Students at Arkansas School for Blind, Visually Impaired able to experience solar eclipse thanks to device
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Just weeks out from the solar eclipse, a helpful device is changing the game for blind and visually impaired students in Arkansas.
The Light Sound Device was invented at Harvard University by a group of scientists working together to find a way for the blind and low-vision community to experience a solar eclipse with sound.
Solar eclipse festivals, events in Arkansas
Arkansas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired student Katherine Thacker said she has been pushing for the school to secure at least one for the eclipse for more than a year and is now one of the masterminds when it comes to the ins and outs of it.
She said knowing people like her can be included in such a big moment is encouraging and she hopes to contribute to future inventions to help the visually impaired community.
The device works by reacting to light and then darkness with sound. Starting off with one noise in the sunlight, gradually shifting to a different noise as darkness starts to cover the light.
Some Arkansas hotels charging 10 times normal rates before eclipse
The teacher demonstrating for KARK 4 News said their students will hear every moment of it for the few minutes of history. With a limited supply of the devices, the school will crowd around one outside for those few minutes and hook it up to a speaker, allowing everyone to hear it together.
Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva said once the state learned it would be right in the targeted path for the total eclipse, it was a priority for the department to find a way to allow all students to experience this educational moment.
Viewing the total solar eclipse? Experts say it’s all or nothing
He added that working to provide both visually impaired and deaf students with a better education in Arkansas remains a focus under Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ administration.
“We want to make sure every student in Arkansas has the ability to learn to their fullest potential,” Oliva said.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
