The Kasi Learning System – Providing Blind and Low Vision Students Independence in Studying Diagrams

Usable accommodations for students who rely on senses other than vision have not kept pace with the rapid evolution of educational materials to digital format. This trend poses the risk of deselecting Blind and Low Vision (BLV) students from studying fields, such as chemistry, that rely heavily on the use of visuals for communication of ideas and concepts. Practices of adding in accessibility afterwards, by either the producer or school support staff, are generally resource intensive, often do not provide a comparable experience, and are not amenable to dynamic interactive visuals. The Kasi Learning System was built with accessibility at the forefront to provide equitable experiences to students regardless of their visual level. Kasi combines digital interactives with tactile manipulatives and audio-based Augmented Reality to provide a multisensory learning experience. Reported are the design principles and findings from a usability and feasibility study of a prototype of Kasi with ten BLV high school students. Findings from the study indicate that students who used Kasi felt more independent and able to study chemistry. The study also revealed that students who do not regularly rely on their auditory channel for accessing information took longer to become proficient with using the system.