A robotic voice leads one to Samar Faruqui’s room where he is busy working on his computer on a sunny winter morning. Sitting on his office chair and sipping coffee, Samar is hearing the latest news from the BBC Website.
This is however not an ordinary situation, Samar is visually handicapped. He is using a software that is reading everything out to him even the commands making it possible to him to use the computer independently.
This special program is called JAWS.
(Job Access with Speech.)
JAWS for Windows is the text to speech solution for the blind or visually impaired individuals, it allows them to work in the rapidly growing computerized world. With JAWS a blind user can have virtually as much functionality as a sighted user and can perform the same tasks as fast or in some cases even faster than a sighted person with the use of JAWS keystrokes. The JAWS text to speech software engine is amazingly clear and accurate and the speech can be adjusted to the skill level of the user. Internet can be easily explored through JAWS by using the Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. JAWS supports the world- wide web, Email, chat and instant messaging. JAWS has given a new dimension to Assistive Technology. Even the slow learners can benefit from it.
Samar Faruqui:
“It has made the whole world available for the blind community,” says Samar. Despite being blind, having marble bones and limited hearing Samar’s achievements are much greater than many normal people. An optimist to the core he has taken the difficulties in his stride and has not allowed anything to discourage him. Special credit however goes to his parents especially his mother who has been a great support for him in his difficult times. He learnt Braille at the age of 7 years, by a private tutor, Mr. Abdul Shakoor, who was also blind and taught at “Sunrise School for The Blind” in Lahore. Due to his tutor’s efforts Samar picked up both English and Urdu Braille very fast, according to his teacher none of his students has learnt Braille so fast.
His mother also learnt Braille to speed up his learning process. He was then advised to take admission in a normal school by his teacher. Samar’s parents approached Mr. Mushtaq Ahmad Bajwa, the principal of Divisional public school, Lahore, who was very cooperative but was apprehensive about the attitude of the teachers and students. Samar’s parents insisted that he should be treated like other normal students, the only thing that was needed was that everything written on the blackboard should be spoken out so that he could hear it. He was admitted as a casual student in Class 2; in his term exams that were held after two months he stood first and was confirmed as a regular student. From Grade 2 to grade nine, he attained top positions amongst a class of 75 normal students. In grade 9 however Samar had to discontinue his studies due to his increased hearing problem
Life was not always that easy for him, the greatest problem that he faced was the non-availability of books in Braille. Initially the Director of Special Education, Government of Punjab arranged to get the books transcribed in Braille. After his transfer the person who replaced him was extremely un-cooperative and told Samar’s parents that educating him was a waste of time and money. Samar then wrote a letter to the then President of Pakistan who responded immediately by directing the Governor of Punjab to resolve the matter. The Governor wrote to Samar’s parents to contact the Chief Secretary. On meeting him his parents were directed to follow the case down the hierarchy. The irony of the situation is that the whole effort turned out to be a fruitless exercise and nothing was achieved.
Samar firmly believes that learning never ends and is extremely well informed about everything.
Despite his handicaps he has lead a normal life. During his school years he participated in all kinds of activities, from being the member of the Quaid-e-Azam society to going on picnics with friend he took part in everything. A confident person and a great conversationalist Samar is extremely popular in his friends. "He always has an encouraging word whenever you talk to him, nothing puts him down", says one of his friends. Samar is an active member of Audio World, The talking Library and has recorded many books for them. One of his latest popular audio Book was "Sunshine and Shadows," the auto-biography of late Dr. Fatima Shah.
Samar has a keen interest in electronic gadgetry. He has a photographic memory and with his sense of touch he has the ability to pick out any audio and videocassette from his stock of several hundred cassettes.
Samar has a devoted interest in music and is an accomplished player of keyboard instruments, Jazz and electronic drums etc. he also composes music along with his friends.
Samar is a great fan of Mehdi Hassan and has made a C.D rom that has his famous ghazals and articles that were printed on him in various magazines and newspapers.
Samar enjoys traveling and has traveled to India and Saudi Arabia. He has also traveled thrice to Canada and United States of America on his own while transiting in Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Dubai and London. "In 96' I heard Late Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Sahib live in Chicago. It was a memorable experience as I independently traveled through American train system since I was staying in the suburbs. My cousin joined me later on one of the stations", he remembers with an amused smile.
Samar on his trip to America in 1996 bought Braille N Speak classic. It is a computer and a talking terminal with its own memory equivalent to 600 Braille pages. All the basic word processing features of a computer are available in it. Entries are made in Braille code and are spoken out in English. When a Braille embosser is attached the entered material is embossed. This equipment can produce Braille material for the blind and thereby provide Braille books, something that is greatly needed. This Device however has its own limitations.
