Seeing Success Through Technology

Zaki Bukhari, a first-year law student at the University of Huddersfield, faced a significant challenge to his academic pursuits. Diagnosed with Bardet-Biedl syndrome and retinal pigmentosa in early 2023, Zaki experienced progressive vision deterioration, making traditional learning methods increasingly difficult. Despite receiving various assistive software from the government, Zaki was initially reluctant to embrace new technology, having previously relied on simple accommodations like large-print handouts.

However, his perspective quickly shifted after discovering Glean.

"But I'd say about two days, I got really, really familiar with it. I have all the software I've been given from the government. Glean is the one I use most. It's the one I favourite."

Zaki's primary challenge stemmed from his inability to read standard font sizes.

"I can't read normal A4 font size. It's a big struggle for me..."

Furthermore, the physical layout of lecture halls presented obstacles.

"Another thing is in lecture halls, given seating positions and the distance between seats and the board, it's quite a distance..."

Glean provided a solution by allowing Zaki to record lectures and review them at his own pace.

"...just hit record and just sit there taking information from the lecturer, and then after the lecture, go back in my own time, go through the PowerPoint and look at what the lecturer said and create my notes and understand what I'm being taught like that."

This approach not only improved his comprehension but also reduced the pressure to keep up with the lecturer in real-time.

"It makes it easier for me to stay on track, you know, not having to wait for the lecturer to or not having the lecturer wait for me to finish taking my notes as such."

From initial hesitation to becoming Glean's biggest advocate, Zaki's journey highlights the transformative power of accessible technology. He has moved from relying on basic adjustments to actively utilising Glean to overcome his visual impairment, allowing him to confidently pursue his legal studies. Glean has not just eased his learning; it has fundamentally changed how he engages with education, ensuring his visual impairment does not define his academic experience.

Watch the video to hear more about Zaki's experience with Glean: