Kissimmee, FL, July 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global learning technology leader D2L today announced that it is entering into a strategic partnership with Aira—an exciting service that provides instant access to information to blind and low-vision people.  

The new strategic partnership was announced at Fusion, D2L’s annual global education and technology conference, being held this year in Kissimmee, Florida. Under the strategic partnership, D2L end users living in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia will be given free access to Aira while using D2L’s Brightspace learning platform, for one calendar year, from July 15 2019 to July 15 2020.

Aira is a service that enhances independence and engagement for those who are blind or have low vision. It uses the latest, personalized technology to connect visual interpreters and navigators with blind and low-vision people, providing them with visual information to better conduct tasks on their terms. Aira’s service supplements the Brightspace platform, an industry leading-accessible learning management system, by removing barriers for their learners and creating equal access to information.

“We are very pleased to join with accessibility and global learning leader D2L to help connect more people to the service we provide—but more importantly to the world around them,” said Troy Otillio, COO of Aira. “Our goal is to help more people learn, work and enjoy their lives more fully and completely by giving them access to the vital information they need on the go.”

Aira’s service, accessed via their app or via a pair of their proprietary “Horizon” smart glasses, feeds visual information through the user’s smartphone or laptop to a live agent. Agents help users with whatever they need—whether that’s reading a document not written in Braille or making their way through complex and busy environments like airports.

Attendees at Fusion are encouraged to download the app to try the technology on-site at the conference, visit them in the Accessibility lab, and attend their presentation and demo on Monday, July 15, 2019, at 11am in Naples 1–2.

“Our goal as a company has always been nothing less than to change the way the world learns—and to help do that, we build accessibility by design into everything we do,” said John Baker, President and CEO of D2L. “Bringing this technology to more people is one more way we can help every learner succeed and unlock their potential—and we’re very pleased to join Aira as strategic partners in learning.” 

ABOUT BRIGHTSPACE
Brightspace is a cloud-based learning platform that makes online and blended learning easy, flexible and smart. Brightspace is a quantum leap beyond traditional Learning Management System (LMS) – it is easy to drag-and-drop content to create engaging courses, supports all mobile devices, has industry-leading up-time, and is built with accessibility in mind for all learners. Plus, Brightspace enables the future of learning with a gaming engine, adaptive learning, video management, intelligent agents, templated interactives for course design, full support for outcomes or competency-based learning, and actionable learning analytics. D2L’s Brightspace was recently named the #1 LMS in Higher Ed by Ovum Research and #1 in Adaptive Learning by eLearning Magazine. In addition, Aragon Research included D2L in its highly coveted Hot Vendors In Learning list. To learn more, visit the Enterprise page on our website.

ABOUT D2L

D2L believes learning is the foundation upon which all progress and achievement rests. Working closely with organizations globally, D2L has transformed the way millions of people learn online and in the classroom. Learn more about D2L for schools, higher education and businesses at www.D2L.com.

ABOUT AIRA

Aira is a service that connects people who are blind or have low vision to highly trained, remotely-located agents. At the touch of a button, Aira delivers instant access to visual information, enhancing everyday efficiency, engagement, and independence. To learn more, visit the Aira home page, or download the app (available on iOS and Android) from www.aira.io/app.

D2L PRESS CONTACT

Christine D’Angela, Director of Awareness, D2L Corporation, pr@d2l.com

Twitter: @D2L

© 2019 D2L Corporation.

The D2L family of companies includes D2L Corporation, D2L Ltd, D2L Australia Pty Ltd, D2L Europe Ltd, D2L Asia Pte Ltd, and D2L Brasil Soluções de Tecnologia para Educação Ltda.

All D2L marks are trademarks of D2L Corporation. Please visit D2L.com/trademarks for a list of D2L marks.