REGION — MiraCosta College is now offering free access to a phone app on its campuses that provides on-demand, remote visual interpreting services for students, faculty and visitors who are blind or have low vision.
Upon downloading the Aira app on either an Android or iPhone device, users simply press a button and their phone’s camera streams a live video to Aira’s professional visual interpreters. These interpreters can explain surroundings, describe scenes, navigate or read out loud.
Aira also features Access AI, which allows users to upload an image and receive a detailed AI-generated description verified by a human interpreter.
Aira can assist with various tasks, such as locating building entrances, finding seats in lecture halls, or reading printed materials in the library. In the cafeteria, users can take a picture of the menu with Access AI to receive an instant text response, which can be listened to or enlarged. Aira is available 24/7, 365 days a year, without reservations.
According to the college, this new initiative empowers individuals to navigate campus life more independently and fully participate in the college community.
MiraCosta College student Erik Garcia, who is blind, said Aira will allow him to safely navigate around campus, which is particularly useful while several buildings are under construction.
“They can guide us the way that we need to go,” he said. “It’s a pretty cool thing that we’re getting access to.”
Garcia, whose partner Jasmine Sanchez is also a blind MiraCosta student, said obtaining Aira is just one way that MiraCosta serves students with disabilities.
“The general consensus is that if you need accessibility help, MiraCosta is where it’s at,” he said.
Wendy Stewart, MiraCosta’s associate vice president of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA), said the college is “deeply committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone has the tools to succeed.”
Aaron Holmes, an access specialist for the college, credited its accessibility workgroup for bringing Aira to MiraCosta campuses.
“This collaboration reflects our commitment to identifying and implementing practical solutions that enhance accessibility for all,” Holmes said. “The availability of Aira is a testament to our ongoing efforts to ensure that every member of our community has the opportunity to engage fully with the college’s resources and environment.”
