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International Journal of Innovative Research and Knowledge Volume-4 Issue-4, April 2019

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International Journal of Innovative Research and Knowledge Volume-4 Issue-4, April 2019 International Journal of Innovative Research and Knowledge Volume-4 Issue-4, April 2019 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE ISSN-2213-1356 www.ijirk.com Types of assistive technology devices used for braille reading and writing by persons with visual impairments NSAGHA Sarah MBOSHI Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Buea, Box 63, Buea, Cameroon ABSTRACT Background: People who are visually impaired or partially sighted are unable to read printed text, or have great difficulty seeing various sizes of text material. Writing materials must be enlarged or transcribed into a tactile or auditory media. For people who have visual impairments, as well as those sighted peers, producing written materials is essential for communicating with teachers, family and friends.Assistive technology is greatly changing the modern-day society because these devices help persons with visual impairments to improve on their various skills and function better. Aim: Appraise the various types of assistive technology devices for braille reading and writing by persons with visual impairments. Methods: A traditional structured literature review to identify publications on the types of assistive technology devices for Braille reading and writing for people with visual impairments was carried out on google scholar, special education citations, and social sciences citations using the keywords: assistive technology, braille reading and writing and visual impairment. We also reviewed text books on the major themes, publications by foundations and institutions, technical and workshop reports, and conference proceedings. We equally accessed and retrieved data from websites. Reference lists for important citations on the types of assistive technology for Braille reading and writing by the visually impaired were also scanned. Results: Assistive technology devices include old Braille technological devices such as the Perkins Brailler, the Stand by Braille Writer, Slate and Stylus, The Tele-Touch, The Cubarithm, Spur Wheels, The Thermoform Machine, The Optacon, Digicassette Braillex and the Braillex. Modern Braille Technological Devices such as the Braille Note, Keyboards, Textile Text Access, Potable Note taking Devices, Computer Access, www.ijirk.com Page 78 International Journal of Innovative Research and Knowledge ISSN-2213-1356 and Versa Braille can assist the visually impaired through Braille and printed text, and accessing computerised information. Some computer devices used for Braille reading and writing include the Tack-Tiles Braille Systems, Speak Easy Media System, Braille Computer Keyboard, Ovation, Refreshable Braille Display and JAWS. Conclusion: Most modern assistive technology devices are not available to the visually from the developing world. Keywords: Assistive technology, Braille, reading, writing, visual impairment INTRODUCTION Assistive technology is greatly changing the modern-day society. There are technological devices that help persons with disabilities to improve on their various skills. Braille language which is the medium of communication for people with visual impairment is very difficult to learn. Both young and old people find it difficult to learn Braille due to many problems such as psychological problems of self adjustment, difficulties in developing the sense of touch and feeling, delay in feedback on what they can read and write as they use the local way of writing more especially when they are using the slate and stylus. In the course of removing the paper or sheet before getting the information, there is always a delay which makes learning more difficult. With these difficulties, there is need for the use of assistive technology for Braille reading and writing skills for persons with visual impairments. Braille poses a lot of difficulties for many persons with visual impairment. This has hindered them from contributing to the development of modern day society both economically, socially and the educationally (Ebnet, 2001; Carroll Centre for Braille, 2009; Nsagha, 2011). Assistive technology is redefining what is possible for people with a wide range of cognitive and physical disabilities. In the home, classroom, workplace and community, assistive technology is enabling individuals with disabilities to be more independent, self confident, productive and better integrated into the mainstream society (Nsagha, 2011). In line with this field of thought, the 1997 reauthorization of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) explicitly requires that assistive technology consideration be conducted for all students or children with disabilities. In effect, this mandate added that all children with special needs who are within school age should have access to assistive technology (Edyburn, 2000; Freedom to learn; 2000). Assistive technology as new as it is in the field of special education has grown considerably even though there is still much to do as far as research is concerned. Persons with visual impairments, whose access to education is through the Braille system of writing and reading, still face difficulties in getting the various assistive technology devices needed for their educational endeavors (Nsagha, 2011). People who are visually impaired or partially sighted are unable to read printed text, or have great difficulty seeing various sizes of text material. Writing materials must be enlarged or transcribed into a tactile or auditory media. For people who have visual impairments, as well as those sighted peers, producing written materials is essential for communicating with teachers, family and friends. The written ideas must be presented in a form that is understood by every individual (Abang, 1992; Heinich, Molenda & Smaldino, 1999).The study was carried out to appraise the various types of assistive technological devices used for Braille reading and writing. Methods used for the study A traditional literature review using a structured search to identify publications on the types of assistive technology devices for Braille reading and writing for persons with visual impairments was carried out. The review was conducted on Google scholar, special education and social sciences citations using the keywords: www.ijirk.com Page 79 International Journal of Innovative Research and Knowledge Volume-4 Issue-4, April 2019 assistive technology, Braille reading and writing and visual impairment. The key documents reviewed were: Handbook of Special Education for Education in Developing Countries, American Foundation for the blind publications, Journal of Special Education Technology, Report of the visual impairment and its rehabilitation panel, university theses,teaching blind and low vision children, Tech BridgeWorld Adaptive Braille Writing Tutor and Braille Program Helps Local Student.We also reviewed text books on the major themes, publications by foundations and institutions, technical and workshop reports, and conference proceedings. We equally accessed and retrieved data from websites. Reference lists for important citation son the use of assistive technology for Braille reading and writing by the visually impaired were also scanned. This study took place from 2007 to 2011. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Assistive technology devices used for Braille reading and writing are classified into two categories as described below. Old Braille technological devices The old technological devices used for Braille reading and writing skills include the following: The Perkins Brailler The Perkins brailler is an analogue of a typewriter, which is activated by using six keys with a space bar (Abang, 1992). By depressing the appropriate key combinations of these dots, the user can form 63 combinations that go to make letters of alphabets, numbers and operational signs. The Perkins brailler has three models (Abang, 1992) as described below. The Standard Model: It is an upward Braille writer used for writing Braille only on one side of the Braille paper. The Braille is read as written. The Jumbo Cell model: It is designed for people who cannot read the standard size Braille. The model produces larger size dots than the standard model. It is recommended for older people who go visually impaired. This is because their sense of touch is no longer sensitive and hence they find it difficult to discriminate between dots of regular sizes (Abang, 1992). The Unimanual Model: Similar to the standard size model, it is particularly designed for individuals with some physical disabilities who use only one hand. The key for the dots 1, 2 and 3 remain depressed until the remaining key or space bar is used (Abang, 1992). A Stand by Braille Writer This model is designed to produce normal Braille characters. It consists of an aluminium board on which the machine comprising of a moveable bed plate with sliding carriage and key mechanism is placed. The carriage moves from left to right when the keys are pressed to write the Braille. There is a bell that gives warning before the end of the line. The visually impaired can make use of the sound of the bell to determine when to stop while the deaf visually impaired is supplied with a special stop in the place of the bell (Abang, 1992; Sykes & Ozoji, 1992). Slate and Stylus The slate is a hinged frame into which Braille paper is clamped. The front section of the slate has openings in rows. These are shaped like the Braille cells. The tip of the stylus is pointed as the spoke of a bicycle though short with a base. With the stylus, the user places the paper
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