Visually Impaired Resource Guide Assistive Technology for Students who use Braille Braille 'n Speak 640

The Braille 'n Speak 640 is a small computer with a Perkins style keyboard. It allows the student to write in Grade 1 or 2 braille. Feedback to the student is provided in the form of speech output. The Braille 'n Speak 640 is a writing tool which also includes a spell checker, calendar, arithmetic calculator and stopwatch. An internal, rechargeable battery powers the device for 14 hours or more. The Braille 'n Speak 640 has a serial port which can be connected to an ink printer and/or a braille embosser. If the 640 is going to be used with an IBM (parallel) printer or embosser the district will need to provide a serial to parallel converter. The Braille 'n Speak has about 640K of RAM (600 pages). The optional, portable disk drive allows the student to save (back up) their work to a floppy disk. The disk drive also allows the student to import or export files to or from another computer. Optional programs (including a scientific calculator, print to braille translator and math graphing software) can be loaded through the disk drive. [refer to theVision Resource Teacherin your area for further information] The Braille 'n Speak 640 is reasonably durable, however it is a computer and should not be abused. Unlike the Perkins Brailler, the Braille 'n Speak 640 keyboard is extremely sensitive, so a light touch and accurate finger positioning is essential. This device is highly flexible in supporting the needs of students as they progress through their school years. It can be used initially for basic writing with a young student. As a student becomes more proficient it can be used for a more complex word processsing and calculations. The following skills for the Braille 'n Speak 640 are arranged in three sections - Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced . The order of presentation of concepts and skills may need to adjusted for individual students. When considering the Braille 'n Speak 640, the reader may find it helpful refer to the Braille Lite Section to review similarities & differences.

Introductory level

Prerequisites

• ability to write with a Perkins Brailler
• keyboard touch skills (light touch & accurate finger placement)
• completion of a braille readiness program
• basic knowledge of braille alphabet and simple contractions
• ability to take responsibility & control frustration and behavior
• follow at least 2 step directions
• has expressive & receptive English language skills at or above the K-1 levels

Skills

The student will be able to:

• locate the on/off switch, earphone jack, ports, and the AC battery charger jack
• adhere to an individual plan for the care of the equipment
• set Speech Parameters (volume, rate and pitch) - see Strategies
• turn on the Braille 'n Speak 640 and begin writing in a file
• use Abort command
• finish writing in a file and turn off device
• read and move through a file using commands (forward, current, and backward by line, word, and character, top of file and end of file)
• perform simple formatting by using the carriage return
• use the cursor in basic writing functions
• print current file to a printer - see Strategies
• demonstrate an understanding of the concept of files
• use chords to access Option, Print, Enter/Exit, & Abort and Warm Reset

Strategies

• Support staff connects, configures and tests the printer to make sure that it works. Initially have only one printing device connected to reduce the potential for confusion between different devices. If you are using a parallel device make sure the serial to parallel converter is connected properly and Status Menu settings are appropriate.
• Support staff may want to initiate and/or complete the printing process for the student at this level.
• The Braille 'n Speak 640 is a very intuitive device. Commands are logical and often reciprocal. This allows the student to predict commands and their effect.
• Some students may find it confusing to hear the braille cells spoken (eg "low d" for period). Interactive Mode On and Key Click will ensure that they receive feedback a word at a time but they don't hear the braille cells spoken.
• Before a student, at the Introductory Level, opens any menu it is very helpful to ensure that the Speech Parameters Menu is set to Key Echo. If the student is also using Interactive Mode On, then this should also be toggled to Interactive Mode Off before entering any menu.

Intermediate level

Prerequisites

• mastery of the Introductory Braille 'n Speak 640 Skills
• mastery of most of the Literary Braille Code (contractions and punctuation) and mastery of Nemeth numbers 0 - 9
• motivation to learn the hierarchical menu structure of the Braille 'n Speak 640
• frequent opportunity and need to use the editing and calculating features of the Braille 'n Speak
• potential to explore and experiment (active learner)

Skills

The student will be able to:

