Braille technology

Braille Technology is capable of revolutionizing the lives of thousands of people because it allows them to engage in the virtual world that can not be perceived through their eyes. Braille Technology allows blind or visually impaired people to do common tasks such as writing, browsing the internet, typing in Braille and printing in text, engaging in chat, downloading files, music, using electronic mail, burning music, and reading documents. It also allows blind or visually impaired students to complete all assignments in school as the rest of sighted classmates and allows them take courses on-line. It enables professionals to do their jobs and teachers to lecture using hardware and software applications. The advances of Braille technology are meaningful because blind people can access more texts, books and libraries and it also facilitates the printing of Braille texts.

"Despite the Braille system's universal reach, the National Federation of the Blind estimates that only 10 percent of the vision-impaired are able to read Braille”.

Software

Some of the software available currently:

• "JAWS (screen reader)", is a program that reads the words on the screen and enables the browsing of folders, documents and programs on Microsoft Windows. Words on the screen can also be sent to a Braille display.
• "Kurzweil" that allows scanning of texts into the computer and narrates it.
• “GOODFEEL” is a Braille Music Translator made by Dancing Dots that helps blind musicians and students.
• “Virgo 4” - a text to speech (screen reader), text to Braille, and alternative computer-interface for the blind creator software.

Hardware

• Main article: Braille display
• Braille keyboards were in use only with Braille typewriters. Braille reading computer users prefer the standard keyboard as a text composing input device. Braille computer keyboards are extremely rare.
• Main article: Braille embosser
• Braille Notetakers e.g. The Millennium Notetakers Lite which is a highly developed braille notetaker

See also

• Assistive technology

References

• Braille Technology, American Foundation for the Blind

External links

• American Foundation for the Blind
• Braille Technology at RNC
• Dancing Dots
• Assistive Technology Products