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September 2019 Academic use of smart phones for social development of visually impaired students of University of Karachi: A study of android Smartphone applications by VI students. Dr. Muhammad waseem muhammad zia university of karachi, [email protected] syeda shireen zehra Miss Iqra University, shizehra3@.com

Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac Part of the Library and Information Science Commons zia, Dr. Muhammad waseem muhammad and zehra, syeda shireen Miss, "Academic use of smart phones for social development of visually impaired students of University of Karachi: A study of android Smartphone applications by VI students." (2019). Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). 3026. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/3026

Academic use of smart phones for social development of visually impaired students of University of Karachi: A study of android Smartphone applications by VI students.

Syeda Shireen Zahra1 , Muhammad Waseem Zia2 1Department of Library and Information Science University of Karachi [email protected]

2Assistant professor Department of Library and Information Science University of Karachi [email protected]

ABSTRACT

Smart phones are very common in Pakistan since last 5 years. Smart phone is a mobile phone that performs many of the functions of a computer, typically having a touch screen interface, internet access, and an operating system capable of running downloaded apps. (Woyke,2014) states that the first true smart phone actually made its debut earlier in 1992. Smart phone has now captured the human life at a very large extent. Smart phone has become a part of daily, professional, social and academic life. Students are dependent on smart phones for their academic and social activities. It could be used for dictionary, for browsing and searching a piece of information or interacting with others for social needs. Visually impaired refers to the condition in which a person is partially or completely blind. The VI students have equal information and social needs as sighted people. VI students are a part of society and play an equal role in the social development of a society. Smart phones are helpful in routine academic tasks and social activities of the students. It is difficult task to satisfy their immediate information and social needs using an android Smartphone.

The focus of this study is to show the academic use of smart phone for the social development of visually impaired students of faculty of social science and faculty of Education of University of Karachi. There are 24 departments in these faculties and more than 20 VI students are getting education from these departments. This study aims to discuss the Applications of android Smartphone used for academic purpose and their social development. VI students of faculty of social science and education, university of Karachi identify some specific apps during data collection. These applications will be helpful to increase the accessibility of Smartphone among VI students. The study identified that smart phone is very useful for academic and social activities.

Keywords: Smart phone, Visually impaired students, Academic use of smart phones, use of smart phone by VI’s, Social development.

1. INTRODUCTION The mobile phones offer not only the standard facilities such as voice and text Smartphone is now a days a necessity for communication, but also advanced human life, every task that was supposed computing and communication capability to be complex is now being done with finger more over most of the newer generation of tips smart phone made it all possible. A smart phones also incorporate other smart phone is a mobile phone that features such as on-board personal performs many of the functions of a management tools, high quality cameras computer, typically having a touch screen and recording devices. (Boulus et al,2011 interface, internet access, and an p.3) operating system capable of running downloaded apps.

