THE HUMAN SIDE TO TECHNOLOGY
At the High School we offer computers as a subject under the name of Computer Applications Technology which is a FET subject. From Grade 10 to 12 students are introduced and taught how to use a computer, how to use it responsibly taking into consideration the social, health, legal and environmental aspects. It is also stressed that the computer as we know it, does not only exist of the monitor or cellphone we use, but in deed that there is but very rare occasions where we do not use or interact with computers. There is indeed also another face to computers.
The grade 10's were promised an outing during the third term to the National Institute for the Deaf (NID) to meet with André van Deventer, a deafblind computer literate person, if they performed well in their computer exam in term two. This was then indeed what they did. All passed computers with one who really excelled. The grade 10 students were eventually the key not only for themselves but also to the Grade 11 and Grade 12 students, with two Grade 9 students to visit the NID.
The concept of interacting with deaf, blind and/or deafblind people was not new to them. As part of their computer training, an introduction in grades 8 and 9, they are also introduced to other communication methods such as braille, sign language and they are therefore already aware that there are technology which assists people with disabilities.
At the NID we met André who kindly and patiently introduced our group to his life-changing technology, which includes a cochlear implant, induction loop, a cellphone and bluetooth braille keyboard where he quickly and efficiently typed an sms to send to me as part of the exercise, his computer and the speech software that he use with this. He told us about how and when he became deaf, being born blind, and how it affected him.
The students were listening quietly taking in everything that they saw and eventually asked questions:
* How did he experience his cochlear implant when he received it?
* What would he like to see first if he could see again?
* What does he "see" being blind?
These were just some of the questions.
Our excursion ended with André demonstrating how he can very quickly on his own, guided only by his guide dog - Laduma, go to the tea room and restaurant. Laduma led him, steering André to slow down and be aware of speed bumps, holes, and although the young Laduma decided that he had
right of way when it came to an oncoming car, he took André safely to the restaurant. Here we enjoyed a meal with André and his assistant.
With this, I wish to thank my team (my computer students) for their commitment to computers, their behaviour and their interest in their fellow human beings, Ken for his time to take us through, the school for the bus, and of course André, his assistant, Laduma and the NID for having us and sharing with us his story and his technology.
Author: Tanya Joubert - CAT Teacher (August 2010)