[nfbcs] Using a braille display

[Mike Freeman]

Mike:

I may have a terminal case of synicism (some would say "it took you *that*
long to figure this out?) and Mark Riccobono would undoubtedly disagree with
me, but ... I think there's only one thing educators at all levels from K-12
on up recognize these days and that's the financial bottom-line. Speech
technology is so much cheaper than Braille display technology and will be
for some time to come that parsimonious educators find its allure and
beguilement almost impossible to resist, alas!

Mike Freeman


-----Original Message-----
From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mike Jolls
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2013 5:28 AM
To: 'NFB in Computer Science Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Using a braille display

I think it's safe to say that we use speech where we can.  It's fast, and we
can crank the speed so it's faster than what we could read with our vision.
This is especially true for us partially sighted people who have usable
vision.  We use speech to be more efficient, and its use in that application
cannot be discounted.  I'm using speech at this very moment to quickly
proofread this email.

However, Tracy's email below implies an important point.  Speech is not the
only technology that we should use.  While it is important to be sure, it is
not the only method that should be used by visually impaired and blind
people.  I have not found that speech fulfills all requirements.  It's great
for what it can be used for.  However it is vulnerable, especially in cases
which require digesting complex language constructs where a
character-by-character examination of a construct is required.  This
includes learning to spell, and advanced subjects such as math and science
where you have to learn complex constructs.

In other words, it's great to have that method that covers 70% to 80% of our
need, but we also need a method when we are required to slow down and really
study something.  Or, when we are just learning a subject and we need to go
slow so we can learn the character-by-character details in the learning
phases.  Therein, in my opinion, is the justification, even the requirement
for Braille.  It allows us to examine the details when necessary and may
(depending on your level of vision) do it more efficiently than using a
visual method.

And here's a broader question.

I wonder if our educators really understand the benefits and limitations of
speech?  From what I'm hearing and reading, they are eliminating Braille
instruction in favor of speech because they think speech is all we need.

For us in this group, we already know about Braille.  We can choose to use
it or not.  But you can't use something if you're not taught it.  If there
are blind students that are being denied Braille instruction because
administrators think that speech is the panacea that will handle all
situations, then the students are at risk of being denied the knowledge they
need to move into areas where they can make contributions.

I've digressed from Tracy's topic, but I think this is important.  As I said
in my earlier post, I didn't learn Braille.  I tried to use my vision, and
the results were less than desirable.  I just wonder how my life would have
been different if I had been taught Braille.  I'll never know, but I would
hate to think another person would have to go through what I've gone through
and there was something out there that could have been done.

it's them that I'm concerned about that makes me write this.

Your opinions?

Mike

 
-----Original Message-----
From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione
Sent: Saturday, February 23, 2013 3:08 PM
To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List
Subject: [nfbcs] Using a braille display

I've been thinking about what I said earlier about how I use the braille
display, and I was wrong.  I said I use it to read little bits, and use
speech to read large hunks of text, and that's true.  But I use the braille
display to arrow down through, say, a page of error messages, looking for
the ones that are real errors and not bogus ones.  Jaws is still saying the
beginning of the line, and I've already read the bit in braille saying what
kind of error it is.
I also noticed, messing with my email this morning, that I frequently check
where I am with the braille display, and use the cursor routing keys to yank
my cursor to where I want to be.
I also look at the braille to see where I am when the braille seems to be
changing before Jaws starts chattering.

So, I thought a person with good enough vision might use that vision in the
same way as I'm using the braille display, but now I think maybe not.
Tracy


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