THE FIRST INSTITUTION FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST TO USE (CALLIGO) APP IN EDUCATION
On Wednesday, December 9, 2020, Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS) received Mr. Faisal Hameed, Director of International Development at Caligo Writing Improvement Company (the developer of Caligo App). The visit is part of SCHS keenness to keep up with the latest international practices, Assistive and advanced technology.
The fruitful cooperation between SCHS and MDS Technology Solutions has greatly contributed to the development of the relationship with Caligo. Previously, SCHS implemented the Apple Learning Program in the Al Wafa School for Capacity Development. SCHS would apply the app in schools and other departments such as Sharjah Autism Center, Early Intervention Center, and SCHS branch in Khorfakhan. In addition, SCHS would also use (robots) in the educational process soon.
The visit came with the aim of following up the Caligo application project approved in SCHS as the first institution concerned with persons with disabilities in the Middle East that the company has cooperated with since the beginning of the current academic year (2020-2021) in order to provide the best educational services.
After the visit, Mr. Faisal praised SCHS's pioneering experience and the positive results for using the app with students with disabilities. He described it as a "model experience" that constitute a successful basis for future experiences.
The Director of International Development at Caligo Company also praised SCHS’s keenness to consolidate the relationships of cooperation with local, regional and international institutions and agencies to provide the best educational and training services to students with disabilities in all fields, including Assistive Technology.
Mrs. Rabab Abdel-Wahab, Head of SCHS’s Assistive Technology Center, spoke about a job-training program that SCHS used with SCHS teachers before approving the application in schools and branches. She said, “During the visit, we used the (Caligo) application to monitor the development of students' performance and skills in writing and reading. Caligo relies on artificial intelligence technology to support students to learn these skills independently through the student's knowledge of his mistakes and correcting them by himself. The teacher only supervises the process”.
She also pointed out that SCHS Assistive Technology Center has provided services to beneficiaries since its opening in March 2014. It also receives beneficiaries of all ages, whether from SCHS’s regular students or from outside. The total number of people benefiting from these services has reached (258).
She emphasized that SCHS's Assistive Technology Center always strives to keep up with the latest and best international practices. The center apply them systematically through evaluation and training of associates and periodic follow-up in order to achieve the best results.
For her part, Dr. Samia Muhammad Salih, Director of Al-Wafa School for Capacity Development, explained that the school uses the (Caligo) application with students of age groups from (5 to 10 years old) as one of their rights to use technology. This corresponds to Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services efforts to protect the rights of people with disabilities in various fields.