• recharge the Braille 'n Speak & reset the battery timer
• demonstrate an understanding of the concept of menus:
  • the Option Menu
  • the Status menu
  • the Help Menu
• create a file ( including size, file naming conventions - filename.extension)
• demonstrate an understanding of the concept of a Braille 'n Speak page of memory (4096 characters)
• open a file using "O" in the File Menu
• access the file list
  • End of List,
  • Top of List,
  • Previous File,
  • Next File,
  • Short & Verbose List
  • Read current file name
  • Read and spell current file name
• select and open a file with "O" - chord in the file list
• opening a file by its number (also know when the number changes)
• use remaining navigation commands for moving through a file:
  • read from cursor to end of file
  • read and spell current word
  • read and say current character (using phonetic alphabet)
  • read current character and give ASCII equivalent
• find text within a file (forward and backward)
• edit text (overwrite, backspace delete & insert text)
• delete text by character(s), word(s), line(s), and paragraph(s) see Strategies regarding carriage returns in file
• undelete (pasting)
• back up file on a floppy disk by using disk drive (commands for "save" and "load" only) (using "T" - chord at File Menu)
• label and store disks
• use the clock, calendar, stopwatch/timer to find the time, date & elapsed time
• use the spell checker (adding, suggesting and correcting a word)
• copy text
• move blocks of text (setting a marker, copy blocks, insert/paste blocks, delete blocks)
• format lines and paragraphs
• loading the spell checker from the disk drive when necessary or not already loaded (using "T" - chord at File Menu)
• write protecting files (know when to protect & unprotect files)
• print files to both an ink printer and a braille embosser (change serial communication settings in Status Menu as required)
• set Status Menu printer settings for standard page formatting and page numbering
• format text using string commands eg. dollar commands
• control the printer (load paper, turn printer on, on-line/off-line, set top of form, remove printout)
• perform simple troubleshooting:
  • Warm and Cold Reset
  • concept of default settings
  • readjust Status Menu settings after reset
  • locate and open file after reset
  • adjust Key Silent and Key Click settings as required
  • check labels on cables, adapters etc.
  • check cables are connected
  • demonstrate an understanding of the concept of serial parameters
• edit contents of clipboard
• rename files in order to perform "save as" function
• reload a copy of the file
• determine the space remaining in a file
• change the size of file (bigger, smaller)
• delete files from the Braille 'n Speak
• use the arithmetic calculator for basic operations
• set the clock or calendar and paste the result into a file
• use the calculator and paste the result into a file
• use the arithmetic calculator for percent and square root
• use the disk drive to:
  • perform periodic backups of all files ("T" - chord at File Menu)
  • load backup copy from floppy disk
  • import and export text files ("S" - chord in file)
  • format disks
  • delete files from disk

Strategies

• Back up files to a floppy disk (using ("T" - chord at File Menu) before trying a new or potentially troublesome operation (especially before those related to Delete and Block Delete functions).
• Ensure that student has used carriage returns prior to introducing Delete by lines or paragraphs.
• Pasting should be taught before the Delete command (since pasting in the Braille 'n Speak is the equivalent to the Undo command on another computer).
• Manually changing parameters ensures greater learning than the use of macros. Students who start working with macros often experience difficulties with their operation. Therefore the use of macros should be left until the Advanced Level.

Advanced level

Prerequisites

• mastery of the Intermediate Braille 'n Speak Skills
• willingness to solve problems
• be an independent learner

Skills (listed in no particular order)

The student will be able to:

• write control characters or ASCII characters in a file
• manipulate serial parameters as required
• connect Braille 'n Speak and adjust parameters as required to communicate with
• other devices (modems and computers)
• import and export files using cables and the telecommunications software located on another computer
• use the Find and Replace Text function
• write and use macros
• use Braille 'n Speak as a speech synthesizer for another computer (Speech Box Mode)
• set printer dip switches when necessary
• use cable adaptors and Serial to Parallel converters
• determine if unit is in One-handed Mode or Speech Box Mode
• deal with Boot or Space Bar Macro's
• initialize Braille 'n Speak ( "I" - chord at startup)
• recover files
• seek solutions to problems independently via vendor, manufacturer, Internet (using correct terminology, version number(s), etc.)
• load disk directory
• create and remove sub-directories on disk
• perform software updates
• use the Scientific Calculator

Resources

The Braille 'n Speak Manual by Blazie Engineering
Blazie Web Site (http://www.blazie.com)
Blazie-Support Forum on SETnet or the Blazie Techdesk (http://www.blazie.com/~david)
Braille and Speak Tutorial written by Graham Cook (Braille 'n Speak: A Public Domain Document To Assist Teachers; A Pictorial 'User Friendly Guide')
"Teacher's Quick Reference Guide to Braille 'n Speak Commands" written by Kathryn Svendsen

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