Visually Impaired Resource Guide Learning Skills/Writing Overview

It is very difficult to separate reading and writing. In order to write, it is necessary to be able to read. A large vocabulary enables the writer or reader to express themselves clearly. Continuous practice in writing helps with the development of comprehension skills and a lifelong enjoyment of the written word. This is true for all students whether sighted or visually impaired. Many of the teaching strategies and techniques employed by the classroom teacher when instructing sighted students are appropriate for visually impaired students as well.

Technology assists the student with a visual impairment to access the same materials as the sighted student. Computers adapted for the the student who uses braille, tapes, twin vision books and/or other devices [refer to the Vision Resource Teacher in your area for further information] can assist the student to develop reading and writing skills. With the assistance of various technological devices, the student who uses braille is able to produce quality assignments that, without the equipment would be far more difficult. Successful mastery of one piece of equipment is better than learning to use a lot of devices with limited proficiency. Nevertheless, most often, reading and writing assignments will, even when completed by a student who is proficient in using technological aids, take longer to complete when a student has a visual impairment. While a computerized writing tool is helpful to any sighted student it is essential to a student who uses braille.

Spelling

Spelling is an integral part of the reading and writing process and one which poses unique challenges for the student who reads braille. Students who are sighted have the advantage of continuous visual reinforcement when learning the spelling of words. This occurs as they see signs, labels, packages, story books or favourite television programs ( e.g. Sesame Street, Arthur ). Continuously seeing printed words facilitates the development of spelling. The student with the visual impairment experiences little, or possibly none, of this constant visual reinforcement.

The student who uses braille is additionally challenged because of the unique nature of the braille code. In braille, words are often shortened by using a number of different abbreviations. There seldom is a one-to-one correspondence between the letters in a printed word and the braille equivalent. For example in contracted Grade 2 braille the letter "k" by itself is the word knowledge. Therefore the blind student does not have the advantage of continuous spelling reinforcement when reading or writing contracted braille since he or she rarely reads words that are spelled out letter by letter. The student who uses braille can have excellent braille literary skills but limited skills in print spelling.

The blind student is taught spelling using uncontracted Grade 1 braille, however, when the student is asked to perform other writing activities, he or she will be most often using contracted Grade 2 braille. Contracted braille is much faster to read and write and reduces the volume of the braille document.

The need for proper spelling becomes increasingly apparent to the student when they begin using a dictionary and computer keyboard. As a student's spelling skills improve he or she is also increasingly successful in using a spell checker and/or encyclopedia. Later accessing the Internet and searching for particular information can only be accomplished with conventional spelling. Braille entry devices [refer to the Vision Resource Teacher in your area for further information] perpetuate spelling difficulties as the student writes contracted or shortened and abbreviated words.

Each of the devices discussed in this section has advantages and disadvantages. Often technology ideal for one task will not be ideal for another. It is imperative that the student be introduced to a variety of technology so that he or she may learn what works best.

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