Visually Impaired Resource Guide Assistive Technology for Students who use Braille Braille Writer (Perkins)

The Braille writer is similar to the sighted person's typewriter. It is a heavy, reasonably durable, gray metal machine with seven keys, one for each dot of the Braille cell and one for the space bar. Pushing different combinations of the six keys form the Braille dot configurations used in the braille alphabet, braille contractions and braille mathematical numbers and symbols (Nemeth).

Prerequisites

• Braille Readiness Program [refer to the Vision Resource Teacher in your area for further information] (see references)
• clear grasp of basic concepts [refer to the Vision Resource Teacher in your area for further information] (such as same and different, and positional skills)
• potential to develop good tactile discrimination skills
• adequate language to understand and express symbolic thought
• potential to use two hands simultaneously for Braille writing and cooperatively for Braille reading
• adequate finger strength and dexterity
• ability to isolate fingers (ie. - thumb, pointer, middle and ring fingers)
• potential to understand the rules for literary Braille code
• knowledge of left and right / top and bottom
• ability to follow simple directions
• ability to take care of and be responsible for equipment
• experience with and understanding of Braille as being a tactile form of language (ie. - experiences with touch and feel, scratch and sniff and twin vision books, Braille labels, etc.

Note: Learning to write braille complements the process of learning to read braille just as to learning to write print complements learning to read print.

Skills (Kindergarten to Grade 4)

The student will be able to:

• identify and locate the parts of the Braille writer
  • space key
  • six embossing keys
  • line space key
  • back space key
  • embossing head lever
  • margin stops
• insert paper of various sizes into the Braille writer
• move head embossing lever to the left margin
• use carriage return
• turn paper feed knobs backwards until they stop turning
• move paper release lever forward
• insert paper and roll paper feed knob forward until it stops
• check to make sure paper is flush against left paper stop and straight
• press down line spacing mechanism
• begin brailling
• Use good posture and finger positioning
  • sits with feet flat on the floor and braille writer on a flat surface that is at the proper height whereby the student elbows and wrists are parallel to the braille writer's keyboard
  • sits with feet flat on the floor and braille writer on a flat surface that is at the proper height whereby the student elbows and wrists are parallel to the braille writer's keyboard
  • strikes embossing keys with the first three fingers (pointer,middle and ring) of each hand
  • uses right hand thumb for space key
  • uses left little finger for line space key
  • uses right little finger for back space key strikes embossing keys with the first three fingers (pointer,middle and ring) of each hand
  • uses right hand thumb for space key
  • uses left little finger for line space key
  • uses right little finger for back space key
• uses an even sharp stroke for keyboarding
• sets left and right margins
• sets cell lines of 40 (for Literary Braille) and 41 (for Nemeth)
• centers headings
• makes good erasures by using a braille eraser and running it around the outer edge of the dot with appropriate pressure until it blends into the paper
• removes paper and reinsert for corrections

Strategies

• For additional information and specific activities to assist in the development of prerequisite skills see the Perkins Activity and Resource Guide available from PRCVI.
• Have students first practice whole cell production (all six keys together) followed by different combinations of keys. Try different patterns that add variety.
• Practice writing letters and words that are simultaneously being learned in reading.
• Teach signs and contractions as soon as they appear in reading and mathematics texts

Resources

Stratton, J.M. (1996),Emergent Literacy: A New Perspective, Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 90, 177-183.
Lamb.G., (1996), Beginning Braille: A Whole Language-based Strategy, Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 90, 184-189.
McComiskey, A.V. (1996), The Braille Readiness Skills Grid: A Guide to Building a Foundation for Literacy, Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 90, 194-200.

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