computer-based technology to facilitate the interaction between visually impaired children and computers. The background, technological structure and evaluation of AINIDIU are described in this article. In addition, the process of transfer technology is described, in which a cooperation agreement was signed among Vice presidency of Ecuador, FENCE (Organization of blind people) and Universidad Indoamérica. In this context, Computer Science students installed the software in approximately 1,000 laptops donated by program "Misión Manuela Espejo" supported by Vice presidency of Ecuador. FENCE and students of Education career were responsible for training to teachers of schools, in the use of technologies and Virtual Learning Platform for blind people. As result of the process visually impaired children of 22 provinces of Ecuador were beneficed. The author motivated by this rewarding experience continues with new projects in the Doctoral Program in Computer Science of Universidad de Costa Rica.