Braille ..do you actually know all the facts about it ?
Well this blog will not tell you what is braille or who invented it but highlight some facts about braille which mut be kept in mind when you work with or assist a visually impaired child
1.Braille is not a language,It is a tactile code instead. So it enables the visually challenged person to read and write by touch. It has combination of raised dots which will represent alphabets , words , punctuation and numbers
2.Next fact will be a shock , if you are losing your sight , it important to start training of using a braille.It is recommended to learn using braille by using the sense of touch only
3.Remember the braille will use lot of space on a page than a sighted writing system . So contracted braille is a better idea to go with
4.Braille is not just used for transcribing and writing.It is very interestingly used for making signages in public spaces. These are lift key pads , door signs , menu cards in cafes and labelling everyday items specially medicines
5. Now with recent technology , electronic braille notetakers and refreshable braille displays in existence , a visually impaired person can browse internet too.
6. Practicing daily with the braille , specially reading writing can improve the reading speed
7. Also there is no definite timescale for braille learning it depends person to person
8.Very important to know not all people who are visually challenged would use braille . This is because touch sensitivity takes time to develop
So when you come across a visually challenged individual , don’t expect they will be pro at braille.
It is important to respect their personal choice to learn it and right to agency
What we can do is , read , and learn about braille benefits and spread awareness so that more people get motivated and take up the path of braille journey if they wish too.
What should be your next step?
Go to google and type braille and then research about types and designs of braille , gain more insight on contracted braille , do enlighten about disadvantages
You might think why all these points not mentioned in this blog . This is because I want you to be motivated to learn about this tactile code device at your pace and be confident to help a visually challenged individual
Had I mentioned all point together in this blog , you would not get tempted to search more … hahaha
Hope you enjoyed this blog !!
Creative efforts and Social activist – Heena Sahi
Creative representation for this blog is done by our extremely talented CreativeSaathi associate Dhairya Kumar Pal