The paper reviews the history of education for visually handicapped students in the twentieth century. Noted are the establishment of residential schools for the blind, gradual integration into public school classes, controversies over braille, the appearance of "talking books," and beginning efforts in orientation and mobility. (CL)

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)

Guidelines for working with remedial braille readers in the areas of attitude/motivation, mechanical skills, decoding skills, and comprehension are provided. Lists of suggestions are presented in each of the areas. (PHR)

A Beginning Braille Reading Series was designed to eliminate or minimize problems which are unique to children who must learn to read using the braille code. (Author/PHR)

This article describes a strategy for using Braille Lite, a portable notetaking device in which synthetic speech and Braille are combined, to learn foreign languages independently. Instructions are provided for connecting Braille Lite to a printer, creating the proper file, inputting a foreign language, and installing ASCII tables. (Contains 3…

Describes several programs that were developed by staff at the Cleveland (Ohio) Public Library to be accessible to users with disabilities. Highlights include a Braille reading program; sensory garden; poetry club; book club based on talking books; wheelchair athletics; touching museum artifacts; and a mobile library for users who could not visit…

Presents case studies of three adolescent boys with progressive vision loss who gradually became blind during adolescence. Examines the relationship between the boys' psychological adjustment to their blindness and their acquisition of braille reading skills. (Author)

A study involving 147 Missouri school districts serving students with visual impairments found that 77% who were identified as print readers, Braille readers, or print and Braille readers were reading at or above grade level. Of the 127 who were Braille readers, 57 were reported to perform grade-level activities. (Contains 4 references.) (CR)

This article describes the first phase of a project to develop an empirically based scale to help multidisciplinary teams decide whether individual children need to start or continue braille instruction. Teachers and other practitioners (n=225) rated child characteristics on the extent to which they reflected the need for braille instruction, and…

This study to determine the validity of the Blind Learning Aptitude Test (BLAT), involving 30 students, found significant correlations between scores on the BLAT and braille oral reading speed, comprehension, age, grade, years of blindness, intelligence, and achievement. The correlation was greater between the BLAT and comprehension than between…

Advocates teaching Braille to sighted children as a strategy for raising awareness and promoting a positive view of blindness. Explains what Braille is, and outlines a classroom lesson that can be used in the primary grades to teach about the use of Braille. Promotes the view that blindness is a characteristic rather than a handicap. (DR)

Israeli programs that have been used to teach children to read Hebrew braille are described, and a reading scheme called "Secrets and Surprises" is presented. The method uses an eclectic approach, emphasizes comprehension and the communicative element of reading, and offers a variety of presentation modes to meet individual students'…

Questionnaires assessed the Braille instructional needs of 200 people who had lost their sight after learning to read and were enrolled in Braille courses. Findings indicated that Braille instructional sessions were often only once or twice a month instead of the recommended daily frequency. Individualized teaching methods and materials are also…

This study of the cognitive processes of braille reading compared the reading of 23 adult braille readers in 4 different reading conditions: oral reading, silent reading, studying, and scanning. The findings support the idea that braille reading is process driven and that reading rates vary, depending on the purpose of the reading task. (Author)