A Virtual Assistant on Campus for Blind and Low Vision Students

I want to make the most of my college experience…pass the courses I need to get into law school, make new friends, and travel. Maybe study abroad. These are the sentiments of one undergraduate student. These goals are not so different from those of hundreds of students attending college, yet, the mere fact she is blind creates a completely different perspective. This exploratory study seeks to learn how undergraduate students who are blind or have low vision (BLV), experience Aira, an augmented reality application, as a visual interpreter, in post-secondary settings. Semi-structured interviews illuminated three major themes: (a) accessibility impacts productivity, (b) incidental learning affects social interactions, and (c) sense of self. Theoretical conclusions are made on how Aira positively contributes to a complete college experience for students who are BLV, as outlined in the Seven Vectors of Identification Development (Chickering & Reisser, 1993)