On the 19th, visited Gwangju Segwang School for the visually impaired
LGU+ supports ICT devices at 'Segwang Dream Library'
Helps with night self-study and activities... A space for dreams and challenges
"I am creating videos using editing programs on a donated laptop. My dream is to work as a freelance video creator while doing psychological counseling." (Shin Hyunseong (16), a student at Gwangju Segwang School)
On the afternoon of the 19th, at Gwangju Segwang School Segwang Dream Library, announcers Da-won Kim and Seon-mi Lee, members of the broadcasting club, are hosting Visible Radio. Photo by Seoyul Hwang chestnut@
On the 19th, we visited the Segwang Dream Library at Gwangju Segwang School. It was the day of the broadcasting club meeting. "Today's broadcast topic is MBTI," announcer Kim Dawon (16) read the script by swiping her finger from left to right on the braille information terminal. Dawon and Lee Seonmi (17) read the script for the 'Visible Radio,' and the seven members, excluding the engineer, gave feedback during the meeting. As the broadcasting club leader Moon Seonhye (17) swiped down the touch screen of the smart podium in sync with the reading speed, the large-letter script flashed across the screen. Engineer Hyunseong was focused on the script displayed on the large laptop screen.
Gwangju Segwang School is a special school for the visually impaired, educating 106 students from kindergarten to high school. Among them, 42 students are totally blind, and 64 have low vision. In November last year, on 'Korean Braille Day,' 120 braille storybooks along with ICT devices such as smart podiums and laptops for low-vision students were donated. This is one of the cases of the 'U+ Hope Library' project by LG Uplus in partnership with the social welfare foundation Heart Heart Foundation to support visually impaired students.
LG Uplus's support helps visually impaired youth with their learning and activities. The smart podium features a touch screen designed for visually impaired users who find it difficult to recognize the mouse cursor, and the monitor angle can be adjusted without needing to lean in closely to operate the device. Teacher Lim Byungjin said, "Students find it hard to recognize the mouse cursor, but being able to control it by hand is great. It also helps when conducting classes or external lectures."
Gwangju Segwang School teacher Lim Byung-jin is zooming in on the smart desk touch screen with his hand. Photo by Hwang Seoyul chestnut@
Hyunseong said, "I am glad that I can run large editing programs like 'Premiere' on the laptop I received last year." The laptop is also used during high school students' night self-study time to watch EBS internet lectures, and SenseReader (a screen reading program) is installed on the laptop for totally blind students. The reading magnifier is one of the teaching aids frequently used during night self-study time by students preparing for entrance exams.
The library has become a space for dreams and challenges. When asked why they joined the broadcasting club, Lee said she aspired to join after seeing senior Heo Woori, a KBS announcer. Yong Yeonsu (10) said he joined because he wanted to share information with friends. Lee Gwoneun (15), who wants to become a YouTube creator, gave an honest answer, "To gain popularity," which caused laughter. Gwoneun uploads videos of himself singing on the school's YouTube account.
Meanwhile, LG Uplus has been running the 'U+ Hope Library' project at eight special schools for the visually impaired nationwide since 2017. In the same year, it donated over 2,000 AI speakers to visually impaired households and braille libraries, and since 2013, it has been producing 'U+ Hope Books' to guarantee the reading rights of the visually impaired.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