Smartphone is very helpful for students in equally helpful and important for VI their academic life with all its advance students in their academic tasks. VI capabilities. Whereas Student is a person students can access to the information in a who is formally engaged to a learning very short time with smart phone. VI process and enrolled in an institution. students can satisfy their information Students have different information needs needs and could get help in their academic according to their level of studies some tasks if they properly access a smart phone. needs of which are immediate and others Different types of Smart phones including are long term. Students satisfy their needs Android, Apple iOS, RIM BlackBerry, with different sources and tools. The Symbian, and Windows phone allows concerned students of the study belong to different settings and apps for providing the faculty of Education and Faculty of ease in the usage of smart phone to VI Social sciences University of Karachi. persons. Such as a VI person could enable When students from any institution use screen magnification, enlarge text, adjust smart phones and its features for the color palette and could also customize performing the routine tasks involved in other display settings in order to improve their learning process or for seeking the ability to use a touch screen device. It information is referred as its academic use. is some way helpful for a person with Such as students are now able to search partial visual impairment. A person who is meanings of words through a dictionary app completely blind there are smart phone in their smart phones or browse a needed screen reader apps and other applications piece of information, download books in which runs through the gestures of a different formats and read them on a person. Every smart phone doesn’t support screen of their smart phones easily. every application and not every smart phone enables customization for VI The study focuses on the academic use of persons. These facilities and customization Smart phones by VI students. As about provided by smart phones helped VI visual impairment (World Health students of University of Karachi to rely on Organization WHO, 2006) reports that, smart phone for their academic use and for “There are 4 levels of visual function, seeking information. according to the International Classification of Diseases -10: University of Karachi was established through the parliament as a Federal 1. Normal vision University in 1951. However, through 2. Moderate visual impairment another act of the parliament in 1962 its 3. Severe visual impairment status was redefined as university of the 4. Blindness. province of Sindh. University of Karachi Moderate visual impairment combined with now is the biggest university of the country. severe visual impairment are grouped under the term “low vision”: low vision It comprises eight faculties with which all taken together with blindness represents the colleges of the city are affiliated. The all visual impairment. concern of this study is the Faculty of Education and Faculty of Social Sciences. And further defines impaired vision in five The Faculty of Education, was established categories: in 1970 at the University of Karachi, The Low vision 1 is a best corrected vis Faculty of Education comprised of the ual acuity of 20/70. following three Departments became the Low vision 2 starts at 20/200. part of the Faculty: Blindness 3 is below 20/400. Department of Education Blindness 4 is worse than 5/300 Department of Special Education Blindness 5 is no light perception Department of Teacher Education. at all” Whereas Faculty of social Sciences The use of smart phone having a touch comprises of 21 departments. screen interface by VI students is not as simple as the sighted students but it is

Nearly 20 VI students are engaged in their has increased the accessibility of mobile learning process in these departments and phones for VI persons. this study relates to their academic use of The study discussed Foogue which is an smart phones. eye-free interface and recognize audios and gestures for user input and access. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW Foogue doesn’t requires visual interaction (Watanabe, Tetsuya..etal, 2015) Conduct a at all. Information items and applications survey about the difficulty of using a mobile are audibly represented to the user around phone by visually impaired persons. Mobile the 360 degree space. The sound played in phone companies offered some assistive the headphone appears to be originated technologies for the ease of use for VI from different locations. The users choose persons. These technologies include the application or item according to its customization of font sizes, Screen location with the gestures. magnification and screen readers and these The study further discussed the framework facilities were made available in 2000s. of Neff et al.. which was the division of These facilities enabled VI persons to use mobile screen into different portions mobile phones but the limited accessibility representing different icons .The user and choice of models was still a problem. interaction is done with the gestures. The survey discovered that the difference The next discussed interface is the slide in the usage of mobile phones in VI and rule a “talking touch-sensitive” interface print enabled persons is small. The age which is speech based and user interacts group effects the usage of mobile phone through gestures. There is a set of 4 both in VI and print enabled person older gestures (1) One finger scan to slide a finger group age had fewer mobile phone users. down the list and the device keeps reading Mobile phones with pre-installed the list (2) A second finger tap in which the accessibility applications were found more user keeps one finger on the selected item convenient to use for VI persons. The major from the list and tap the second finger use of mobile phone was making calls done anywhere on the screen to choose it. (3) A every day by every VI user. E-mailing was multi-directional gesture in which the user found to be done not as much as calling flicks to the left to perform the action. (4) every day and using internet is less as L-select gesture for browsing hierarchical compared to emailing. All these 3 major information. functions varied with age groups. Another tool Audiobrowser discussed for Most of the VI users who could see print touch screens in which user can search the were found using large font sizes, print- stored information with both speech and disabled mostly used speech output and non-speech feedback. When the user moves some were found using color contrast the phone its screen splits into two. With combinations. The survey revealed many speech audio user can differentiate users including print-enabled using speech between information display and control output and the improvement in speech display. Audiobrowser supports the output was requested by the users. hierarchal structure. The feedback from (Hakobyan, L. et al.. 2013) Discussed the the user showed that the interfaces which purpose of research as the complexity in supported hierarchal structure were the usage of mobile phones with touch preferred. screen interface by visually impaired Braille displays are also discussed as a persons. It needs more visual interaction haptic interaction for VI persons. One of techniques. Innovations have made the these approaches is Bailletap in which accessibility of mobile phones possible phone keys of the keypad works as Braille using sensory modules other than vision for cells. It is helpful to write . example speech recognition, non-speech Another one is Vbraille in which screen is auditory feedback, haptic feedback and divided into six portions and vibration of multimodal input. Text to speech and different strength represents a character. gesture recognition technology The next one is Mobraille in which a Braille device is connected to the phone

