Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Seeking to support the blind via technology that allows access to education, culture and integration into social networks, Dr. Alvarez Gomez and the Mexico Initiative have pioneered the Education and Culture for the Blind program, which offers primary and secondary computer training courses for the vision impaired.

With this course, the blind can obtain elementary or secondary certificates to facilitate the process of reading together on a computer. The system reads the contents, is easy to operate, and works with the function keys on the keyboard. No computer skills are required because the adjustment period is fast.

"We developed all the material required for the study of primary and secondary certification according to the model of education for life and work of the INEA, which we have in a computer system."

The system's creators have developed a library with 10,000 books which can be read page by page, with a variety of voices and with the advantage that the computer automatically remembers the last page read.

"We have a wide variety of books, from classics to very current. We're also offering other possibilities, such as music, and we are developing programs that allow students to write music, compose, perform or listen to music, essentially converting the computer keyboard to the keyboard equivalent of a musical instruments," Dr. Alvarez Gomez said.

The project is already operating in Puerto Vallarta, Zacatecas and Queretaro, with the plan that initiated in Puerto Vallarta. Gomez Alvarez emphasizes that the project seeks to support the blind via technology so that they can have access to education, culture, integration into social networks, and other means of support.

Dr. Alvarez Gomez initiated the Education and Culture for the Blind project through the Mexico Initiative organization because he considered it a good platform to promote the work, and he hopes that this will enable dissemination of the project to other cities.

He stressed that he is also seeking other sources of support for the project. Currently the project is a personal and team effort, as they do not have any sponsors.

Reports from the 2010 census conducted by the INEGI in Puerto Vallarta indicate that there are about 500 blind people in this city, and the project is currently working with about 50 people in Jalisco.

In Mexico there are 5 million disabled people who need various types of support. Of the 5 million, 27% suffer visual impairment, and at least 1,700,000 are blind.

It is known that among the blind community there is a high percentage of people who have failed to complete their primary or secondary scholastic levels, and the figure may be as high as 80%. The doctor says he deeply regrets that in the 21st century there continues to be discrimination against people living with disabilities, and not just the blind.

Dr. Miguel Alvarez Gomez has a doctorate in Education with a specialization in Educational Technology. For many years he has created technology for the blind, and he has a broad knowledge of how these technologies should function in order to provide the most support.

Originally from Tamaulipas, Dr. Alvarez Gomez has lived in Puerto Vallarta for eight years, during which time he's dedicated himself to teaching at the Centro Universitario de la Costa de la Universidad de Guadalajara.

Education and Culture for the Blind is a project coming out of Puerto Vallarta to Mexico and it offers a chance to light up the dark world of the blind.

Those who would like to know more about the project and those who wish to participate may request further information at malvarezpv(at)hotmail.com.