[blindkid] Braille notes for school age children, was Re: Mountbatten Brailler

Heather craney07 at rochester.rr.com
Fri Jan 22 01:50:52 UTC 2010


Other than a lap top with windows and JFW or a Mac, they already have free, 
built in screne readers, the next most useful thing I have found was a 
Braille note.  It is helpful because unlike a laptop, it makes very visual 
things that are not as simple as literary typing such as for social studies 
or language arts much easier.  Mathmatics, the sciences, the arts, in 
particular music, and foreign language are greatly aided by a braille note, 
vs a brailer, of any kind or a lap top.  .  For example, algebra is a synch, 
because the child can type out an equasion, like 3X plus 5 equals 2 x plus 
ten and then simply delete the two x on the right and delete the 3 before 
the x on the left, then delete the five on the left and change the ten on 
the right to a five.  That leaves them with x equals 5,  and they could 
interact right with the problem, unlike on a traditional brailler, and 
unlike a laptop it is much simpler than combining a num pad with a bunch of 
number row symbols and letter charictors.  A braille note is also very 
helpful for foreign language, as a screne reader will not read the text 
properly, unles you change your speech settings, but that will make english 
things like menus almost oimpossible to read, that and producing accent 
marks on the computer is much more difficult than simply typing them in 
braille into the braille note.  Also, if you are using braille only, and not 
speech, there is no need to use rediculous translation software.  For 
example the E acute in french braille is the same thing as a for sign in 
print grade two braille.  If they simply type in braille they could write t 
E acute l e acute and read it properly.  Having it read with speech would 
try to make sense of tforlfor, but for quick note taking and short writing 
assignments in a foreign language class, that help to generate practice 
conversations, this is very valuable.  Finally, if your child sings in a 
choir, they can wear the braille note in it's case, over their shoulder, 
with it very securely in it's case, and have it hang at their side and 
simply read their words and music with one hand and the thumb keys.  This 
allows for a more normal descrete look, that is less stigmatizing than 
shuffling through pages and pages of braille embossed music.  Also, they can 
jot in performance notes, something they can't do with pre brailled music on 
paper, and the memo function does not have outstanding sound quality on the 
braille note, but it is good enough to take note of the proper pitches in a 
particularly troublesome passage.  Just my two cents.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Holloway" <rholloway at gopbc.org>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2010 12:41 PM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Mountbatten Brailler


> They are neat, but from what I understand, kids also tend to "outgrow" 
> them rather quickly. When we first saw them, I was excited about them  and 
> thought we should find a way to get one for our daughter but I  think we 
> have been far better served by the combination of perkins  braillers and 
> braillenote / pacmate devices combined with embossers,  computers with 
> screen readers (Jaws in our case) and the like. We're  starting to make 
> use of the detachable braille display from our  pacmate now to let jaws 
> show Kendra what is on her computer screen.   There are so many 
> possibilities now-- I'd say explore all your options  thoroughly before 
> you get anything and if you go to the national  convention, don't miss the 
> exhibit hall and look at all you can when  you're there.
>
> All of this other gear will (hopefully) last our daughter for many 
> years-- Kendra is using in first grade most of the key devices and 
> concepts that can take her clear through high school and college. No 
> doubt some well wear out or need upgrading, but not because she'd gone 
> beyond what her equipment can offer-- the sky is the limit there...
>
> If you find a great deal on a used piece in good condition or if  budget 
> is simply not a concern, I suspect you'd enjoy a Mt. Batten for  a good 
> while but long term it will probably end up collecting dust or  being 
> resold.
>
> Richard
>
>
>
> On Jan 21, 2010, at 8:44 AM, Susan Harper wrote:
>
>> Hi,
>>     I came across this new piece of equipment and was wondering if 
>> anyone
>> was using it.  It is called the Mountbatten Brailler sold by a company
>> called Humanware.  The Brailler is made in Australia.  Anyone using  it 
>> and
>> have any pros and cons to offer.  It is kind of expensive, so wanted 
>> some
>> feed back from anyone who might have used one.  Thanks.
>> Blessings,
>> Sue H.
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>
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