The real change came in Samar's life when he found out about JAWS from a friend, Hajra who also has visual impairment. He managed to get the software from abroad through his cousin. "In a very short period JAWS has become very popular with the blind. The only problem is that it is very expensive and not everyone can afford it. Government should make an effort to provide this facility and should come up with a practical solution," says Samar. "With JAWS you can also automate the Email process. The computer automatically checks E-mails after every twenty minutes," says Samar while offering his favorite chocolates.
Even during the interview the computer was checking his E-mails. "Once you get the skill you discover millions of new features. There is a site from where you can download as many books as you want.
The articles that I download can be read out to me, as I like, phonetically or otherwise. It even tells about the type and size of font and the formatting," he says. Samar has been using this software since October 2001.
" Hajra has just signed in," says the robotic voice on the computer. Samar suddenly turns towards the computer and exclaims, "Hajra is on line!"
Hajra Muneer:
Hajra is a trained user of JAWS and is doing her Masters in Special Education from The Punjab University. JAWS according to Hajra has changed her life. Hajra has Retinitis Pigmentosa; it is a visual disorder in which eyesight is lost gradually over the years. Hajra has partial eyesight. It was discovered that Hajra had very weak eyesight when she was 4 year old. She had a problem in mobility especially at night. At the age of 10, it was diagnosed that she had Retinitis Pigmentosa. Hajra did her schooling from the convent of Jesus and Mary, Lahore. In her later years in school she had to use a lamp. "My matric exam was terrible, it was a new place and there was no facility for me, nobody would read out the paper to me but later in other exams special arrangements were made for me," remembers Hajra. Hajra did her F.A and B.A from Kinnaird. Her subjects were Psychology, Journalism and Persian. "After my B.A I had no idea what to do. Those were bad three years, when life became stagnant there were no options for me. I found out about the computer training in Karachi," says Hajra.
It was here Hajra met Dr. Saeed Khan who had suddenly lost his eyesight. He went to England for rehabilitation and started teaching in RNIB. It is an institution for the Rehabilitation for the Blind. He visits Pakistan twice a year. He has a center for teaching computer where he teaches computer skills to the blind. "When I started the training I had low self esteem and was not confident at all. He has been very kind to me. The basic training took three weeks in which I was taught navigation, E-mail and windows. Then I went again to do Excel access and surfing Internet, says Hajra. Dr. Saeed Khan's wife Dr. Anees is a psychiatrist. On her husband's initiation gave a two-month counseling course. That counseling course changed Hajra's outlook towards life and gave her a positive approach. " I get discouraged but not that easily. You must find a goal and must go on in life," she says.
Hajra initially wanted to do her masters in Psychology but was discouraged to find out that it required a lot of practical experimentation. She did not know about JAWS at that time. She then met Dr. Abdul Hamid who was the Head of Special Education Department, he encouraged her to take admission “I record my day to day lecture and feed the key points in the computer. I use JAWS for my education, information and entertainment. I make assignments, use the e-mail and surf the internet. I read newspaper and articles. Now I cannot think my life with out JAWS” says Hajra. Hajra has been using this program for more than three years and spends almost six hours everyday on the computer.
“By using JAWS you feel that you are in the main stream, you are learning what sighted people are doing and you don’t feel left out. It is a must to know what is going on around us,” she says with a smile.
Hajra is the third one in her four siblings. Her older sister who is doing her M.Phil is her friend and confidant and according to Hajra has been a great support for her.
Hajra feels sad that there is no chance for socializing or a place to have get togethers where one could share the views with other people who have the same kind of problems. There is lack of communication. “I will help anyone who wants to create a recreation center for the blind”, she says.
Hajra enjoys music, movies and dining out. She has also learnt to play electronic keyboard. She has a great interest in current affairs and enjoys meeting people. During her training she got to know a lot of visually impaired people, for that she is greatly indebted to Dr. Saeed Khan.
She is also a subscriber of the Audio World, the talking library in Islamabad. “I met many motivated people like Saima Ammar and Samar Faruqui. Hajra loves traveling and has been to England and has visited the northern areas of Pakistan.
Hajra is currently doing her internship in Aziz Jehan Begum Trust for the Blind. “You have to teach orientation mobility to the blind children. For the children who are born blind, the concept building is not very strong but they have a good memory. It is a difficult job”.
“I want to be someone on my own,” says Hajra with conviction. After doing her Masters Hajra plans to teach and to provide counseling services to the parents on how to deal with a blind child. Family should have an encouraging attitude. They must push the child and give him support Too much attention or sympathy should not be given to the child. “Do not pity and treat the child equally. Parents should make an effort and make the child realize his strong points,” she emphasizes.
“There is hardly anything available for the blind children. Government should do something that this kind of software is available at an economical price. You need to know Basic English to operate JAWS,” says Hajra. This program has opened a new world for those who are using it.
There are few brave and enterprising people like Samar Faruqui and Hajra Muneer who have accomplished a lot despite their limitations. Their lives are like candles in the darkness, lighting the paths for many others like them to follow their footsteps.
