The relations between reading, auditory, speech, phonological and tactile spatial processing are investigated in a Dutch speaking sample of blind braille readers as compared to sighted print readers. Performance is assessed in blind and sighted children and adults. Regarding phonological ability, braille readers perform equally well compared to…

In the current study we investigated word, pseudoword and story reading in Dutch speaking braille and print readers. To examine developmental patterns, these reading skills were assessed in both children and adults. The results reveal that braille readers read less accurately and fast than print readers. While item length has no impact on word…

Similar to many sighted children who struggle with learning to read, a proportion of blind children have specific difficulties related to reading braille which cannot be easily explained. A lot of research has been conducted to investigate the perceptual and cognitive processes behind (impairments in) print reading. Very few studies, however, have…

Despite the need for braille literacy, there has been little attempt to systematically evaluate braille-instruction programs. The current study evaluated an instructive procedure for teaching early braille-reading skills with 4 school-aged children with degenerative visual impairments. Following a series of pretests, braille instruction involved…

The author of this study proposed two alternative methods for transcribing words with emphasis into braille and compared the use of the symbols for emphasis with the current braille code. The results showed that students were faster at locating words presented in one of the alternate formats, but that there was no difference in students' accuracy…

Conducted two experiments to investigate phonological and tactual coding in Braille reading by blind children. Results revealed a phonological effect in blind children's reading of single words. Also direct lexical access, from tactual input, proceeded with the same facility for the blind as does visual input for the sighted. (Author)

This literature review examines the research on the use of right and left hands in the reading of braille. Results suggest that right-handed people may read braille more accurately with the left hand. Studies have also found differences between girls and boys and changes over the developmental period. (DB)

Daily communication journals are a powerful tool to promote communication development in children with severe disabilities. Each page of the daily journal features three parts: a print or braille label, a recording device, and a tangible symbol. Children should participate in both the preparation of the daily journal and its review, thus gaining…

This bibliography offers a "magical adventure into the dark and dreamy world of the night." It contains annotations for 146 books, available for free to the blind and disabled, that cover various things associated with the night: dreams, monsters and ghosts, overcoming fear of the dark, nights in other countries that are six months long,…

The information contained in this publication will be helpful in carrying out projects to aid blind and visually handicapped children and adults of all ages. Special materials available from the Library of Congress such as: talking books, books in braille, large print books, and books in moon type are described. Other sources of reading materials…

The National Library Service (NLS) for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, administers a free national library program for persons with visual or physical handicaps who cannot use normal print materials. The following features of this service are discussed: (1) types of materials chosen (full-length books and magazines for…

This annotated bibliography of materials focuses on horses, racing, ranching, and riding. Two articles are presented in full. They are: "Diary of a Blind Horseman: Confidence Springs from a Horse Named Sun" (Richard Vice and Steve Stone) and "Young Rider: Her Horses Show the Way" (Helen Mason). Each article tells the true story…

Intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) are educational software based on expert systems that store educational knowledge. This article describes a model for computer-assisted mediation and its application in a prototype multimedia ITS for teaching blind children the recognition and reproduction of Braille signs. This system differs from previous work…

This annotated bilbiography of materials focuses on sailing. Two articles are presented in full. They are: "Sailing in Tall Ships" (Tony Elbourn) and "Sailing Blind" (Charles E. Leonard). Each article tells the true story of a blind person's experience with sailing. Material listings are presented for adults under the following…

This monograph summarizes the status of the Library of Congress's National Library Service (NLS) Talking Book Digital Conversion Project, a project to offer digital sound reproducers and its library materials in digital format beginning in 2008. Following an introductory section describing National Library Service services and users and the…