[Blindmath] How many children in America are not taught to read?

Fri Aug 7 13:59:49 UTC 2009

You know, I don't think social security has much to do with elementary 
school kids learning to read Braille from the start. I know I am lucky, 
but my parents advocated for reading Braille in the public school that 
I attended. Braille production has come a long way in some cases since 
the 80s when I was in school. My teacher for the visually impaired 
found grants during the 80s and 90s, and even now, she still finds 
grants to help deal with Braille production costs.

The thing is, interpreters for people who are deaf or hard of hearing 
also cost a lot of money, and even remote transcription is costly. But 
I believe the deaf community in general seems a lot more organized 
about advocating for the things they need.

We really need to stop whining and moaning about production costs, 
because there seems to be money available all throughout K-12 and 
higher ed if you can find it. Literacy is vital. If you can't spell, 
you look stupid - even if you aren't - and that can prevent you from 
being hired.

Mary

Quoting Michael Whapples <mwhapples at aim.com>:

> The cost of Braille production is such a problem. I am speaking as
> someone with a Braille display, something which I probably would
> never have bought out of my own funds (even if I had the money
> available to buy it) but got through my disabled student allowance.
> Also the Perkins Brailler I have is something which has been passed
> down to me through my family.
>
> However all is not quite that gloomy on the price of Braille
> production if you are prepared to do a bit of work, how about Braille
> frames? You can get one which can do a4 paper for £20 from RNIB
> http://onlineshop.rnib.org.uk/display_item.asp?n=11&c=86&sc=334&id=837&it=1&l=3&d=0
> <http://onlineshop.rnib.org.uk/display_item.asp?n=11&c=86&sc=334&id=837&it=1&l=3&d=0>.
>
> And if all that writing back to front and having to turn the page
> over is too much (although it does a lot for making you concentrate
> on what you are writing) then help is at hand with the upwards
> writing Braille frames, which RNIB do for about £30. More info at
> http://onlineshop.rnib.org.uk/display_item.asp?n=11&c=86&sc=335&id=4049&it=1&l=3&d=0
> <http://onlineshop.rnib.org.uk/display_item.asp?n=11&c=86&sc=335&id=4049&it=1&l=3&d=0>.
>
> Also if you only want to produce smaller pages then the smaller
> frames are cheaper and more portable.
>
> By the way, before people ask does anyone still use a Braille frame
> to write stuff, yes I do, they are so much more portable than a
> Perkins Brailler. In fact the one I have (first of the two links) is
> hardly more than a sighted person would have to carry if they carried
> a pad of a4 paper for writing notes.
>
> Michael Whapples
> On 06/08/09 22:17, P. R. Stanley wrote:
>> You forgot the high cost of braille production. Braille displays,
>> embossers, and even the old fashioned mechanical braillers are still
>> far too expensive for the average blind person who has to live on a
>> meagre income on social security.
>>
>>
>>
>>> --------
>>> From: Marc Maurer [mailto:outreach at nfb.org]
>>> Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 3:14 PM
>>> To: Maurer, Patricia
>>> Subject: How many children in America are not taught to read?
>>>
>>> The answer is 90 percent if the children are blind. Most Americans
>>> are shocked to hear this statistic. And we should be. The blind
>>> read and write using Braille, so why is our educational system
>>> failing to teach Braille to so many children? Why are these
>>> children being denied the opportunities that come with a proper
>>> education? What if you could not read and write? Where would you be
>>> today?
>>>
>>> There are three primary reasons for this educational crisis: (1)
>>> there are not enough Braille teachers; (2) some teachers of blind
>>> children have not received enough training; and (3) many educators
>>> do not think Braille instruction is even necessary.
>>>
>>> To bring critically-needed attention to this educational crisis,
>>> the United States Congress authorized the minting of the 2009 Louis
>>> Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar with a portion of the sale of
>>> each coin going toward a revolutionary and comprehensive Braille
>>> literacy campaign.
>>>
>>> Learning to read and write is fundamental to education, which in
>>> turn is paramount to full and equal participation in American
>>> society. This coin, the first U.S. coin to have proper tactile
>>> Braille, symbolizes independence, opportunity, and the potential of
>>> blind people to make significant contributions to society when they
>>> are taught to read and write using Braille. To learn more, read our
>>> report
>>> <http://www.marchforindependence.org/site/R?i=yeymcYhMheQ-y7-mcNDRWg..>The
>>> Braille Literacy Crisis in America, or watch our video
>>> <http://www.marchforindependence.org/site/R?i=8AWBxYZpjpELqegcgZlFhg..>Making Change with 
>>> a
>>> Dollar.
>>>
>>> <http://www.marchforindependence.org/site/R?i=oU7TznrVm6kt3P1O7AWYDg..>Please purchase this unique and beautiful coin now and help solve this educational crisis for blind children 
>>> in
>>> America.
>>>
>>> The law authorizing this 2009 silver dollar requires that any coins
>>> not sold by midnight on December 31, 2009, be melted down. Time is
>>> of the essence--a 90 percent illiteracy rate is not acceptable and
>>> the opportunity to purchase this coin will soon be gone.
>>>
>>> Be part of the solution. Give the gift of literacy. Create new
>>> opportunities.
>>> <http://www.marchforindependence.org/site/R?i=nMVjIeI1iave6Nk717B4dA..>Buy
>>> the Louis Braille Bicentennial Silver Dollar today.
>>>
>>> Marc Maurer, President
>>> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>>>
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>>
>>
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>
>
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