Outside the window, the snow slowly filtered down Wednesday night, but inside, a small group of students gathered together in the second floor study lounge of Klipple Hall. While they conversed amongst themselves, Derek, the 10-year-old guide dog, rested his head on his owner's feet. Carlos Taylor, a blind Ball State University alumnus and adaptive computer technology specialist, began to teach the students about Braille and how it can be read.
At first, the students seemed to get an understanding of what each raised dot, or Braille cell, represented. But as Taylor began to explain the irregularities — such as contracted, uncontracted words — and the intricacies of punctuation and capitalization, an overwhelming feeling enveloped the students.
"Anyone confused yet?" Taylor asked. The group laughed.
Even though these students received a crash course in deciphering the code used for reading by visually-impaired and blind people, some studies have revealed that Braille literacy has actually been decreasing due to advances in technology.
Braille Beginnings
The reading and writing system for the blind was developed by Louis Braille, a student at the National Institute for the Blind in Paris, in 1824. At first, students at the school would have to read by moving their fingers across raised letters of the alphabet, but it was difficult because of the curves of the letters, Taylor said. Then a soldier came into the school and showed the students "Night Writing," which was a code comprised of 12 dots that the military used so the soldiers can communicate with each other after dark.
Inspired by this military code, Braille spent nine years developing the general embossed system of six dots that is still used today, according to Braille Works, a group dedicated to Braille literacy.
However, because of the development of text-to-speech technology, the use of Braille is declining. According to the National Federation of the Blind, only 10 percent of blind people read Braille, even though more than 80 percent of employed blind people know and use Braille.
Technology and Braille
Gary Lee, a Ball State alumnus and senior systems programmer, seems almost personally hurt by the decreased Braille literacy rate.
"It's terrible," he said. "Think of never having seen the printed word. Can you imagine that kind of life?"
Lee, who got his master's degree in communication science, assisting in creating the Adaptive Computer Technology Lab at Ball State in 1986 after several weeks of research and speaking at the open student senate meeting. Lee, who is blind, persuaded the school to create a lab for other blind students. Even though he was a junior in college at the time, Lee was placed in charge of the program and has cared for it ever since.
He admits that technology has come a long way since then, but argues that Braille is still very important despite technological advancements.
He can also tell that since he doesn't read Braille as much as he used to, his spelling has deteriorated.
"If I had to spell ‘supercalifragilisticexpialidocious' and I haven't read it, how would I go about that?" he said.
Ball State Braille
In a small room connected to the large computer lab in the Robert Bell Building, senior general studies major and education technology/human development psychology minor
Jenny Vetor reads articles for a homework assignment. However, there are no books involved.
Vetor, who is visually impaired, uses the "Zoom Text" software on the computers in the Adaptive Computer Technology Lab that makes the letters large enough for her to read on the screen. Vetor, a lab assistant who is also vice president of Disabled Students in Action, believes that even though she could go through school without using Braille, it is handy to know.
"You can use computers and portable devices," she said. "But you have to know a little bit of Braille. Technology can't take away the use of your fingers."
Taylor, who is currently in charge of the lab, agrees. Even though he believes that the use of technology and Braille is an individualized issue, he said that knowing Braille and using Braille note-taking technology has made it easier for him to take notes, understand textbooks for school and know how to spell certain technical words and phrases.
"Some people would prefer to listen to a novel, but if they are reading a textbook, they might want to read it in Braille," he said. "Or if they are reviewing work or taking notes, it shows you what you're writing as you type instead of moving a cursor around."
Expensive Reading
Taylor said that it is sometimes disruptive to listen to computerized-reading software
because it pronounces the punctuation and spacing between words and sentences.
However, he admits that computers with Braille reading technology are very expensive, which is probably another reason why some blind students rely on listening to computerized speech instead.
"We're fortunate enough on this campus to have two devices that are attached to computers to display information in Braille," Taylor said. "But to have one device that can show 40 characters at a time can cost $5,000 easily."
Despite the high cost, Taylor said there are federal programs that can assist people and that the purchase of the device is worthwhile in the long run.
Vetor, for instance, purposefully took out a loan to buy a computer with a variety of software installed to help her finish assignments at home. Each piece of software costs about $400.
Even though the lab may not have all the technology necessary to convert certain documents into Braille, Vetor said the lab does a great job finding certain programs online and helping students as much as they can.
"Carlos does everything in his power to help people out," she said. "That's just how he is."
Taylor, who was given the 2008 Access Award from the Disabled Student Development, doesn't see Braille going away any time soon.
"It depends on the individual, but I don't see it becoming extinct," he said. "It's not an outdated system."
Technology
Technology for PCs is available in RB Lab 134G. Mac computers already have specialized software installed when purchased.
• Several computers have software including Kurzweil, Window-Eyes and Jaws for Windows
• Software will read desktop Internet pages and word documents and will magnify the letters on the screen. The colors and display settings can be adjusted depending on the vision impairment.
• A refreshable Braille display keyboard.
• Scanner and software that converts books, text documents, mathematics and music notes into Braille.
• Indiana University, IUPUI and Purdue University also have adaptive technology labs.
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