UBIS – Universal information containers for Blind and Visual impaired Students Erasmus Project

Project Title

UBIS – Universal information containers for Blind and Visual impaired Students

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for Schools Only

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation; Inclusion – equity; Disabilities – special needs

Project Summary

For several years now, attempts have been made in various countries to create models and teaching tools using 3D printing technology and new tactile media to help visually impaired and blind students in their everyday school life. The visualization of 3D models in schoolbooks or specifically developed aids for the visually impaired are just two examples of the benefits using the recently affordable 3D printing technology and tactile media.

However, there are currently some problems around this subject for visually impaired and blind students:
– There are no homogeneous guidelines on how to create 3D prints for the blind;
– There are no reference books for specialised schools which would help entering the field of these new medias;
– There are almost no guidelines for special needs educational staff on using these media in the classroom;
– There is no specialised website which offers 3D models for the visually impaired free to download on the internet.

The main goal of the UBIS project is to focus on these 4 aspects. The following paragraphs describe how these problems will be solved.

Through an international exchange of experts in both pedagogical and technical fields, guidelines will be developed on how to design and produce 3D models for blind and visually impaired students. All blind schools and their staff could benefit from these guidelines.

Unfortunately, many schools for visually impaired and blind children are not yet implementing the use of 3D printing, because of their inexperience in this field. As a result, many visually impaired and blind students are disadvantaged. For this reason, UBIS will produce a guidebook, which is intended to simplify the introduction into the topic and the production of 3D models for special needs schools.

A further objective of UBIS is to develop a handbook for staff. This handbook will help implementing new tactile media in education for visually impaired and blind students. Not only will this handbook illustrate the possibilities of 3D printing, but also show by using practical examples the implementation in an inclusive environment in addition to special needs schools.

Finally, UBIS will create a freely accessible database on the Internet which will offer universal information containers free to download. A universal information container includes one or more 3D models, a detailed description of how to use them in the classroom and accompanying texts and additional information that can be shared with students and teachers. A guideline on how to create such containers and the possibility to share by uploading them into the database will be added. This allows other schools to benefit and contribute to the database.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 69123 Eur

Project Coordinator

Centre pour le Développement des compétences relatives à la vue & Country: LU

Project Partners

• LVR Johanniterschule Duisburg Förderschule mit dem Förderschwerpunkt Sehen
• Koninklijke Visio
• Carl-Strehl-Schule
• Bundes-Blindenerziehungsinstitut