[blindkid] braille qwerty usb keyboard needed

[Marie]

This is an interesting discussion. We have labeled every keyboard (letters only) Jack uses at home and school with braille labeling tape. He's 5 and just learning to recognize that those dots mean something. In the back of my mind I was hoping that I was not only  helping him learn braille but also placement of keys on a qwerty keyboard. 

Marie (mother of Jack born May 2005)
See glimpses of life with my determined son who is developing in his own way at his own time at http://allaccesspasstojack.blogspot.com 
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Freeman <k7uij at panix.com>
Sender: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org
Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:11:20 
To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Reply-To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,
	\(for parents of blind children\)" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [blindkid] braille qwerty usb keyboard needed

I submit that Braille on the keys will simply reinforce the tentativeness in that Kkendra will tacitly be encouraged to feel for the correct key rather than just aiming for it. Remember that touch is different than sight in a search.

Would you put musical markings on piano keys?

Mike Freeman 

Sent from my iPhone


On Aug 19, 2010, at 15:54, Richard Holloway <rholloway at gopbc.org> wrote:

> Thanks,
> 
> I've heard that too but I disagree. I suspect that just as a sighted typist may learn to type visually, then later by "touch" alone ("touch" meaning location, not like touching braille in this case), so it may work, at least for my daughter with the braille caps. Kendra is very fast and capable on a braille keyboard but far too tentative on a conventional keyboard. It doesn't matter if JAWS is on and calling out the keystrokes either, Kendra wants to "know" what key is going to be pushed before she pushes it.
> 
> I see this as a learning aid. Once the skill is mastered, it can go on the shelf or we can switch her back and forth for a while if needed to build up confidence. Long-term, I think it is not a good strategy. Short-term, I think it is worth a try, at least in our case.
> 
> 
> 
>> We were advised against putting braille on the keyboard.  My son just learned by orienting to the home row and he's a good typist.
>> 
>> Sally Thomas
>> ----- Original Mess
> 
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