and then it is used for both input and by enabling screen magnifier, Screen color output inversion. In latest versions the options The study also discussed the mobile increases, as the text can be embolden etc. assistive technologies to meet the For Aural assistance the features are challenges in the daily life of VI persons similar to android devices. It has built in such as way finding, shopping, Obstacle Voiceover app to read the screen. The user detection, space perception etc. can select the area from the screen to read (Thomson, Agent 2014) compared the the text and can also customize the accents accessibility options of different mobile given by default and more could be phones with different operating systems downloaded. For additional assistance such as Android, Blackberry, Windows iphones latest versions are easiest phones phone and iphone. Their Visual assistance, to unlock by fingerprints. Iphones also Aural assistance and Additional assistance supports 40 braille displays both USBand has been separately discussed. wireless and also supports braille touch Its described that the accessibility options input app. Thomson claimed Apple phones in earlier android versions were limited but to be best for VI persons. the newer models allows visual assistance 3. OBJECTIVES by font size customization and to use the 1. The study will create awareness power button for different actions like among VI students about the ending up a call. The latest version allows android applications for academic screen magnification within different apps. use. Android phones provided Aural assistance in 2. The study will identify the features older versions by installing ’s of different android applications talkback. The later versions have talkback for VI students. as an app by default and works as text-to- 4. METHODOLOGY speech screen reader. It also supports other The study recruited VI students through applications by its touch-to- identify and different departments of faculty of social tap-to- select method. Additional science university of Karachi. The survey assistance in android phones the support of was designed to take 20-25 minutes for VI Braille devices through Bluetooth and mobile users to answer the questions. The fingerprint reader. survey consisted of multiple question both BlackBerry has similar features but voice open-form and close-form. The questions control is additional which is helpful for of the survey covered the general dictating messages, emails and can place a background of the students (e.g. gender, call too. Some BlackBerry phones have qualification, visual impairment) the usage built-in screen reader app. The volume and of mobile phone and usage of android speed of the voice can be customized and applications and their reviews. The survey the description of information can be was conducted with 23 students from controlled too. When the user becomes different departments of faculty of social familiar, less descriptive information is set science university of Karachi. The survey to be read out. BlackBerry screen reader got 100% response from the students every also understand list of gestures which students answered all the questions needs to be memorized. completely. Windows phone Visual assistance includes font size customization, screen 5. SCOPE & LIMITATIONS magnification, high color contrast, and The study focused the android applications speech control to speak your command. for VI students in their academic activities. Aural assistance in Windows phones doesn’t The study is limited to the VI students of have any built in screen reader. It allows a faculty of social sciences university of third party app “Mobile Accessibility” to be Karachi. Only those VI students are includes downloaded but requires a newer version. in this study who are studying in BS, MA and Apple from its older version is providing MPhil programs. Students enrolled in PhD different features for better accessibility program are not included in this study. The study discussed android applications eliminating the

applications of other operating systems the volume of the talk back and the other such as IOS, windows and blackberry etc. sound being played on the phone itself. If a user is listening to some sound or music it 6. UTILITY OF STUDY adjusts itself for the talk back instruction The information needs of sighted and VI to be audible for the user. User can also persons are same but they have different customize the gestures available in ways to satisfy their information needs. talkback. The difference is because of the reason VI This application is a great help to those students are unable to use the information suffering with Visual impairment. sources like sighted peoples. The study 7.1.1 Advantages: identifies the different android apps for VI 1. Google talkback is a built in students in android smart phones. The application user doesn’t needs to study would helpful to the VI students in install it. the use of different apps to retrieve 2. It tells a user exactly what is information from smart phones. The written. ( including the symbols increased accessibility of smart phones used as emotions like colon and p) would help students become more social 3. The audible assistance is very and interactive. It would help Vi students prompt. to become independent for using a smart 4. It has a detailed tutorial for users phone. using it for the first time. It explains

