Nelson Mbarushimana, the Director-General of the Rwanda Education Board (REB), highlighted the institution's commitment to enhancing educational inclusion. As part of this endeavour, he said, REB initiated a project to translate all school textbooks into Braille format. According to Mbarushimana, the objective is to make more reading resources available for students with visual impairments. ALSO READ: New device to ease learning for visually impaired students “REB has a department dedicated to special needs and inclusive education, complete with a Braille officer. Currently, some books are already available in schools in Braille format. Additionally, there are plans in place to convert all the remaining books into Braille,” he said. However, he did not disclose the transition timeline. Instead, he emphasized that the government has additional materials in place to facilitate and enhance the learning experience for people with disabilities, including the Orbit Reader. He also disclosed plans for an increase in their availability during the new academic year. “it looks like a computer designed for visually impaired students, facilitating communication between students and teachers. If a teacher has a smartphone, all files can be shared, and students can interact in Braille using the Orbit Reader 20, enabling them to read and communicate effectively,” he said. Mbarushimana said that as part of a commitment to enhance inclusion and supporting students with speaking and hearing impairments, online books also feature a sign language translator. Additionally, to cater to the needs of visually impaired students, an Orbit Reader was introduced as a digital tool, enhancing accessibility, and learning opportunities for them. The year 2022 saw the official launch of the Orbit Reader, with 50 devices distributed to schools. There are plans to procure more units, which will be distributed to other schools. “Disability is not inability, and we want to encourage people with various types of disabilities to utilize available resources in promoting literacy,” he added.
