Louis Braille was born on January 4, 1809, and that date is celebrated internationally as World Braille Day each year in recognition of his revolutionary raised dot system. Before the development of braille, people who were blind had virtually no independent access to written information, cutting them off from a vital form of communication. Today, technological advances have allowed more people than ever to access braille in new and exciting ways.
You don’t need to be proficient enough to read a full novel to benefit from braille literacy. Whether you’re reviewing your notes during a meeting at work or reading labels on a medication bottle, braille is just as relevant today as it was 100 years ago. This year, we focus our World Braille Day attention on the variety of ways people now access braille, and point out that different levels of technology can be used for braille most effectively for different situations.
At the top of the technological pyramid is the refreshable braille display. Shaped somewhat like a computer keyboard, these devices are connected to a computer or other electronic equipment to raise and lower different pins on a braille display to spell out words. The refreshable braille display contains one long line of braille that changes as you read, enabling the user to access longer documents. The machine also includes a keyboard to allow you to type your braille into your digital document.
A refreshable braille display is best for when you need to read a lot of information quickly. If you’re giving a presentation, a refreshable braille display lets you read your notes without using notecards. If you’re reading a newspaper or a magazine that you will only read once, a refreshable braille display can show you all the information you need without having to print off stacks of paper. But refreshable braille displays rely on digital information; if you need or prefer a paper document, it is not your best option.
A Perkins Brailler is a machine similar to a typewriter that is used to type braille onto paper. Sold and created by the Perkins School for the Blind, the Perkins Brailler has been in use since the 1950s and remains the standard way of typing braille. A Perkins Brailler contains six keys that correspond with the six bumps in braille letters, a space key, a backspace key and a line space key. It also holds a piece of paper much like a conventional typewriter would, though it uses special braille paper that better handles raised dots.
The Perkins Brailler is a great option for people who want to be less reliant on technology, or don’t have access to computers. It allows you to easily type as much braille as you can fit on a single page and is great for typing longer documents. It is, however, louder than a manual typewriter, and might not be a great choice to use in work meetings.
The lowest-tech method for writing braille is the slate and stylus. Just as the name implies, this is a wood, metal or plastic slate with a metal stylus that is used to punch braille dots into a piece of braille paper. While the slate and stylus are less commonly used today, they do still have their uses, such as when making labels, writing down short notes and making shopping lists. The slate and stylus is also much quieter to use than a Perkins Brailler and is much less expensive than other options. A major downside is that the slate and stylus method is much slower to use. Another drawback is that it is not particularly intuitive because letters and words need to be punched in backwards so that the raised bumps can be read correctly from the other side of the page.
Whether you’re reading the daily newspaper on a refreshable braille display or looking over class notes typed up on a Perkins Brailler, having even basic braille literacy is an extraordinary tool for supporting your independence and connecting you to the world around you.