every step briefly and allows user to 7. ANDROID SMARTPHONE APPLICATIONS perform at the same time. 7.1 Google Talkback: 5. It has an option to lower the pitch back is an accessibility option when the user is typing something. provided in android phones by Google. 6. User can customize the touch Google talkback assists visually impaired features. persons to use smart phones. It gives 7.1.2 Disadvantages: different feedbacks such as spoken, audible 1. Sometimes gestures are and vibration feedback. Google talkback misinterpreted. allows customization to its users to set it as 2. The volume button adjusts the their requirement. ringer volume rather than media Using Google talkback persons with visual volume. impairment can judge what is written on 7.2 Blind communicator: the screen and what options they can This application is for visually impaired select. It tells different options available people to help them using a smart phone or on the screen and what those options a tablet. It is basically a screen reader but perform. The text written on the screen is allows limited actions to be performed such read by the talkback application the pitch, as Browse the web, create and delete voice and accent of which can be contacts, create and delete alarms, customized by the user. Receive and make calls, Send and receive In older android versions Google talk back messages, use a voice recorder and listen needs to be installed where as in newer to the music. versions this app is by default. The app just User can slide the finger up and down to needs to be enabled in accessibility options browse the menu and swipe left and right of the smart phone. to select the option. To type a text user can For spoken feedback user can set the pitch use the default keyboard of the device, use and volume for different applications. User voice recognition, by slide up and down and can set the device to read out the caller ID swipe left and right option or use the in a loud voice. The text user wants to type traditional software keyboard by talkback. can be set to be read out in a low voice. User can answer the call by sliding up the Google talk works on gestures too as the finger and the call is ended by sliding down phone starts reading the screen as the user the finger. shakes the phone. 7.2.1 Advantages: User can choose vibration and audible feedback for different apps and it controls

1. This app reads the screen and 6. User can use dictionary and different options promptly. translator by long pressing on a 2. This app is compatible with all word or a phrase. android devices. 7. It automatically recognize the 3. This app is compatible with language of the text. talkback. 8. User can pause and continue 7.2.2 Disadvantages: without unlocking the phone. 1. This app provides limited actions. 7.3.2 Disadvantages: 2. For third party applications user 1. This app contains add. needs to use talkback. 2. User needs to purchase the app to 3. Sometimes the gesture doesn’t make it adds free. work. 7.4 News Reader for blind: 7.3 Voice aloud reader: This is an application for visually impaired This is an android application which reads to listen to the world wide news and the text in any format. To use this articles. This application is easy to use and application user needs to share the text file support multiple languages. It supports all to Voice aloud reader to read. This editions. This app contains a application supports all text formats. built in article extractor which reads aloud User can share the text from a webpage the clean text. The topic can be selected through a URL and paste it on Voice aloud from the drawer at the left side. Screen and it downloads the text itself and read it reader could help the user choose the aloud. User can also copy the text from topic. After selecting the topic user can anywhere and paste it on voice aloud to just click the article to start the device read. Emails, Articles and different articles reading it aloud. The application is very are shared to voice aloud to read out aloud. easy to use as it starts quick after When the reader starts reading the text the installation and can be quit by just pressing user can customize the voice, speed and a back button. language of the text to be read out. 7.4.1 Advantages: This application differs with other screen 1. It is easy to use. readers in such a way that it only reads the 2. It supports multiple languages. text not the other screen options. It 3. It is compatible with other screen doesn’t read the other text and options readers and talkback. available on the screen. 4. There are multiple topics to be This app is helpful for visually impaired selected by a user. students to read different books, articles 5. There are multiple regions and and documents in a very easy manner. This editions available including is a free android application which can be Pakistan. downloaded in any android phone of any 6. Users can share articles with others version. throughemailandother 7.3.1 Advantages: messengers. 1. This app is compatible by all 7.4.3 Disadvantages: devices. 1. The App doesn’t facilitate offline 2. This app correctly handles and reading. reads the text switches to 2. Recent reviews of the app shows the horizontal or vertical mode as app crashes frequently and doesn’t preferred. load articles sometimes. 3. User can save the articles and texts 7.5 Voice cam for blind: in pocket. This android application uses the device 4. List of articles and text can be camera to detect the text in English and made to be read one after another. then read it aloud. This application 5. The read articles can be recorded instructs the user to detect the text and as a sound file. there are buttons to detect the number of words and number of rows. This application is to provide idea and identification of the text to visually

