[nabs-l] Braille Under Siege As Blind Turn To Smartphones

Tue Feb 14 04:40:29 UTC 2012

Hi all,
I always get kind of irritated by articles and discussions that try to
pit Braille and technology against one another, implying that they are
competing ways of giving the blind access to print and that as one is
favored the other will lose out. The same kind of thinking can plague
school districts when a child is offered "either Braille or an Ipad"
for example. This kind of "either-or" thinking is sad considering all
the ways that Braille and technology can complement one another to
give a blind person ideal access to information. The Braille notetaker
is a prime example. It has many of the critical advantages of
technology-electronic storage, portability, synchronization with other
devices, etc.-but still requires Braille input for its operation. A
Braille notetaker can be used without the Braille display, but using
the Braille display maximizes the advantages of Braille reading (such
as access to spelling, grammar and punctuation) as well as all the
benefits of the technology. If used correctly, a Braille notetaker can
optimize Braille literacy skills by giving the user daily
opportunities to practice reading and writing Braille. Similarly, if
an I-device like an iPhone or Ipad is used in conjunction with a
Braille display, the user can read his/her text messages and emails in
Braille-a feat that was impossible just a few years ago. Certainly it
was not possible to read texts or play mobile phone games in Braille
until recently even if Braille access to email was available. So in
these ways the expansion of technology only multiplies the ways in
which we can access Braille if we choose to do so. So it is naive and
simplistic, in my view, to assume that Braille and technology are
mutually exclusive ways of accessing information. I hope that more
schools will take these ideas into account when making equipment and
instruction decisions for blind students. Certainly access to
hard-copy Braille is important in the early years of schooling when
literacy is first developing, just as it is for sighted students. But
in later years, just as sighted people see print on a daily basis when
using their computers and phones, why not use these devices as
opportunities to expose blind users to Braille in new and fun ways? Of
course part of this will require the price of Braille displays to come
down so they can become more widely affordable and available. This
will be difficult but I don't think it's impossible.
All that said, I admit that I have myself gotten used to reading
almost everything with JAWS using speech and don't read or write
Braille nearly as much as I used to. Part of this is owing to the fact
that I have decided not to pay the high price of a Braille notetaker.
I have a small portable Braille display but have not used it much, in
part because I am simply used to using JAWS. I still do really enjoy
reading Braille in hard copy and take the opportunity to do so
whenever I can, and I label many things around the house in Braille.
But I have not made the effort to re-incorporate Braille into my daily
professional endeavors, and perhaps I should. Having been a Braille
reader since I was 3 I admit I have perhaps taken the skill for
granted and as far as I can tell, I have not lost it. But perhaps
Braille reading skill might decay more for those of us who were not
given the opportunity to learn Braille until older ages. What are your
experiences?
Best,
Arielle

On 2/13/12, Julie McGinnity <kaybaycar at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi everyone.
>
> I think this article is very very sad.
>
> I have so many uses for braille.  I read my music in braile, use my
> braille note, and own a braille bible that I read from every day.
> Braille is very important to me, and I couldn't do my major without
> it.
>
>
>
>
>
> On 2/13/12, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
>> Hi,
>> I think we have to keep up our skills. Like Anjelina, I label in braille;
>> I
>> write notes and appointment times in the braille Note.
>> I read hard copy braille regularly too; but not as much as I should. I
>> think
>> we need to keep reading regular hard copy braille to keep our skills up.
>> Reading with two hands and sliding to the next line on a page is different
>> than reading a linear braille display.
>> We have to balance technology and braille skills. If we don't, we are
>> settling for second class citizenship and a substandard rate of literacy.
>> Technology can break down and it has limitations. So get out a big braille
>> book or your perkins braille and read/write braille.
>>
>> So how do I keep real braille skills up? I read the NFB viligant in
>> braille.
>> I've read novels in braille too.
>> I make a point to write braille for organization. I like seeing a list of
>> things; its just easier to organize; I list things to buy or things to get
>> done that day. I might write a poem or short reflection in braille.
>> Because
>> I have space limitations, I don't write much hard copy braille. I will
>> write
>> a page or two at  a time. Longer writing I do on the braille note. So, in
>> summary I find small ways like list items, reading newsletters, short
>> stories poems, and small reflections to keep up my braille. I could still
>> improve though. Periodically, I read out loud. I encourage all to do so
>> because its useful to have for reading speeches or other writing to
>> groups.
>> You improve reading fluency with practice.
>>
>> Ashley
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Anjelina
>> Sent: Monday, February 13, 2012 9:49 PM
>> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: [nabs-l] Braille Under Siege As Blind Turn To Smartphones
>>
>> Good evening fellow students,
>> What are your thoughts about this NPR article?
>> Since technology is such a large part of our daily lives, especially as
>> students, how do you keep up with your Braille skills?
>> Besides using my BrailleNote for taking notes/reading, labeling items  and
>> the occasional Braille leisure novel, I don’t have as much access to
>> Braille
>> as I’d prefer.
>> http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2012/02/13/146812288/braille-under-siege-as-blind-turn-to-smartphones
>> Anjelina
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>
>
> --
> Julie McG
>  Lindbergh High School class of 2009, participating member in Opera
> Theater's Artist in Training Program, and proud graduate of Guiding
> Eyes for the Blind
>
> "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
> everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
> life."
> John 3:16
>
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