The article is the tenth in a series on reading by touch. The problem of the slow reading rate with Braille, and possible solutions are discussed. Future installments will deal with other suggestions for increasing the reading rate. (CD)

The VersaBraille System, which incorporates cassettes with braille, has been successfully implemented in the San Diego Unified School District. Preliminary results indicate that the system promoted reading and writing rates and was more easily and quietly operated than the mechanical brailler. Users rated the system positively. (Author/CL)

The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) has undertaken an extensive evaluation of the cassette-braille concept to determine braille reader acceptance of the concept, in addition to possible technical refinements and cost reductions. Approximately 80 braille readers from four cities were selected as volunteer…

The article reviews four operative braille production systems for use by the visually impaired that will cut costs. The four are manual, semiautomated, automated, and electromagnetic cassette. (PHR)

A review of the research into the possibilities of increasing the braille reading rate, including changing the ability of braille readers, changing the way in which braille characters are displayed, and changing the braille code, is presented. It is concluded that changing the perceptual ability of the braille reader is the most promising…

Ten "myths" about the Unified Braille Code (UBC) are debunked in this article. Myths address the official adoption of UBC, changes in literary Braille, input from users in determining the UBC's final form, the UBC and technical uses, the UBC and computer Braille translation, and continued availability of materials in current codes. (DB)

This article reports on a national survey and follow-up interviews with vision-support teachers. The study related to pupils in mainstream schools who are identified as able to read large print but also need to learn braille to increase access to the curriculum. The aim of the survey was to elicit information about the diversity of the group and…

The paper reports on two experiments in Braille learning which compared blind and sighted subjects on the immediate recall of haptically-examined Braille symbols. In the first study, sighted subjects (N=64) haptically examined each of a set of Braille symbols with their preferred or nonpreferred hand and immediately recalled the symbol by drawing…

This paper identifies and describes four braille production systems that are currently in use: (1) manual--the printed material is transcribed onto braille, proof-read, corrected, and printed; (2) semi-automated--computers or microprocessors transcribe and/or translate the text from ink-print to braille but depend on a manual entry of the text to…

AT A TECHNICAL SESSION, SIXTY-ONE PARTICIPANTS FROM THE FIELDS OF EDUCATION, INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT, AND AGENCIES OF THE BLIND DISCUSSED RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION AND USE OF READING MACHINES WHICH PERMIT BLIND PERSONS GREATER INDEPENDENCE IN READING THE PRINTED PAGE. THEY ALSO EXPLORED PROBLEMS INHERENT IN THESE EFFORTS AND PROPOSED…

A program abstract which corresponds to the computer program for braille translation at the American Printing House for the Blind presents an approach to computer processing of inkprint into braille including input, output, storage areas, and processing steps. The program runs on a 709 data processing system, requires approximately 9,400 36-bit…

Ten visually impaired students (12-18 years old) were instructed via a two-module instructional kit to use microcomputers and to learn the programing language, BASIC. Results indicated that the visually impaired students learned the major components of the microcomputer and were able to use the cassette braille access device. (CL)

The effects of using an electric Perkins Brailler (EPB) on the braille writing rate and accuracy of 10 blind students (6-21 years old) were examined by comparing writing samples obtained with the regular and electric Perkins Braillers. No statistically significant differences were found but students commented favorable on the EPB. (Author/CL)