In this study, as teaching materials of early Braille education for visually-impaired children, we propose a Braille learning support system, which they play touching Braille by using tablet devices. The proposed system provides auditory and tactile feedback in conjunction with finger movement touching Braille, relying on placing conventional Braille teaching materials on the touchscreen surface of a tablet device. In doing so, the system is effective in point of making user to touch and trace Braille actively and accurately, linking own finger movement with sound. Also, we entertain that the system can be used as motivational teaching material in early stage of Braille education. In addition, because that consists of the system is simplified based on product on products for sale generally and widely distributed in Braille education, the system is estimated using widely. In this paper, we describe about the process of development, system, and consideration through exhibition of the system.

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The use of large screen smartphones has been increasing yearly. Large screens have many advantages in that they can display a lot of information at once. However, when people operate smartphones with one hand, several usability problems can occur due to the posture of the user’s hand when holding the device. Among those problems, a significant one we have noticed was that it is difficult to reach the top of the screen with the thumb. In this paper, we propose “IndexAccess”: a system to assist the one-handed operation of comparatively large smartphones by pulling down the GUI on the screen by back-of-device operation using one’s finger (excluding the thumb). In this study, we implemented the IndexAccess system with an application for iOS and a sensor module. After this, we conducted an experiment to investigate the performance and effectiveness of this system on usability by comparing it with Apple’s Reachability in an experiment. Consequently, IndexAccess enables the participants to point more rapidly in the upper half area of screen than Reachability. On the other hand, the participants touched slower in the lower half of the screen than Reachability. It is thought that one of the reasons for this is the prototype was detecting the position of the index finger and moving the display at all times. Consequently, we will improve the usability of IndexAccess by using a pressure-sensitive touch panel instead of a photo-reflective sensor. We will also attempt to move the display not only vertically but horizontally.

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In this research we explored various approaches for the design of an outreach program that worked as an educational support tool from a museum to schools. We developed a loan kit that provided teachers with a variety of activities included in a lesson-plan that they could easily insert into their regular curriculum. With the use of tablets for expanding content from textbooks via augmented reality and introducing replicas for hands-on learning along with digital content, we created a lesson that was engaging for the students and also presented the educational content from the museum. Furthermore, a session with a professor from the museum was also included as part of the lesson. In this section, the students had the opportunity to speak directly with an expert from the museum. "The human body and its movement" loan kit was developed and tested in three schools from Miyazaki Prefecture, the process of its production and our findings from the tests are presented in this document.

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