impaired people. This application doesn’t list of predictive words. It also allows need an internet connection. It needs text Voice-enabled speech input via Google to speech engine which is usually available voice integration. The shape, size, color in all android phones. and the language of the keyboard can also This application detects words as well as be customized. numbers. The full screen of the phone 7.6.1 Advantages: detects the text. This application supports 1. The app doesn’t have errors and five different English accents. Three run smoothly. different reading speeds are also available. 2. The keys are big and easy to touch. User can turn on the flash light to make the 3. Word prediction is very helpful to application work more efficiently. User is reduce mistakes. provided with the voice guidance to detect 7.6.2 Disadvantages: the position of the camera. 1. The app is complex for VI people. 7.5.1 Advantages: 2. Sliding the finger for other keys is 1. It detects number of rows and a difficult method. number of words. 3. Totally blind people cannot use the 2. There is specific button for every app. feature. 7.7 AMagnify: 3. It has voice guidance. Magnify is an app for visually impaired 7.5.2 Disadvantages: people who are not totally blind. Through 1. The app doesn’t work properly in this application a mobile device works as a low light. magnifying glass supported with a flashlight 2. The app crashes frequently. .This app is helpful for reading tiny print. 3. The audio guidance is not much This app also supports different gestures. helping. This application uses the camera of the 7.6Messagease keyboard: device to zoom in on a selected area. It Messagease keyboard is a fast, accurate magnifies the text, freeze the image, and smart way to enter text on a smart invert the magnified image. It uses the phone. People with visual impairment and phone’s LED flash to add more light. not totally blind finds it difficult to input This application has an option of taking text. The difficulty is due to the QWERTY pictures of tiny prints. User can take a keyboard on a touch screen and the keys picture on a ticket, receipt etc and save are too small to be seen. This app is helpful that for later reference or to read it. The for text input and provide fast typing with picture taken can be magnified with simple reduced mistakes. It takes time for visually pinch to zoom method. The colors of the impaired people to get familiar with the image can be converted to make the text app but it is very easy if practiced. more visible from the background. The keyboard has nine keys containing the Amagnify uses the full screen of the phone letters with are used most commonly such and works in both landscape and portrait as A, N, I, H, O, R, T, E. Tapping on these modes. keys will type the same alphabets 7.7.1 Advantages: represented. The keys are big and easy to 1. The app is easy to use. touch and recognize. The less frequently 2. The app doesn’t use more storage used alphabets are also represented by the of the phone. same keys when the user slides their finger. 7.7.2 Disadvantages: Sliding the finger gives the option of other 1. The features available in this app letters to be selected. are provided by most of the Message ease also provides a facility of phones. word prediction and customization. The 7.8. Font installer: user doesn’t need to type the whole words. Users who are not totally blind, font size is The newer version of the a problem they face. Font installer root application allows more gesture allows users to customize their font and recognition and also contains an enhanced font sizes according to their vision. There are hundreds of fonts available for users

