'Tech helps students with learning disabilities'

Technology should play a larger role in the education of people with determination, as it helps them become independent, a top educator said.
Fatma Al Qasimi, director of the department of student accessibility services at Zayed University, was speaking on Sunday at a session dedicated to the Global Accessibility Awareness Day, at the Apple Store in Dubai Mall.
She shed light on how implementing technology has improved learning methods inside her classroom. Zayed University has an accessibility dedicated centre with 170 students, the country's first Apple Distinguished Programme for Education.
"I feel we can use more technology for people of determination, because it can do a lot for them. We have a student named Amna and she is visually impaired. She has been using Braille and now watches films and does everything on her iPhone," Al Qasimi said.
"When using technology, people with visual impairment start showing improvement from the start. People who have learning disabilities suffer because people think they are being lazy, but they have difficulty learning. For every learning disability, we have apps that can help them."
Al Qasimi also shared the story of another student, Eman, who has impaired vision. Eman always carried a magnifying glass to help her see clearly. However, that changed once she started using the iPad's accessibility features. 
Al Qasimi's motivation behind helping people of determination has been inspired by her own experiences. She was struck with polio aged three and uses a wheelchair. "When I moved to London, I engaged in activities like horse riding, and that made me very independent. In 2010, I was called to run a department at Zayed University for students with disability. "I thought my country gave me so much and I need to give back to society," she said.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com