Assistive Reading Technology for Blind Children: A Literature Review of Developments in the Last Five Years (2022–2026)

Grace Elinda, Risa Safira Ramadhani, Keyne Berly Clorinda, Emira Nurfitria Muhammad, Anisa Ruwaidah, Qurotul Ishaqiyah

Abstract


Reading is a foundational skill for blind children, yet limited access to sensory accessible reading materials remains a major barrier in their education. Over the past decade, rapid advances in assistive technology ranging from RFID and computer vision-based devices for braille learning, Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Text-to-Speech (TTS) text readers, artificial intelligence (AI)-based smart glasses, to adaptive audio learning platforms have opened up new opportunities to support literacy among blind children. This article presents a narrative literature review of 20 publications from 2022–2026 discussing assistive technology for reading among blind children and individuals, gathered from academic search databases and filtered for relevance to the topic. Thematic synthesis grouped the findings into six categories: (1) tactile braille-based technology; (2) OCR and TTS based text reading devices; (3) AI-based visual assistance and smart glasses; (4) audio learning platforms and AI-based personalization; (5) implementation, perception, and school readiness; and (6) dimensions of context, equity, and family. The review results show that innovation in assistive reading technology is moving from single-function tactile devices toward integrated multimodal systems, but most available research consists of small-scale engineering prototypes that have not been widely tested on populations of blind children in real school settings. Gaps were also found in cost affordability in low- and middle-income countries, teacher readiness, standardized assessment tools for assistive technology skills, and the affective and family dimensions of shared reading practices. This article concludes with recommendations for future research to strengthen child-user-based evaluation, cost-effectiveness studies in developing-country contexts including Indonesia, and the development of standardized assessment instruments.

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References


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