Well Tink, I must say that's rich coming from you, (smile). If ever there was someone who was eminently adaptable it must be yourself. Given that you lost your sight a few years ago, it is remarkable how you have taken to access technology. Guess it helps in your case that you were very IT literate in the first place, but that hardly detracts from your achievement. I'd say that those who know Braille are far closer to the quickness and simplicity of using pen and paper, which I still do from time to time. Ray Personal emails: Email me at mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx ----- Original Message ----- From: "James O'Dell" <jamesodell@xxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Friday, July 08, 2005 12:22 PM Subject: [access-uk] Re: The Benefits of Braille - for Tink > Hi Tink > > I Think one of the greatest concerns of those of us who want to preserve > braille is that there is a medium in which young children can become truly > literate. It is far too easy for education authorities and the rest to say > that braille doesn't matter, that you can do it all with technology, but I'm > really not sure whether many totally blind people would be able to learn to > read and spell with technology that doesn't involve braille. How are you > supposed to understand what a word is? > > I was very lucky and had full-time braillist support at both primary and > secondary school, and I think it was and is invaluable. Perhaps as the > price of refreshable braille comes down (have there been any product > launches from Tactile Dynamics yet?) more people will have the opportunity > to see how both braille and technology can have a good future. > > James > > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] > ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > ** and in the Subject line type > ** unsubscribe > ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the > ** immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] > ** or send a message, to > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq > > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq