Vice President Launches “Shaamilu Adu,” a Major Step Forward for Dhivehi Accessibility

The Vice President of the Maldives has officially launched Shaamilu Adu, a Dhivehi Text-to-Speech (TTS) software developed for the Department of Inclusive Education at the Ministry of Education. The launch took place in Malé and marks a significant milestone in improving digital accessibility for blind and visually impaired students across the country.

Developed by Javaabu Pvt Ltd, the software enables users to read and write Dhivehi digital content with ease. It works across Android, iOS and Windows, and is fully compatible with NVDA Reader, Google TalkBack and other screen-reading tools. Importantly, Shaamilu Adu works entirely offline, ensuring reliable access even in environments with limited connectivity.

The project was created to support students with visual impairments by giving them the tools to engage with Dhivehi content independently. The initiative builds on the government’s wider efforts to expand educational accessibility and remove barriers for learners with disabilities.

Extensive user acceptance testing was carried out in collaboration with Aminiyya School and the Blind and Visually Impaired Association of Maldives, ensuring the software met real classroom needs.

Readers can learn more about the project at the official link: https://shaamiluadu.ied.gov.mv/

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