[blindkid] Braille notes for school age children, was Re: Mountbatten Brailler

Sat Jan 23 03:35:37 UTC 2010

Heather:

I think your $0.02 is worth $0.01, at least for music. Much better to use 
paper braille music because one can read the words with one hand and the 
music notation with the other.

And with regard to math, I don't think one should use the ability of a 
Braille Note to erase parts of an equation to substitute for analytical 
thinking. And it won't handle complex fractions. I still favor everything up 
thru calculus on the Perkins Brailler.

Yes, I'm a neo-Luddite. (grin)

Mike Freeman

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Heather" <craney07 at rochester.rr.com>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2010 5:50 PM
Subject: [blindkid] Braille notes for school age children,was Re: 
Mountbatten Brailler

> Other than a lap top with windows and JFW or a Mac, they already have 
> free, built in screne readers, the next most useful thing I have found was 
> a Braille note.  It is helpful because unlike a laptop, it makes very 
> visual things that are not as simple as literary typing such as for social 
> studies or language arts much easier.  Mathmatics, the sciences, the arts, 
> in particular music, and foreign language are greatly aided by a braille 
> note, vs a brailer, of any kind or a lap top.  .  For example, algebra is 
> a synch, because the child can type out an equasion, like 3X plus 5 equals 
> 2 x plus ten and then simply delete the two x on the right and delete the 
> 3 before the x on the left, then delete the five on the left and change 
> the ten on the right to a five.  That leaves them with x equals 5,  and 
> they could interact right with the problem, unlike on a traditional 
> brailler, and unlike a laptop it is much simpler than combining a num pad 
> with a bunch of number row symbols and letter charictors.  A braille note 
> is also very helpful for foreign language, as a screne reader will not 
> read the text properly, unles you change your speech settings, but that 
> will make english things like menus almost oimpossible to read, that and 
> producing accent marks on the computer is much more difficult than simply 
> typing them in braille into the braille note.  Also, if you are using 
> braille only, and not speech, there is no need to use rediculous 
> translation software.  For example the E acute in french braille is the 
> same thing as a for sign in print grade two braille.  If they simply type 
> in braille they could write t E acute l e acute and read it properly. 
> Having it read with speech would try to make sense of tforlfor, but for 
> quick note taking and short writing assignments in a foreign language 
> class, that help to generate practice conversations, this is very 
> valuable.  Finally, if your child sings in a choir, they can wear the 
> braille note in it's case, over their shoulder, with it very securely in 
> it's case, and have it hang at their side and simply read their words and 
> music with one hand and the thumb keys.  This allows for a more normal 
> descrete look, that is less stigmatizing than shuffling through pages and 
> pages of braille embossed music.  Also, they can jot in performance notes, 
> something they can't do with pre brailled music on paper, and the memo 
> function does not have outstanding sound quality on the braille note, but 
> it is good enough to take note of the proper pitches in a particularly 
> troublesome passage.  Just my two cents.
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Richard Holloway" <rholloway at gopbc.org>
> To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)" 
> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, January 21, 2010 12:41 PM
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Mountbatten Brailler
>
>
>> They are neat, but from what I understand, kids also tend to "outgrow" 
>> them rather quickly. When we first saw them, I was excited about them 
>> and thought we should find a way to get one for our daughter but I  think 
>> we have been far better served by the combination of perkins  braillers 
>> and braillenote / pacmate devices combined with embossers,  computers 
>> with screen readers (Jaws in our case) and the like. We're  starting to 
>> make use of the detachable braille display from our  pacmate now to let 
>> jaws show Kendra what is on her computer screen.   There are so many 
>> possibilities now-- I'd say explore all your options  thoroughly before 
>> you get anything and if you go to the national  convention, don't miss 
>> the exhibit hall and look at all you can when  you're there.
>>
>> All of this other gear will (hopefully) last our daughter for many 
>> years-- Kendra is using in first grade most of the key devices and 
>> concepts that can take her clear through high school and college. No 
>> doubt some well wear out or need upgrading, but not because she'd gone 
>> beyond what her equipment can offer-- the sky is the limit there...
>>
>> If you find a great deal on a used piece in good condition or if  budget 
>> is simply not a concern, I suspect you'd enjoy a Mt. Batten for  a good 
>> while but long term it will probably end up collecting dust or  being 
>> resold.
>>
>> Richard
>>
>>
>>
>> On Jan 21, 2010, at 8:44 AM, Susan Harper wrote:
>>
>>> Hi,
>>>     I came across this new piece of equipment and was wondering if 
>>> anyone
>>> was using it.  It is called the Mountbatten Brailler sold by a company
>>> called Humanware.  The Brailler is made in Australia.  Anyone using  it 
>>> and
>>> have any pros and cons to offer.  It is kind of expensive, so wanted 
>>> some
>>> feed back from anyone who might have used one.  Thanks.
>>> Blessings,
>>> Sue H.
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>>
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>
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