07/10/2024
Braille: A code for print?
I came across various braille signages during my recent travels. Language aside, I was fascinated by the diversity in how these signs were presented. Braille is a tactile writing system for individuals with no or low vision (i.e., visual impairments). At face value, braille may be perceived by some sighted individuals as a solution for creating equal access to information for individuals with visual impairments. Hang on. Is this perspective accurate?
I pondered over what I saw (see photo), thought about what my AAC users with and without visual impairments have taught me, and the research literature about braille and AAC. These are my reflections:
- Visually printed media should not be a stand-alone solution for communicating information. Other options include refreshable braille displays, embossed braille, and screen readers.
- Braille literacy needs to be considered.
- Braille uptake is influenced by quality of vision, timing of the onset of vision impairment and prior language/communication knowledge.
- We need to keep our assumptions in check. For example, providing auditory means of accessing content for individuals with visual impairments is not a like-for-like substitute for braille. This is because the auditory-only means of accessing information does not have the tactile reinforcement of sentence structure and spelling that braille offers.
- What sight-centric assumptions influence how braille is used in some of the signs in the photo?
- Braille and other assistive technology solutions (e.g., auditory input, high contrast visuals, 3D visuals) is not a binary choice. The later supplements, not replaces, braille.
Concluding, I’m convinced that one needs to involve braille users when designing and implementing AAC solutions for them. Otherwise, one risks being misunderstood big time! Just like me in a French café without my translator text to speech app!
References
Dolphin S, Downing M, Cirrincione M, Samuta A, Leite K, Noble K, Walsh B. Information Accessibility in the Form of Braille. IEEE Open J Eng Med Biol. 2024 Feb 8;5:205-209. doi: 10.1109/OJEMB.2024.3364065. PMID: 38606396; PMCID: PMC11008803.
Englebretson, R., Holbrook, M. C., & Fischer-Baum, S. (2023). A position paper on researching braille in the cognitive sciences: decentering the sighted norm. Applied Psycholinguistics, 44(3), 400–415. doi:10.1017/S0142716423000061
