Assistive Technology for Visually Impaired Individuals: A Systematic Literature Review (SLR)

Abstract

Assistive technology is a tool that helps people with disabilities to facilitate their daily lifestyle. Based on the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), children with vision impairments have lower levels of educational attainment compared to typical children. The aim of this study is to identify the assistive technologies that exist in assisting visually impaired individuals improve their lifestyle. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) model is used to identify articles from the database of Scopus, Web of Science (WOS), Research Gate, Google Scholar and MYCITE. 108 articles related to the assistive technology of visually impaired individuals were screened while only 20 articles were selected for further evaluation. Articles are selected in the range of 10 years from 2013 to 2023. The findings of the study were divided into 3 main themes, namely, mobility, accessibility and challenges. The finding reveals that less research and articles found on the usage of assistive technology in Malaysia. Most articles are related to the technical side and the production of assistive technological innovations as well as users feedback. The empowerment of artificial technology for visually impaired individuals should be given more attention so that the government's aspiration in creating a 'Disabled People-Friendly Environment' and 'Education for All' policy can be achieved with excellence.