Blind boy won first prize in national informatics competition

Nguyen Xuan Quang, 21 years old, a third-year student majoring in social work at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Hanoi, has just won first prize at the 3rd National Informatics Competition for the Blind.

The journey of a blind man to regain his sight through information technology

Having congenital glaucoma, Quang's vision gradually decreased over time, he lost sight in one eye at the age of 5 due to a collision and completely lost sight of light at the age of 13. During that time, Xuan Quang was stuck, locked himself in his room and avoided communication. However, the phone and the internet became the bridge that helped the blind boy return to the world .

He understands that blind people can still integrate and live normally.

Computer class for visually impaired children taught by Mr. Xuan Quang. PHOTO: NVCC

The opportunity that brought Quang to information technology came from the practical needs of studying. When studying with sighted friends, taking notes in Braille was too slow, forcing Quang to get familiar with computers and screen readers from the age of 13 to keep up with the program.

This journey was not smooth, with natural subjects such as math or physics, common screen readers ignore complex symbols. Quang had to explore using specialized Japanese copyright software to compose, accepting slower writing speed due to having to operate through many menu levels.

The passion really ignited when Quang came across the story of a blind brother who worked for Apple. The thought "if others can do it, I can do it too" urged Quang to learn programming on the internet.

The process of self-learning programming and writing code for a blind person encountered many obstacles. YouTube tutorial videos often recorded code screens without descriptions, making it impossible for Quang to follow. He had to find foreign forums, where there were standard articles that supported access to detailed code descriptions to learn. Using tools like Visual Studio Code, Quang persistently practiced programming skills like a normal person.

Currently, in addition to studying social work at university, he is doing an internship in information technology at the Vietnam Institute of Board Members - VIOD. In addition, he is also the Vice President of the Hanoi Disabled Students Club, and has just won first prize in the National Informatics Competition for the Blind in the young member category.

Xuan Quang wants to bring light to the blind community. PHOTO: NVCC

Giving back light to the blind community

Since he started to learn about technology in 9th grade, Quang realized that many blind people still do not know how to use software or support features on computers. Based on that reality, he created a page called "Sharing software and tips for blind people".

Xuan Quang is considered a reliable "expert" in technical troubleshooting. Ms. Ma Thi Phuong, a visually impaired person, shared: "Quang is super good at technology. If there is any difficulty with the NVDA screen reader or Jaws, in general, if there is any difficulty with technology, I always ask Quang."

Not only enthusiastic, the young man's communication method is also highly appreciated for its simplicity and effectiveness.

Luong Tuan Cuong, a blind person who learned from Quang's support, commented: "Quang is often the one who offers solutions to difficult problems. He shares and guides in a very easy-to-understand and concise way. Even those who are learning for the first time or those who have been learning for several years can understand everything."

In addition, Xuan Quang also devoted much effort to teaching computer skills to blind children here at the RB Blind Club. Quang's classes are usually for children from 8 to 16 years old, mainly students of Nguyen Dinh Chieu School or those introduced by their families. First, Quang teaches them basic computer skills, office software such as Word, Excel, how to send emails and read news.

Teaching blind children requires a lot of patience. The biggest challenge is teaching them how to place their hands on the keyboard, because Quang himself cannot see, and he also has difficulty following their movements. He always tries to simplify everything, finding ways to perform functions with the least amount of steps so that students can easily remember and understand.

Computer class for visually impaired children taught by Mr. Xuan Quang

PHOTO: NVCC

Quang's dedicated teaching method has received the love of his students. Nguyen An Chi (13 years old) once shared that it was only when studying with Mr. Quang that he truly understood the lesson, thanks to his easy-to-understand way of explaining, different from others. Quang was also surprised and happy when a student traveled from Hung Yen to Hanoi to take a computer class.

"What others can do, you can do too. So don't be afraid of making mistakes, try with your own ability", that is what Xuan Quang always tells himself and also wants to tell other blind people.

I hope to study information technology.

Sharing a regret, Xuan Quang said that he really wanted to be professionally trained in information technology, but technology schools in Vietnam rejected his application because they did not have a suitable training program. Therefore, Xuan Quang is trying to prepare a scholarship application to study in an international environment as well as develop solutions to support better access to technology for visually impaired people like himself.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chang-trai-mu-doat-giai-nhat-hoi-thi-tin-hoc-quoc-gia-185251203182304726.htm