[access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of Braille? - News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
- From: Karl Proud <karl@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 22 May 2014 17:44:34 +0100
Eleanor,
You are correct of course, my position wasn't that braille isn't good at
working for some people, just that it requires a learning curve that can be a
waste of time if it doesn't provide a personal ambition. So, does a K letter
in braille always stand for the word knowledge? You learn something new every
day.
Karl
On 22 May 2014, at 04:44 pm, "Eleanor Martha Burke"
<eleanormarthaburke@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Karl, if I had to write the word knowledge on a Braille machine/keyboard I
would write the letter k. If I had to do same on a qwerty keyboard I would
have to write knowledge. I think a single character in my example is much
faster.
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Karl Proud
Sent: 22 May 2014 16:36
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Does the digital age spell the end of Braille? -
News - Gadgets and Tech - The Independent
George,
All great points of course, but they don't take into account the opportunity
cost of learning braille to a high standard. You mention that using grade 2
braille is quicker than using a qwerty keyboard for writing notes, but not
if a keyboard is already something you have experienced - would you argue
that it would be always worth learning if one can already do the things you
need using a keyboard? My point is that learning of braille should be seen
as a personal choice rather than as a definitive sign of being a productive
blind person. Too many discussions conflate braille use with literacy or
independence.
Karl
On 22 May 2014, at 02:36 pm, George Bell <george@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
An interesting discussion.
Perhaps surprising to some is that braille awareness is actually on the
increase.
However, like many things, how and where it is used is changing, just like
many other day to day things. For example, print book sales have fallen
because we have devices such as the Kindle. But that doesn't mean we stop
using printed paper altogether.
Braille itself badly needed an overhaul, but finally we have Unified English
Braille, or UEB, which has now been adopted by all major English speaking
countries. Few may believe it, but this should have the effect of recusing
cost of production.
When it comes to taking notes, grade 2 braille is much faster than using a
qwerty keyboard.
Study of subjects like mathematics and chemistry are usually much easier to
understand when produced in braille.
Simple labelling is another area where braille comes into its own.
For many braille readers, they find they enjoy reading braille books as
opposed to falling asleep listening to a talking book.
And a fact that is as important as any, is that there are far more braille
users employed that those who are not.
George.
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