vib82052.htm

Braille: A Medium for Everybody?

Bertil Nilsson

Poppelvagen 11, S-281 00 Hassleholm, Sweden

When it comes to blind people's access to printed materials, braille is still an unequalled medium. We will never get too much braille. However, the system has its limitations, on which I will comment here.

One must keep in mind that the braille system was invented more than 150 years ago. It was invented by a Frenchman, which becomes obvious when you study the construction of the system. After the first 25 characters of the Latin alphabet, which most Germanic and Roman languages have in common, all specific French characters get a one-sign representation. Monsieur Braille, contrary to what is the case in inkprint, chose to give these characters a one-sign representation, and as a result there are not enough combinations left to have a sign-by-sign representation of important items such as numerals. This is a definite disadvantage. There are other instances as well when braille and inkprint do not coincide, for example, brackets and quotations marks. In inkprint, different signs are used to show the beginning and end of brackets, but not on the world braille chart. When it comes to quotations marks, it is just the opposite.

During the last few years we have been witnessing an amazingly rapid development in the field of technology. Among othe rthings,this means that the production of inkprint to a large extent has been computerized, which has made it possible to produce braille automatically, without having the material transcribed manually. The final product is either braille on paper or braille on cassette, which can then be presented line by line on a special tape recorder. This way of producing braille would be much easier if sign-by-sign correspondence between inkprint and braille were to be achieved.

In the future, we will certainly be confronted with new computerized information systems that allow us to comunicate by means of a keyboard and a visual display. In many places in the world attempts are being made to develop displays with a tactile output. I am convinced that it will not be long before these are on the market. However, this increases the need for sign-by-sign correspondence between inkprint and braille.

Technological development has made it necessary to partly change the braille code. There is now a difference between computer braille and ordinary braille. This should not be necessary. More and more, nonprofessionals will have to communicate with computers. Therefore, what is the use of having two codes? There are obvious reasons for the changes already made for computer braille, and there is no good reason why they should not be used for ordinary braille as well. This would also reduce considerably the differences between inkprint and braille. If we are prepared to agree to this change, I am convinced that our access to information will increase considerably in the very near future.

So many people fight for the survival of braille in this world of tape recorders because it is still necessary for everybody to have direct access to a written language; otherwise, illiteracy would abound. Contracted braille was invented when Louis Braille realized that it was necessary to do something to reduce the bulk of braille and the time needed to write it. But luckily, times have changed. Now, we have writing machines with which we can write even uncontracted braille very quickly. We have paperless braille, which mitigates the bulkiness. In these times, since space is less of a problem, it is important that the layout of the material is made more easily accessible to unskilled readers.

Many contraction systems are not as space-saving as one would think. And by using contractions, we will gradually lose our ability to spell the words properly. We will not be able to communicate in writing with sighted people. As I see it, there is only one reason for using contractions: to be able to take notes quickly. But on these occasions you need many more contractions than are available in grade two English braille-or in most other systems too, for that matter. You often have to have a personal contraction system. However, the notes you take are meant for personal reading only.

It is often said that contracted braille gives you an increased reading speed. In an article in the New Beacon, November l981, it was said that a person who read contracted braille at 110 wpm only reached 67 wpm when reading uncontracted braille. This may be so, but it is of course due to the fact that this person is accustomed to reading only grade two braille. I am sure that the result would have been the opposite if the individual had been accustomed to reading uncontracted braille. One must not forget that reading without contractions means using quite another method of reading: Uncontracted braille uses the redundancy of the language to a much larger extent than contracted braille, in which every character conveys a good deal more information. I know from experience, my own and that of others, that after a certain period of training in reading uncontracted braille, there will be no difference in reading speed.

There are many other advantages to a life without contractions. If we are willing to accept grade one braille, we will, to a much larger extent, be able to utilize machines like the IBM Brailler, which can be handled by practically any typist. We will have access to material produced in foreign langauges without having to learn at least one new contraction system for each language, and so be able to keep in touch with people in other countries. At the moment, the contraction systems of the different countries raise barriers which many blind people find impossible to erase.

I can see no valid reason why we should not change to a system of sign-by-sign correspondence between braille and inkprint. However, I have not mentioned the most important reason of all for changing to this system: It is generally acknowledged that contractions make it much more difficult for mentally retarded people to learn braille. It is incompatible with our demands for full particpation and equality not to try to reduce the difficulties for these people. This is our opportunity to show the solidarity that we so urgently demand from other groups in society.

Mr. Nilsson is a member of the board of the Swedish Federation of the Visually Handicapped and represents this organization on the National Board for Braille Usage.