to choose the one which is easy for them away from the object for the perfect focus. to read. This application is just a digital magnifier. 7.8.1Advantages: This application works as same as Amagnify 1. This app contains variety of fonts. and have the similar features. This 2. The app don’t take much storage. application is compatible with every 3. This app is easy to use. android phone. 7.8.2 Disadvantages: 7.10.1 Advantages: 1. Font style is not a problem for VI 1. This app takes less storage. persons. 2. It is compatible with every android 2. The app is only useful for persons phone. who are not totally blind. 3. This app is easy to use. 7.9 Classic text to speech engine: 7.10.2 Disadvantages: Text to speech engine reads text from the 1. The app crashes frequently. screen. It reads the documents, messages 2. Totally blind persons cannot use even the navigation. It is an eye free app the app. and a combination of 40 male and female 7.11 noLED: voices for users to choose which one is It is an interesting application to notify suitable for them. users by displaying the corresponding Following languages are available in this glowing icon on the screen. The application application supports notification such as: Cantonese (female), Czech (female), -TextMessages Danish (female), Dutch (male/female), -VoiceMessages Finnish (female), French (male/female), -MissedCalls German (male/female), Greek (female), -GoogleTalk Hungarian (female), Italian (male/female), -AChargingindicator Japanese (female), Korean (female), -Calendarevents Mandarin (female), Mexican -Emails Spanish (male/female), Norwegian -All other 3rd party apps. For example, (female), Polish (female), Portuguese Whatsapp, Yahoo Mail and Hotmail. -A (male/female), Russian (male/female), charging indicator Slovak (female), Spanish (male/female), This application allows customization of Swedish (female), Thai (female), Turkish the notifications as Audio, Vibration and (male/female), UK English (male/female), custom icons notification for each app. US English (male/female). 7.11.1 Advantages: The application reads everything written on 1. It allows the user to open the the screen and also reads out the application from notification icons navigation and the possible options. on the screen. 7.9.1 Advantages: 2. User can select between icons and 1. The application reads everything on dots. the screen and also the screen 3. User can set notifications to options and navigation. selected apps only. 2. The application allows a list of many 7.11.2 Disadvantages: languages in both male and 1. Takes a lot of battery power. female version. 2. The phone if set on vibration keeps 7.9.2 Disadvantages: vibrating till the user checks the 1. The app is same as Google talkback notification. which is a default application for 3. The phone’s screen remains on till android phones. the user checks the notification. 7.10 Ultra magnifier+: 4. Sometimes doesn’t notifies about It changes a mobile device into a third party apps. magnifying glass and helps reading printed 7.12 Ideal accessibility installer: text easily. This application also allows the This application is a complete package for user to change the scene to negative color, visually impaired persons to use a device. It sepia, mono and solarize. User needs to contains Talkback, Kickback, and keep the phone at least 4 inches soundback applications. These

applications provide spoken, audible and 6 26.08% vibration feedback. The application needs Partial impairment 17 73.91% Completely blind to be downloaded once and then it runs in the background with every application. Total 23 The voice and strength of the vibration can Visual impairment refers to the condition in be customized. User can select the type of which a person is partially or completely feedback for different applications. blind. There are 4 levels of visual function, 7.12.1 Advantages: according to the International 1. Supports multiple kind of feedback. Classification of Diseases - 2. User can select the type of 10: normal vision, moderate visual feedback. impairment, severe visual impairment, 3. The app runs in the background blindness. with other apps of the phone. In this study the student with no light 7.12.2 Disadvantages: perception are considered completely 1. The app takes much storage. blind. Student with all other categories of 8. DATA COLLECTION low vision are considered partially blind. Table 1 Table 3 shows that 6(26.08%) of the students are partially impaired and F % 17(73.91%) of the students are blind N=23

completely. Table 4 Male 9 39.13% Female 14 60.86%

Option F %

Total 23 N=23

The demographic data of the respondents in table 1 clarify the presence of VI persons Yes 23 100% in faculty of social science university of No 0 0% Karachi. There are 23 VI persons which Total 23 includes in this study. According to Mobile phone captured the human life as it collected data 9(39.13%) male and is important for both social and academic 14(60.86%) female students are having life of a person. The study has witnessed Visual impairment. the importance of mobile phone in life of a Table 2 VI person. 23(100%) respondents of the study are mobile phone users. The VI F % students use mobile phone for the N=23

betterment of their social life and

Graduation to perform academic

13 56.52% Masters activities.

