[nabs-l] Question concerning slates and styli

[Jorge Paez]

Jewel:
Just wondering, what's the saddle styli?
Is that the one that has one flat side at the top?



On Nov 15, 2010, at 3:13 PM, Jewel S. wrote:

> My personal preferences:
> 1. Pins on the bottom if it's a regular slate (20-30 cells). This is
> because it makes lining the paper up easier, something I have trouble
> with. If the pins are on the bottom, I can push the pins through the
> paper before lowering the top. Of course, I guess you could do that
> with a top-pin slate. The advantage of a top-pin slate is that you can
> read the Braille without removing the paper from the pins, by opening
> the slate and reading underneath the top. I'm not good at this, and
> don't find it easy, but some do.
> 2. I use a Jannus (sp?) slate a lot more than a regular slate. This is
> an interpoint index card slate. I carry this slate, a stylus, and a
> box of index cards (a plastic one with snaps bought at the bookstore),
> and I'm good to go if I need to take a note. Big plus is that you
> slide the index card in from the side and there are no pins.
> Disadvantage, sometimes the index card slides a little, so you gotta
> hold the end if that happens, so your Braille isn't skewed. I like to
> leave a card in the slate so I can just whip it out with the stylus
> and I'm good to go.
> 3. If I'm doing a long letter or lots of writing, like for an essay, I
> prefer a full-page slate. This allows me to write without the skew
> that inevitably happens when I move the slate down (I'm bad at
> alignment). I can also do pretty decent Braille pictures on a full
> Braille slate that would be skewed a lot using a four-line slate.
> 4. Styli do matter! I much prefer the round stylus because the saddle
> stylus hurts my finger joints, but most people like the saddle stylus.
> There are other styli out there (like the pen stylus, which I do *not*
> recommend), but the saddle and round styli are the most popular.
> 5. Reading the Slate Book is a great way to get back in practice with
> the slate and stylus. It's available from Bookshare, or you can order
> it in Braille, I think from APH?
> 
> Hope that helps! And I'm going to be a TVI also. Where are you doing
> your Graduate work?
> 
> On 11/14/10, Hope Paulos <hope.paulos at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi there. I haven't used a slate and stylus for a very long time. Can
>> someone recommend a good type of slate and the difference from having the
>> pins on the top and the bottome? Which type of stylus do you prefer and why?
>> I have to get one because am going back for my masters to become a TbVI.
>> Any help would be greatly appreciated.
>> Thanks.
>> Hope Paulos
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> 
> 
> -- 
> ~Jewel
> Check out my blog about accessibility for the blind!
> Treasure Chest for the Blind: http://blindtreasurechest.blogspot.com
> 
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