-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Jackie Brown
Sent: 22 May 2014 12:33
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of Braille? -
News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
Interesting Eleanor. Perhaps people like Steve Nutt and I were lucky to
have good Braille tuition at our school in that era. It is one of the
few
things about boarding-school I guess I am grateful for. And I suppose it
depends whether you like using Braille and can make it the tool it has
always been for me at least. I am passionate about it, and I am not sure
there is a day that passes when I don't come into contact with it for
something.
True everyone is different, but I will never be dissuaded from the belief
that youngsters today should be taught Braille wherever possible if they
have a severe visual impairment where print is of no value to them.
Kind regards,
Jackie Brown
Twitter: @thebrownsplace
Skype: Thejackmate
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of
Eleanor Martha Burke
Sent: 22 May 2014 12:14
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of Braille? -
News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
Indeed that is correct. I am just talking about my own experience and
how
learning Braille for me did not assist me well in Capitalisation,
punctuation and spelling.
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of
Karl Proud
Sent: 22 May 2014 12:12
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of Braille? -
News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
I would have thought that capitalisation and other punctuation would be
easily taught using type and speech as well as if using braille?
Karl
On 22 May 2014, at 11:56 am, "Eleanor Martha Burke"
<eleanormarthaburke@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Continuing the discussion Jackie, I learned Braille at school and still
use
it, however I did not learn capitalisation, other than that I was
informed
that one always puts a capital letter after a full stop. American
Braille
however, includes capitalisation and punctuation. It was only as an
adult
Braillist that I learned all the symbols that indicated punctuation such
as
underline, italic etc. As for spelling I am not good at spelling and I
personally attribute this to Braille Grade ii but there you are!
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of
Jackie Brown
Sent: 22 May 2014 11:32
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of Braille? -
News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
Hi Vince
Not sure how much we are wandering here, but I do think it is relevant to
assistive technology.
What concerns me about the reliance, if you like, on speech all the time
for
visually impaired youngsters - especially those with no sight at all - is
that they are less likely to spell, punctuate and capitalise
appropriately.
You miss these things with speech unless you are patient enough to go
through everything you listen to letter by letter. If these crucial
elements are not taught to blind children in mainstream education because
it
is considered that Braille is unnecessary, I really believe the kids are
missing out.
Had my son been born with any eye condition, I would have taught him to
read
and write Braille myself, unquestionably. While I type more than Braille
these days, I am lucky enough to be able to swap just like that.
Martin has acquired sight loss due to RP, but he taught himself to read
and
write grade two Braille a few years ago in case he ever needed it. While
he
reads with his fingers quite slowly, he has a great memory for everything
he
taught himself.
I just can't see Braille dying out in the immediate future, certainly not
while I am alive with any luck! (smile).
Kind regards,
Jackie Brown
Twitter: @thebrownsplace
Skype: Thejackmate
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of
Vincent Thacker
Sent: 21 May 2014 23:35
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of Braille? -
News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
Jackie,
I didn't achieve registration as blind until I was about 54, by which
time
I
had too much else going on to fit learning Braile in as well. Sorry to
say
that I've taken the line of least resistance and use a screen reader for
almost everything.
I did learn a bit of Braille at my local blind society in the end, but
didn't get any further than "a sad lad" and "dad will yell at you" and
such
things. Then I had to stop because of other commitments.
But I agree that for children, it's surely an advantage to know Braille,
even just as a quality of life measure. How else are the kids going to
get
any private reading, or private writing, for that matter? Great though
audio
books are, they are not the same as reading a book in print. It's too
passive somehow to my mind. I'm sure reading Braille would come closer to
the printed word.
Just my tuppence worth, as someone who knows nothing but won't shut up.
Vince.
========================================
Message Received: May 21 2014, 05:02 PM
From: "Jackie Brown"
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc:
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of
Braille? - News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
Hi Clive
Yes, same goes for me. And I do believe children born blind should
still be
strongly encouraged to read and write good Braille wherever this is
possible.
Kind regards,
Jackie Brown
Twitter: @thebrownsplace
Skype: Thejackmate
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of
Clive.Lever@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: 21 May 2014 16:28
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of
Braille? -
News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
Hello,
I read less and listen more. This is partly because there is much
more
literature accessible to us now that listening to audio books has
become a
sighted thing. However, one reason I don't have a personal problem
with this
change in my reading habits is that I already know how to
communicate in
writing...I hope! However, I'd hate to have been born blind and
never had
the chance to read and write independently.
Best,
Clive
Clive Lever
Diversity and Equality Officer
Kent County Council
Office: 01622 221163
Email: clive.lever@xxxxxxxxxxx
Kent County Council
Room G37
Sessions House
Maidstone, Kent.
ME14 1XQ
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of
Gordon Keen
Sent: 21 May 2014 16:21
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of
Braille? -
News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
Hi
Yes that was my take on the article as well, however I decided to
post the
article as I felt that some might want to visit the exhibition with
a view
to expressing their opinion once they had actually attended.
Regards
G
From Bridgerule in glorious Devon, England.
.
On 21 May 2014, at 15:44, Iain Lackie
wrote:
> I wasn't aware that the journalist was dismissing braille. If
anything,
the professor was concerned that blind people were being denied
access to
braille due to the rise of the use of other digital sources of
information.
I think it unfair to blame the journalist for expressing the fears
of
someone else. If braille is not taught, of course it will die out. I
have to
say that even as a braille user, I read much less braille than I
used to. I
don't read any less, however.
>
> Iain
>
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