08 34.78% MPhil Table. 5

02 8.69%

Total 23 F % Table 2 indicates that the VI students are N=23 studying in different programs i-e graduation, masters and MPhil. It is found Google talkback 20 86.95% that 13(56.52%) students are in graduation Blind communicator 03 13.04% program, 8(34.78%) are doing their masters Voice aloud reader 08 34.78% Voice cam for blinds 05 21.73% whereas 2(8.69%) are enrolled for MPhil Messagease Keyboard 0 0% program. Amagnify 5 21.73% Table 3 Font Installer 0 0% Classic text to speech 13 56.52% F % Ultra Magnifier 5 21.73% N=23 NoLED 0 0% Ideal Accessibility 0 0% Installer

The study discussed 11 android applications smart phones. The study shows that the which are helpful for VI students to access improvement in applications would help VI a Smartphone. These applications also help students to access their smart phones in a students to access information from better way and to become more interactive different means. Table 5 describes the use and social. The accessibility of smart phone of each app by VI students. Google talk is by VI students will play an important role in the most used app found among the VI the social development of VI persons in the students. 20(86.95%) respondents use society. Google talkback to access information from 11. REFERENCES their smart phones. Beside Google talk [1]. Boulos, Maged N kamel. 2011. back the second most used app is classic How smartphones are changing the text to speech which is used by 13(56.52%) face of mobile and participatory respondents. Voice aloud reader is used by healthcare: an overview, with 8(34.78%). Amagnify, Ultra magnifier and example from eCAAALYX, BioMed voice cam for blinds is used by 5(21.73%) of Central, 10(24), Available at the respondents as these apps cannot be https://biomedical-engineering- used by the students who are totally blind. online.biomedcentral.com/articles 3(13.04%) students uses blind /10.1186/1475-925X-10-2 communicator. The study shows that no VI [2]. Hackobyan, Lilit. 2013.Mobile student uses Messageease keyboard, Font assistive technologies for visually installer, NoLED and ideal accessibility impaired,Survey of Opthalmology, installer. 58(6), pp 513-528. [3]. Miura, Takahiro. 2012. Usage and 9. DISCUSSION demand of touchscreen interface: a The study shows that the applications questionnaire survey in Japanese which are already installed in the smart visually impaired people, phones are mostly used than the others. proceeding of the IEEE conference Users prefer the apps which are easy to use on systems, man and cybernetics and provide maximum accessibility. The (SMC), Korea (south), October 14- app developers must keep in their minds 17, pp 2293-2938. the needs of a VI person and to design [4]. Thomson, Agent. 2014. Accessible applications which are easy to use. mobile phones for the visually Applications for VI persons are downloaded impaired. Available at by not as much people as other applications http://www.geeksquad.co.uk/artic may be this is a reason the applications are les/accessible-mobile-phones-for- not updated frequently. Applications have the-visually-impaired bugs and crashes frequently because they [5]. Watanabe, Tetsuya etal..2008. A are not updated. It is difficult for VI persons survey on the use of mobile phones to download new apps and then become by visually impaired persons in familiar with its usage and then download Japan,proceedingofthe another if it crashes. The applications need international conference of to be updated and to be made easy to use. computer helping people with

special needs, Linz, Austria, July 9- 10. CONCLUSIOINS 11, pp 1081-1084. Findings of the study reveal the importance [6]. World Health Organization. 2014. of a smart phone for VI students of faculty Visual impairment and blindness, of social science available at university of Karachi. Whereas Accessibility http://www.who.int/mediacentre/ of a smart phone is still an issue. 11 android factsheets/fs282/en/ applications are identified, studied and [7]. Woyke, Elizabeth. 2014.The discussed which are used by VI students to smartphone: anatomy of an access their industry, The new press.