[nabs-l] braille displays

Fri Apr 29 17:59:18 UTC 2011

Jewel, I also have a Focus 40 braille display and find it very useful
for reading web pages and such. However, I do find it a little tricky
to navigate MS Word documents and wonder if you have any tips.
Specifically, I can use the panning keys to read through a line of
text on the screen, but at the end of the line I have to pann back to
the beginning of the line and use the whiz wheel to move to the next
line. If I keep pressing the panning keys without using the whiz
wheel, the braille display will show some random information about
which page and section I'm on and stop advancing. Have you encountered
this problem? Is there any way to fix it or is this just how the
display works with MS Word?
Ashley, I believe a braille display would be most useful when you need
to read/edit long documents on the computer, so how much you will need
it depends on the nature of the job you find. For personal
reading/leisure books that you do not have to read on your PC, your
Braille Note probably can serve the same purpose as a braille display
connected to the computer.
   Katie

On 4/29/11, Jewel <herekittykat2 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
> Jewel here. I have a Focus 40. For me, the main benefit is not
> wondering how a word is spelled while I'm reading it, knowing where
> the punctuation is put, and being able to read instead of listening to
> e-mails, books, and schol work.
>
> An example: In Spanish class, we have to know how to spell words
> correctly. Without the braille display, I have to listen to each
> letter individually for every word. This takes waaay to long. Also, I
> am given worksheets where I need to put the answer within the area of
> the line. If I am lsstening to this, I have to go word by word until
> it says underline underline underline. With a braille display, I can
> find the line just while reading and can press a cursor routing key to
> go directly to that area.
>
> I had no troulb e setting up the display. It comes with a CD that you
> put in the computer and goes step by step through the process. Also,
> it has a Braille translation key that, when on, translates whatever
> you are reading into grade 2 Braille, whether on-line, in a word or
> TXT file, or hatever. To read a BRF file, you just press the braille
> translation key to turn that off.
>
> I'm still learning how to use the display as a keyboard, but it is
> proving promising. I know how to move through a file without touching
> the keyboard, and am learning how to type using the six-dot keyboard
> (which is actually eight because it can do computer Braille).
>
> I wanted to show someone how much of a difference the dislay made for
> me, so I read a file for the first time via the JAWS speech, answered
> comprehension questions, then read it with the Braille display and
> answered other questions. I got way more comprehension when I read the
> file with the display.
>
> I've never use d a Braille note, but with the Focus 40, I have several
> options for panning, using a wizwheel, two rocker switches, and two
> panning buttons. For examle, I tend to use the right panning button
> for panning while reading a long file, because I can just tap it at
> the end of the line before moving b ack to the beginning of the line.
> When I'm skimming a document, I use the wizwheeel to skim by line,
> paragraph, or sentence. Moving the cursor is easy, like I said
> earlier, by just pressing the button above the cell you want the
> cursor to move to.
>
> If you have any other questions, feel free to ask and I'll try to answer.
>
> ~Jewel
>
> On 4/28/11, Nicole B. Torcolini at Home <ntorcolini at wavecable.com> wrote:
>> What model and KS version of the BrailleNote do you have? You can use the
>> BrailleNote as a Braille display for the computer.
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2011 7:08 PM
>> Subject: [nabs-l] braille displays
>>
>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> I’d love to have a braille display.  If I work for a government
>>> organization or contractor, they will likely purchase one for me as they
>>> have the funds for it.
>>> But privately, I don’t know.  Isn’t the typical display $3000?
>>>
>>> Anyway, as I dream of what I think its benefits are, I’d like to know the
>>> reality of them.
>>> I’m not an auditory person and I’ve just thought that reading the display
>>> via the computer will afford me the opportunity to see the punctuation
>>> and
>>>
>>> spelling you miss with speech.
>>>
>>> So for those of you who use displays, what are your thoughts?
>>> What display do you have?  How does it work?  What are the benefits?  Is
>>> it like the Brialle Note display where the cursor can be moved at the
>>> touch of a button?  Do the pins stay duravle?  If not, how often do they
>>> need maintenance?
>>> If you buy a display to work with jaws, is it hard to install?
>>> Also, can the display show you grade 2 braille in text documents?  I mean
>>> does it automatically convert to grade 2 braille even though its text? If
>>> not, do you have to convert to .brf to run it?
>>>
>>>
>>> Any pros and cons, I’d like to hear.
>>>
>>> I have the display on the Braille Note and do not use speech.  The
>>> braille
>>>
>>> is quiet and works so much more efficiently for me!
>>>
>>>
>>> Ashley
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>>
>>
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