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Inkbraille: A Pilot Study of a New Reading Medium for Blind Persons

David W. Hislop, Ph.D.; B. L. Zuber, Ph.D.; John L. Trimble, Ph.D.

Rehabilitation Research and Development Center, Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Administration Hospital, Hines, IL 60141

Abstract: A pilot study is explained comparing Inkbraille with embossed braille. Advantages of Inkbraille are noted and readability is tested.

Embossed braille reading rates of about 100 words per minute are not unusual (Foulke, 1982). No other tactile-based reading system allows blind people to read at such a high rate. The braille code offers further advantages in that, linguistically, it is relatively efficient (Grade 2) and is in rather widespread use among blind persons. There are, however, major disadvantages to embossed braille. Reading materials in this medium are bulky; costly to produce, distribute/store; and subject to deterioration through repeated use.

A reading aid that would convert an ink image of the braille code to a direct tactile facsimile might retain the high reading rate advantage of embossed braille, while eliminating the major disadvantage of that medium. It was with this thought in mind that Inkbraille, a reduced size ink image version of the braille code, was conceived as a possible input code for a new "reading system." (Hislop, Zuber, & Trimble, 1983). Inkbraille can be simply and inexpensively produced on paper, and its use could result in books for the blind of a size similar to those for the sighted. Consequently, the decreased bulk of Inkbraille materials, as compared to embossed braille texts, could lead to significant economies in storage and distribution, and could also increase the possibility of the individual ownership of reading materials by blind people.

In this pilot study we addressed the concerns of Inkbraille production, tested its readability, and investigated the ease with which skilled braille readers learned to read Inkbraille. In the absence of a device designed specifically to read Inkbraille the Optacon was used as an Inkbraille testing tool. This was convenient in that we had an Optacon available and were familiar with the characteristics of Optacon reading (Hislop, Zuber, & Trimble, 1983).

Four subjects were used in this study, and all subjects were able to read Inkbraille upon initial exposure. Furthermore, after only limited exposure and practice there were significant improvements in reading performance. Two of the subjects were used in multiple experimental sessions during which the performance for Optacon/ letterprint and Optacon/Inkbraille reading was monitored. One subject participated in three sessions and attained an Inkbraille reading of 18.3 words per minute as compared to a letterprint rate of 15.5 wpm. The second of these subjects attained an Inkbraille performance of 22.0 wpm as compared to a letterprint rate of 13.5 wpm. Although Inkbraille rates appear to be slightly higher than letterprint rates, this difference disappears when account is taken of the effect of contractions in Grade 2 braille.

In summary, we conclude that Inkbraille can be easily read by blind persons, and that significant increases in reading rate can be accomplished after relatively little exposure. When Inkbraille is read with the Optacon, reading rates are far below those for embossed braille. Since there is little difference in reading rates for Inkbraille and letterprint when both are read with the Optacon, we conclude that the Optacon introduces a rate-limiting constraint. This is not entirely unexpected. The Optacon, appropriately designed with the high resolution required for reading letterprint (but inappropriate for the simple braille code), was used in this study primarily for purposes of expedience. We hope that higher reading rates can be achieved when Inkbraille is read with a device which is specifically designed to transform Inkbraille into a more appropriate pattern of raised elements. Our current efforts are directed toward the development of such a device.

Dr. Hislop is a bioengineer at Hines Veterans Administration Hospital, Hines, 111. Dr. Zuber is professor, Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Chicago and a bioengineer at Hines VA Hospital. Dr. Trimble is acting director, Rehabilitation Research and Development Center, Hines VA Hospital.

References

Foulke, E. (1982). Reading braille. In W Schiff & E. Foulke (Eds.), Tactual perception: A sourcebook (pp. 168-208). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Hislop, D. W., Zuber, B. I,., & Trimble, J. L. (1983). Skill acquisition: The blind reading lnkbraille. Proceedings of 67th Annual Meeting of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (Chicago, April 10-15), 42, 754.

Hislop, D. W, Zuber, B. L., & Trimble, J. L. (1983). Characteristics of reading rate and manual scanning patterns of blind Optacon readers. Human Factors, 25(4), 379.

Support for this work came from the Veterans Administration and a Biomedical Research Support grant, University of Illinois at Chicago.