at www.onlinecolleges.net
The following article was sent to me today. It is so interesting I have included it in total, with many thanks to Jasmine at onlinecolleges.net, who was kind enough to share it. In the USA January is Braille literacy month and we on the other side of the pond should take notice.
Every January in the USA, the visually impaired
and legally blind, their loved ones, and their advocates (many of which sit in
one or more of these demographics) recognize Braille Literacy Month. As one can
probably ascertain from the title, participants hope to stoke the dwindling use
of the revolutionary reading system. Audio technology may have curbed Braille
usage in the classroom and
workplace, but that doesn’t dilute its significance or usefulness any, of
course. Educating oneself and the rest of the populace about visual
impairments, blindness, and the reality of Braille marks the best strategy for
promoting its prolificacy.
Actually,
nearly every widely-spoken language out there sports its own Braille system: it
isn’t relegated exclusively to English. Or written language in general! Math,
computer science, and music (which was developed quite early in the system’s
existence) all have their own unique system to accommodate the visually
impaired as well.
· Lessons in Braille begin with tactile exercises
National Braille Week’s official site notes
the Royal Blind School’s strategies for educating visually impaired children
initially involve activities meant to fortify their fingertips. Uniquely
textured objects are placed in trays, and young students must sort them based
on how they feel. These activities enhance their tactile sensitivity for more
advanced notebook-based exercises starting in their teen years.
· Louis Braille developed his eponymous system at age 15
After a horrific childhood accident that
blinded him with an awl, Louis Braille spent his early teens parsing together a
system allowing himself and other visually-impaired individuals the ability to
keep reading and learning. 1824 saw the invention of the writing style bearing
his name, which he developed as a 6-dot structure building on Charles Barbier
de la Sarre’s military methods intended for night deciphering.
· At 20, he published the first complete book about the Braille system
Method of Writing
Words, Music, and Plain Songs by Means of Dots, for Use by the Blind and
Arranged for Them hit classrooms in
1829, detailing all the ins and outs of Louis Braille’s brand new system. As
one can probably expect from its lasting influence, it proved an incredibly
valuable asset in schools educating the visually impaired.
· The Missouri School for the Blind was the first American educational institution to accept Braille
They incorporated the system in 1854, despite
protests from fully-sighted teachers unwilling to try and learn its
intricacies. Obviously, the trend took hold and landed in both specialty and
mainstream schools alike.
· Six-dot Braille cells have 63 possible combinations
Each cell is arranged as an affair with two
dots across and three down. A through J sit in the top two rows, K through T
include the last, and U through Z add the last two dots to the first five
letters. W, however, plays by its own rules owing to the fact that the original
French included no such letter.
· There are three different “grades” of Braille
Every grade represents a different skill
level, with 1 being best for those just starting to learn Braille and 3 for the
more familiar. Basic letters and punctuation characterize the first, while the
second builds off of that to include contractions – making it the most common
version found in public. Once a person hits Grade 3 Braille, he or she can
learn the shorthand for personal use, such as lists and notes, rather than more
formalized literature.
· “Braille for feet” exists
In order for businesses to meet standards set
by the Americans with Disabilities Act, Tilco Vanguard developed a veritable
“Braille for feet” that assists the visually impaired in knowing the boundaries
of dangerous areas. Technically referred to as “truncated domes,” these bright
yellow strips spell out a universal message in order to keep store and
restaurant patrons safe.
· Most legally blind children in the United States do not use Braille resources
Shockingly enough, 34% of the 59,341 legally
blind American children (defined by the American Printing House for the Blind
as between the ages of 0 and 21) are considered non-readers. That comprises the
majority, by the way. Nine percent stick with Braille; 27% are capable of
reading visually; 8% get their lessons done as auditory readers; the last 22%
qualify as pre-readers.
· At least 27 states hold legislation requiring that legally blind children have access to Braille resources
Advances in audio technology have not
rendered the Braille system moot, of course, but they did signify a general
decline in usage since 1963. Combined with the mounting number of non-reading,
visually impaired children, advocacy groups gathered together in order to ask
policymakers for more protective legislation. In response, at least 27 states
so far have made sure to protect them from discrimination by requiring
educational institutions to provide Braille materials to visually impaired kids
who need them.
· Visually impaired readers who learned on Braille have a lower unemployment rate than their print counterparts
Earlier studies noted that visually impaired
persons who first learned to read using the Braille system hold a 44%
unemployment rate. By contrast, those more accustomed to print media —
or incapable of reading Braille, as it were —
sat at a staggering 77%.
or incapable of reading Braille, as it were —
sat at a staggering 77%.
· The vast majority of legally blind students attend schools where the teachers do not know Braille
Eighty-five percent, in fact. Most visually
impaired and legally blind students in the United States receive their
education in mainstream classrooms, many of them ill-equipped to meet their
needs. Since so many teachers know little to nothing of Braille, this results
in a reduced literacy rate and more academic struggles.
· Braille users write with a slate and stylus
Slates obviously differ in size, but the
National Federation of the Blind states that 2″x9″ and 3″x5″ are the most popular dimensions. Writing in Braille
using the stylus and slate system is pretty much exactly like its pen and paper
equivalent.
· Braille and sign language are not interchangeable
Startlingly enough, some people actually
believe that Braille and sign language are more or less the same! Braille
addresses the needs of the visually impaired and utilizes the 6-dot system
that, for everyday writing, requires a stylus and slate or Braillewriter
machine; sign language comes conveyed via hand and arm movements benefiting the
hearing-impaired. Individuals with both conditions use palm printing to
communicate, which involves tracing letters on hands.
· Most legally blind people can read print
It’s a common misconception that the blind
can only read in Braille, but reality says otherwise. With corrective lenses,
magnification, large print, and other accommodations, 75% of the legally blind
do just fine with books.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.