[blindkid] compose and edit without electronics

[Bonnie Lucas]

Quite frankly, as a life long braille reader and someone who has used the 
Braille writer for much longer than I have used the computer, it is simply 
"write it until it's the way you want it." When you know that with too many 
mistakes, you'll have to write it over, then you get really good at being 
accurate. Actually, if it is just for your personal benefit, then blocking 
out with for signs is an easy to cover up serious errors. Also there is the 
scratch out method. Another method that I saw the blind kids classroom that 
Aubrie attended for awhile was to use some tape over the errors and then 
make the corrections. Most blind kids get quite proficient at correcting 
errors. If your daughter makes a rough draft or two, then she can write the 
best copy just by reading the rough draft and making the improvement as she 
goes. I'm guessing that the outline isn't more than a couple of pages. To 
correct corrections with the slate, you use pretty much the same techniques, 
however, you need to be careful when figuring out where to write. The same 
is true when aligning the paper in the Brailler after taking it out. Again, 
with practice, your daughter will become quite the expert. I hope she does a 
great job on her presentation and please encourage her to use the Braille 
for such things because it is quite nice to have that hard copy and read it 
just like all the other students.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joy Orton" <ortonsmom at gmail.com>
To: "NFB Blindkid list" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, March 22, 2010 10:40 AM
Subject: [blindkid] compose and edit without electronics


> Hi friends,
> I would like to hear how some of you or your children compose and edit
> essays, stories, letters, and so on, without high-tech gadgets. I am old
> enough to remember typing, cutting and pasting (literally), and re-typing 
> my
> papers. Has anyone out there done this in braille?
> Related question: How do you mark corrections on the draft to change in 
> the
> final copy? We are trying to produce an outline and speech for a school
> project, and an essay for a contest. Ahbee has written great first drafts 
> of
> them. Now how do we mark our corrections, change around sentences, add
> ideas, etc.?
> We have not learned to do this on the PacMate, and it is at school. So I
> really want a low-tech method. I'm sure there was a way to edit with a 
> slate
> and stylus--at least we have a Perkins braillewriter. (smile)
>
> Joy Orton
>
>