117: Learning Through Touch: How Sensory Education is Breaking Barriers

In this episode of WISE On Air, we explore how sensory education is breaking barriers and transforming literacy and numeracy for learners often left behind by traditional systems. We speak with two remarkable WISE Prize finalists who are pioneering innovative solutions for students with diverse needs and communities with limited access to education. From Qatar, Ramy Abdulzaher, Co-Founder and COO of @Bonocle, shares how Braille-based technology and gamified learning tools are improving Arabic literacy for visually impaired students. From Nigeria, Gideon Olanrewaju, Chief Executive Director of the Aid for Rural Education Access Initiative (@AREAi), demonstrates how offline digital pens and multilingual resources are delivering literacy programs to refugee camps with no internet access. In this episode, we discuss: How Braille technology fosters inclusion and engagement for students with visual impairments The potential of Fast Track tools to transform literacy learning for underserved communities How Bonocle adapts its solutions to meet diverse needs across different regions and communities The role of the WISE Prize in helping scale and accelerate these impactful educational initiatives This conversation highlights how touch, sound, and human connection are redefining what literacy and learning mean in the twenty-first century and expanding opportunities for students who are often overlooked. About the Guests: Ramy Abdulzaher is the Co-Founder and COO of Bonocle in Qatar, developing Braille-based solutions to improve Arabic literacy for visually impaired students. Gideon Olanrewaju is the Chief Executive Director of AREAi in Nigeria, leading initiatives that bring literacy to refugee communities through offline and multilingual learning technologies. 🎧 Subscribe to WISE On Air: https://pod.link/wiseonair Learn more about WISE: https://www.wise-qatar.org Episode Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:27 Introducing Ramy Abdulzaher & Gideon Olanrewaju 01:48 How Does Braille Technology Foster Inclusion in Education? 04:59 Can the Fast Track Tools Transform Literacy Learning? 12:05 How Bonocle Designs for Inclusion Across Communities 18:37 How WISE Prize Helped Fast Track 21:28 Appreciation and Farewell