SELF-VOICING BROWSER ENHANCING ACCESSIBILITY IN VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE BLIND

In this new technology age, teaching and learning constantly involves online technology that influences education field. This new technology, namely virtual learning is still a new turf that needs study and perfection to ensure the quality of teaching and learning is persistent, especially for those with special needs. This paper emphasizes on the issues related to the virtual learning environment and the self voicing browser as an assistive tool that enhances accessibility for the blind learners. Moreover, this paper would also look into the problems faced by the blind learners in accessing information through the virtual learning environment. This paper would also include interviews conducted with the blind learners from the Malaysian Association of the Blind (MAB), Persatuan Orang Cacat Penglihatan Islam Malaysia (PERTIS), Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tunku Abdul Malik, Alor Setar, Universiti Malaya and also the Open University, Kuala Lumpur. Finally, this paper will highlight the effectiveness of self-voicing browser as a tool in enhancing accessibility in virtual learning environment for the blind learners based on the interviews conducted. In addition to this, it is hopeful that this paper could contribute a small insight regarding the selfl- voicing browser as an assistive technology that supports virtual learning environment among the blind learners in Malaysia.