[Cccnfbw] how to fight disparaging comments about braille

[Mike Freeman]

Eden:

While the problem may indeed be partly due to the disparagement of Braille,
I am moved to wonder if the problem might not be elsewhere. When
transcribing at speed, it will be counterproductive for you to take your
hands off the keyboard. As wonderful as they are, Braille displays make you
do just that; it's one reason I don't use one at home and only for
programming when I was working. Heck; I don't even like Word because of
this; to me, the last typists editor was WordStar. That allowed you to do
everything from the keyboard. But it shows you that, with the possible
exception of jobs such as medical transcription, typing at speed for a
living no longer is as valued as it once was.

I say this even though I'm as pro-Braille as anyone (I wrote this state's
Braille Bill). But Braille displays are not conducive to rapid reading when
you're constantly having to interact with the computer.

Just my guess.

Mike


-----Original Message-----
From: Cccnfbw [mailto:cccnfbw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of eden via
Cccnfbw
Sent: Friday, February 20, 2015 12:24 PM
To: cccnfbw at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Cccnfbw] how to fight disparaging comments about braille

As I am beginning to embark on a plan to train for medical 
transcription, i was quite surprised and stunned to hear the trainer say 
that she felt blind people should not use their braille devices because 
it lowered productivity.  Many users are wonderful with speech, but I 
keep mine at a speed slow as molasses compared to most of you folks, but 
i read 500 wpm in braille.  How is using a braille device going to make 
me less productive?  i also type almost 200 wpm on a braille keyboard.  
Is it wrong to want to use an input method that works just because it is 
not the way a sighted person would enter it?  Fortunately, Mario is 
recommending a braille display, and i have not been told by trainers I 
can not use it, but I have been amazed at the comments i have heard in 
private messages on twitter about braille being dead.  I guess i have 
always believed if a blind person can use their hands and does not have 
lack of sensitivity, it makes them somewhat illiterate.  i realize 
people have developmental issues that keep them from reading, but those 
aren't who I am talking about.  Also, it has been pointed out to me 
that, why should blind people as they can't afford it.  I felt like I 
should be apologizing for the fact that voc rehab or my family have 
helped me gain the things best suited for my needs.  My preferred method 
is to use braille mostly with a little guide from speech when needed, 
and I respect others preferences.  i guess I just feel like many in the 
community and some trainers feel like one size fits all.

Frustrated,
Eden

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