Unej students design inclusive geospatial tool for visually impaired pupils

Many visually impaired pupils still struggle to learn geospatial concepts because learning media remain dominated by visual formats. Students from the Physics Education programme at the University of Jember (Unej) have designed an inclusive geospatial innovation for visually impaired pupils to realise equal and inclusive access to education. “Many visually impaired pupils still find it difficult to study geospatial topics due to visually dominated learning media. This issue is important because every child has the right to obtain inclusive and equal access to education as part of the effort to realise Golden Indonesia 2045,” said Santi Desi Safitri, a Physics Education student at Unej, on campus on Monday. According to her, equal and inclusive access to education still poses major challenges, particularly in fulfilling the learning rights of visually impaired pupils. One barrier that often escapes attention is geospatial learning materials or understanding regional locations. “Until now, geography and spatial teaching methods in schools have been dominated by static visual media such as conventional maps, which are nearly impossible for visually impaired persons to access independently,” she said. Driven by deep concern over the urgency of this issue, Santi and two of her colleagues took concrete steps with their innovative idea, embodied in a multisensory technology design that breaks the learning deadlock for children with special needs. “This innovation integrates a tactile map, touch sensors, and interactive audio within an ESP32 microcontroller central control system,” she said. She explained that the tool’s operation is highly oriented towards pupil independence, so that when a pupil touches an area on the tactile map, the system plays informative audio, allowing them to understand the location and characteristics of the region through simultaneous touch and hearing. “The multisensory approach championed by GEOTIVA not only improves material accessibility but also helps visually impaired pupils build effective and meaningful spatial understanding,” she said. This understanding of spatial concepts is considered crucial because it greatly trains their spatial orientation, mobility, and independence in daily life. Through this social sensitivity towards inclusive education, the Unej students hope to spark a broader movement among the younger generation to continue delivering solutions that have a direct impact on society. “Do not be afraid to try. Start from real problems around the community, conduct strong research, and develop innovative solutions that benefit society. Enthusiasm and consistency are the keys to producing the best work,” she said. The humanitarian and inclusivity concept designed by the Unej Physics Education student team has also been tested at the national level, as the GEOTIVA innovation successfully led the students to win third place in the INNECTION National Student Essay Competition organised by Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) Jakarta recently. This achievement serves as an important validation that socially conscious research from Unej’s green campus can offer real solutions for the future of inclusive education in Indonesia.