Being able to read Braille can give someone with a vision impairment access to information that many of us take for granted. It’s also an important way of being able to communicate your needs and wishes.
Today, with the advent of new technologies, the future of reading is bright. As the number of blind people grows, so does the demand for accessible information. There are now dozens of devices that can read braille out loud, from mobile devices to tablets to screen readers.
Learn more about how braille technology works and why it’s so important for those with vision impairment.
What is braille?
Braille is a system of writing that uses raised dots or bumps on paper, plastic, or other surfaces to represent letters and numbers. It allows people with visual impairment to read and write independently, without relying on sighted readers. The raised dots are called “cells” and can be arranged to make words, sentences, paragraphs, etc.
Braille is named after its inventor, Louis Braille, who at fifteen, created the first braille system in 1824. At age three, an accident left Braille blind in one eye. An infection would soon spread to the other, leaving him in total blindness. During this time, aids and resources for the blind were next to none, which inspired him to create a system that would allow the blind and visually impaired to communicate and read.
In 1924, as a pupil at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris, Braille would present his work to his peers. He would spend most of his remaining life improving the system. After his death in 1852, Braille’s system went unused by most educators, however by the 1900s it reached popularity across the globe.
Today, Braille technology is used to help blind and visually impaired people across the world. It’s a key tool for young people, helping students learn how to read and write, as well as enhancing their learning experience. Technology has also helped to ensure braille can be accessed across multiple devices. At the InFocus College, Braille technology is a crucial tool for helping our students achieve academic success.
How does it work?
The cells are made up of two parts: the dot (or bump) itself and the space between the dot and its neighbours. Through many tracking exercises and time spent learning to discriminate between Braille signs, you gently pass the pads of your fingers over the Braille and recognise the signs.
In Grade 1 Braille each cell represents one letter or number. For example, if you want to read the word “cat,” you would touch the first cell with the pad of your fingers, then move your finger over the second cell, then over the third cell, and so on until you reach the last cell. You’d continue this process for each letter in the word. There are lots of contractions and abbreviations in Grade 2 Braille to help speed up the reading process.
In today’s world, access technology ensures accessibility for braille readers across multiple devices. This includes screen reading software for a PC or laptop, or apps and accessibility functions on iPads, tablets and smart phones, Braille displays and Braille tablets and notetakers.
Learn how to use a computer with a visual impairment.
Perkins Brailler
The classic “Perkins” Brailler is a mechanical device that looks a bit like a typewriter, except it just has 9 large keys across the front. The classic model has been around for nearly 70 years, and has hardly changed in that time (although there are a few variants, including a one-handed version)! There is a key for each of the six Braille dots (the key imprints a dot onto the special Braille paper), space and backspace keys, and another to move onto the next line.
Mountbatten Brailler
We also have several Mountbatten Braillers. These are great for younger students as the keys are lighter (a bit like the key on a modern laptop), and there’s even audio feedback so you know exactly what you’ve just pressed. Like the Perkins it imprints the dots and cells as you go along. It also has functions like connecting to other devices, and Braille to Text/Text to Braille translation.
Braille note takers and other products
Some of our students use a device Braille note takers like a BrailleNote Touch. These are modern tablet computer devices which have both a standard 6-key Braille input keyboard, together with a special Braille display that allows the user to quickly find out what’s on the screen.
In fact, you can use a device like this to do most things that a tablet could do, like read and write emails, create or scan documents, and browse the web. They can also “print” Braille using an embosser.
Other great braille products include portable Braille displays and keyboards which can be connected to a computer or phone via Bluetooth or USB. The displays show screen content in braille – useful when in a meeting or noisy environment. And you can input text using a braille keyboard just like a Bluetooth QWERTY keyboard. You can also input text directly into an iPhone/iPad using the on-screen braille keyboard feature.
Why is Braille technology so important?
As we’ve seen, there are many different ways to read braille. However, the main reason why braille is so important is because it gives the blind and visually impaired person independence. Without it, they would have no way to read books, newspapers, magazines, or any other written material.
Many of our students are in the early stage of literacy, so we have a functional approach to teaching them Braille. This means teaching them the skills that they might find most useful now and in later life.
Learning numbers, units of measurement and operators like add and subtract are really important for living skills like cooking or reading the side of a medication packet. You can also buy pill dispensers with Braille markings!
It also helps them develop confidence and self-reliance. With braille devices, they can read and write independently, which means they can do things like go shopping, cook meals, study, and even drive!
It’s not just about being able to read – it’s about having equal opportunities too. If you’re born blind, you’ll never know what it feels like to see. But with braille, you get to experience everything sighted people take for granted.
How we teach Braille skills at InFocus
Our students love to play games to help learn the basics of Braille. Braille Bingo, pairs and other matching games are really popular for remembering the different numbers, letters and contractions in the Braille code.
We also use eggs and an egg box to reinforce the different single cell patterns (the six spaces in a standard egg box represent the six dots available in a Braille cell).
Using Braille to easily find the correct medication could be an important step towards being able to take their own medication. Reading a recipe from a Braille cookbook could also help develop independence and give a young person the confidence to prepare their own food. These could mean the difference between living in supported living and having to go back to full time care or living at home.
How you can help
By offering access to the latest Braille devices and teaching materials we are able to support vulnerable children and young adults to live a more independent life. Government funding for special schools and colleges simply isn’t enough to empower these inspirational young people to live their best lives. Your support could help to give them the gift of independent living.