THE PROGUIDE PROJECT

The ProGUIDE project wants to help improving the possibilities for visually impaired persons, especially in education and working life. We have chosen three key professions for the visually impaired: sound engineers, musicians and producers. Many visually impaired sound engineers lost their jobs when digital technology was introduced and the new technology showed to be inaccessible for them.

Within the ProGUIDE project, we have undertaken three steps to change this situation:

• A survey of current needs and prerequisites;
• The development of software to make the technology accessible, including a handbook for the visually impaired, and
• The creation of a lasting forum for the dissemination of the project's results to facilitate further development of these professions.

Through the ProGUIDE project we show the visually impaired new prospects for education and employment. A large number of authorities, companies and users have a possibility to pay attention to the need to improve the possible number of professions for visually impaired.

With the help of the ProGUIDE project we have established an adapted a reliable and flexible platform for visually impaired sound engineers, musicians and producers. With the help of the SADiE 5 software, the scalable hardware, the Papenmeier Braille technology and the screen reader adaptations, the visually impaired users can be independent in their daily work. The SADiE is divided into three different categories; the BB2 for the laptop, the LRX2 for on-location recording and project studios, H64/128 for the recording studio. The technical adaptation proposed by the ProGUIDE group refers to all these different types of audio work: recording, processing, mastering and broadcasting.

Sound Engineers rely on a flexible platform and a range of useful plug-ins, musicians build their project studio around the powerful engine of the SADiE system, and producers offer their customers the materials in various formats and resolutions with the help of the applications.

The Svefi Academy currently offers training in a real environment for visually impaired users. We in the project group think that this is a winning concept for the visually impaired users who want to enter the labour market. The SADiE system with the Papenmeier Braille display and the adapted Jaws screen reader allows blind people to take job opportunities that were inaccessible before. This Solution provides a chance to broaden the labour market and job opportunities. The quality of the SADiE system is close to perfection and the adaptation makes it possible for the target group to use it.

Here you can find an informative YouTube video of the ProGuide Project and the Saide system.

The partnership consists of a training organisation, a labour market authority, special interest organisations, and companies focused on technical aids and music.

Follow this link to see contact information for the project partners