{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1717059,
        "msgid": "learning-javanese-script-now-possible-by-touch-braille-version-available-1777895646",
        "date": "2026-05-04 17:50:47",
        "title": "Learning Javanese Script Now Possible by Touch, Braille Version Available",
        "author": "",
        "source": "CNBC",
        "tags": "",
        "topic": "Social Policy",
        "summary": "In a bid to enhance inclusive education, a University of Indonesia student has developed Sandhya-Braille, a tactile system for learning Javanese script tailored for the visually impaired, addressing the severe lack of accessible materials in Indonesia where only 5% of textbooks are disability-friendly. This innovation adapts Braille to the syllabic structure of Javanese, promoting independent learning and cultural literacy, in line with global Sustainable Development Goals for quality education and reducing inequalities. While promising, challenges remain in scaling production and distribution due to high costs.",
        "content": "<p>The issue of inclusive education has resurfaced during the\ncommemoration of National Education Day 2026. In Indonesia, access to\nreading materials for the visually impaired remains extremely limited,\neven for basic resources such as textbooks and cultural literacy\nmaterials.<\/p>\n<p>Data from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and\nTechnology indicates that by the end of 2024, only around 5% of\ntextbooks and general reading materials are available in\ndisability-friendly formats, such as Braille or audio. Globally, the\nWorld Blind Union records that more than 90% of written works are\ninaccessible to the visually impaired.<\/p>\n<p>This situation is not only about limitations in educational access\nbut also risks causing the younger generation to lose connection with\ncultural heritage, including regional scripts like Javanese script.<\/p>\n<p>Amid this, Nayla Marinlee Auramadina, a student in the Javanese\nLiterature programme at the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, University of\nIndonesia, is offering a solution. She has developed a Braille-based\nJavanese script learning system named Sandhya-Braille.<\/p>\n<p>Unlike conventional Braille methods that follow Latin letter\npatterns, this system is designed to adapt to the syllabic structure of\nJavanese script. With this approach, she says, learning is no longer per\nletter but directly to sound units, making it easier for the visually\nimpaired to understand.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis approach makes the learning process more systematic and aligned\nwith the structure of the Javanese language, allowing users to learn\nmore independently,\u201d Marin stated in her explanation, quoted on Monday\n(4\/5\/2026).<\/p>\n<p>Sandhya-Braille was developed using linguistic, mathematical, and\npedagogical approaches. The system includes mapping of special codes to\ntransformation rules for symbols that can be read tactilely or through\ntouch.<\/p>\n<p>Marin says Sandhya-Braille not only serves as a reading aid for the\nblind but also as a model for inclusive learning that can be expanded to\nbroaden access to cultural literacy.<\/p>\n<p>She hopes that the system she developed does not stop as an academic\nproject but can be truly implemented so that the visually impaired can\nlearn Javanese script and even access ancient manuscripts.<\/p>\n<p>This effort is seen as aligned with global targets in the Sustainable\nDevelopment Goals (SDGs), particularly on quality education and reducing\ninequalities. Nevertheless, challenges persist, such as the relatively\nhigh production costs for developing and distributing this learning\nsystem widely.<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/learning-javanese-script-now-possible-by-touch-braille-version-available-1777895646",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}