Empowering Accessibility in Higher Education: The Assistive System for University Students with Visual Impairment

International Journal of Electrical and Electronics Engineering

© 2025 by SSRG - IJEEE Journal

Volume 12 Issue 9

Year of Publication : 2025

Authors : Md Rakibul Hassan Sheam, Md Tanjil Sarker, Md Mojnur Rahman, Fahad Bin Jahed, Zarina Binti Che Embi, Fahmid Al Farid, Gobbi Ramasamy, Hezerul Abdul Karim

10.14445/23488379/IJEEE-V12I9P115

How to Cite?

Md Rakibul Hassan Sheam, Md Tanjil Sarker, Md Mojnur Rahman, Fahad Bin Jahed, Zarina Binti Che Embi, Fahmid Al Farid, Gobbi Ramasamy, Hezerul Abdul Karim, "Empowering Accessibility in Higher Education: The Assistive System for University Students with Visual Impairment," SSRG International Journal of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, vol. 12,  no. 9, pp. 148-158, 2025. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23488379/IJEEE-V12I9P115

Abstract:

The accessibility of higher education for students with visual impairments is critical to fostering an inclusive academic environment. This study introduces a novel assistive system designed to enhance the educational experience of blind university students through advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and augmented reality. The system features functionalities like text-to-speech conversion, campus navigation aids, and integration with digital learning platforms. A user-centered design approach ensures usability and accessibility, addressing students' unique needs. This research outlines the system's conceptual framework, methodology, and technological components, while presenting findings on its effectiveness in improving accessibility and satisfaction among users. The study concludes with a discussion on future enhancements, emphasizing the importance of such systems in promoting inclusivity and independence in higher education.

Keywords:

Accessibility, Higher education, Blind students, Assistive technology, Digital learning, Educational technology.

References:

[1] Payal Sharma, “Inclusive Practices in Higher Education: Supporting College Students with Disabilities,” Global International Research Thoughts, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 12-17, 2016.
[Publisher Link]
[2] Melissa Ng Lee, Yen Abdullah, and See Ching Mey, “Employment of People with Disabilities in Malaysia: Drivers and Inhibitors,” International Journal of Special Education, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 112-124, 2011.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[3] Brigid M. Noonan et al., “Challenge and Success: A Qualitative Study of the Career Development of Highly Achieving Women with Physical and Sensory Disabilities,” Journal of Counseling Psychology, vol. 51, no. 1, pp. 68-80, 2004.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[4] ADCET, Inclusive Teaching: Blind and Vision Impaired, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.adcet.edu.au/inclusive-teaching/specific-disabilities/blind-vision-impaired
[5] Rupert R.A. Bourne et al., “Global Prevalence of Blindness and Distance and Near Vision Impairment in 2020: Progress Towards the Vision 2020 Targets and What the Future Holds,” Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, vol. 61, no. 7, pp. 2317-2317, 2020.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[6] Projected Change in Vision Loss 2020 to 2050, The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://visionatlas.iapb.org/
[7] Md. Tanjil Sarker, Sanjida Noor, and Dr. Uzzal Kumar Acharjee, “Basic Application and Study of Artificial Neural Networks,” Journal of Multidisciplinary Research Hub, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 1-12, 2017.
[Google Scholar]
[8] Fahmid Al Farid et al., “Single Shot Detector CNN and Deep Dilated Masks for Vision-Based Hand Gesture Recognition from Video Sequences,” IEEE Access, vol. 12, pp. 28564-28574, 2024.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[9] Md. Tanjil Sarker, and Gobbi Ramasamy, “Optimal Signal Design in System Identification for Model Predictive Control (MPC),” IEEE Access, vol. 11, pp. 140229-140237, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[10] Wenwen Cao, and Zhonggen Yu, “The Impact of Augmented Reality on Student Attitudes, Motivation, and Learning Achievements-A Meta-Analysis (2016-2023),” Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 1-12, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[11] Md. Tanjil Sarker, Ai Hui Tan, and Timothy Tzen Vun Yap, “Performance Evaluation of Iterative Signal Design for System Identification,” 2022 IEEE International Conference on Automatic Control and Intelligent Systems (I2CACIS), Shah Alam, Malaysia, pp. 203-208, 2022.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[12] Craig A. Hammond, Hope, Utopia and Creativity in Higher Education: Pedagogical Tactics for Alternative Futures,” Bloomsbury Publishing, 2017.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[13] Tali Rappaport, “Text-to-speech Technology for Students with Specific Learning Disabilities,” California State University, San Marcos, 2020.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[14] Liza Hakobyan, and Naira Grigoryan, “Innovative Solutions for Learners with Visual Impairments,” Armenian Journal of Special Education, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 31-42, 2024.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[15] Chien Chou, Hsinyi Peng, and Chun-Yu Chang, “The Technical Framework of Interactive Functions for Course-Management Systems: Students’ Perceptions, Uses, and Evaluations,” Computers & Education, vol. 55, no. 3, pp. 1004-1017, 2010.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[16] Munyaradzi Maravanyika, “Determining the Most Important Features for Designing a Smart Recommender Framework in E-Learning Systems: An Investigation Using the Delphi Study Method,” International Conference on Data Science and Big Data Analysis, Indore, India, pp. 535-548, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[17] Minhong Wang, E-Learning in the Workplace, 1st ed., Springer Cham, pp. 41-53, 2018.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[18] Georgios Georgiadis, and Geert Poels, “Enterprise Architecture Management as a Solution for Addressing General Data Protection Regulation Requirements in a Big Data Context: A Systematic Mapping Study,” Information Systems and e-Business Management, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 313-362, 2021.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[19] Ashraf Darwish et al., “The Impact of the Hybrid Platform of Internet of Things and Cloud Computing on Healthcare Systems: Opportunities, Challenges, and Open Problems,” Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Humanized Computing, vol, 10, no. 10, pp. 4151-4166, 2019.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[20] Yekyung Lee, and Jihyun Lee, “A Checklist for Assessing Blind Users’ Usability of Educational Smartphone Applications,” Universal Access in the Information Society, vol. 18, no. 2, pp. 343-360, 2019.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[21] Tanjil Sarker, Al Mamun Sarker, and Uzzal Kumar Acharjee, “Calculating Student Performance of Jagannath University using Artificial Neural Network,” International Journal of Innovative Research in Computer and Communication Engineering, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 1111-1117, 2017.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[22] Most. Tamanna Khatun et al., “Doctor House: A Telemedicine Health Service for People in Remote Areas of Bangladesh,” 2025 International Conference on Electrical, Computer and Communication Engineering (ECCE), Chittagong, Bangladesh, pp. 1-6, 2025.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[23] Robert J. Marzano, The Art and Science of Teaching: A Comprehensive Framework for Effective Instruction, Ascd, 2007.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]