5. September 2022, 18:25
Almost a million people in Austria are at least functionally illiterate, meaning they cannot read or write properly. This was the result of the only comprehensive study on illiteracy in Austria conducted by the OECD in 2012. 60 percent of those affected were born in Austria, have completed nine years of compulsory school and still have only rudimentary reading and writing skills.
The life of illiterates is a shameful hurdle race through an everyday life that is shaped by writings and regulations: timetables, menus, package inserts are just as problematic for them as deciphering contracts or filling out forms. Education experts are certain that the pandemic, with many interruptions to classes, will exacerbate the problem. Technical tools such as read-aloud functions, voice control or other services intended for blind people offer help for illiterate people – but does that make sense?