Braillecast Extra

You might be familiar with many functions of the Canute 360 from Bristol Braille Technology, but did you know it can work seamlessly with the widely popular Duxbury Braille Translator? When connected to a Windows machine, the Canute can output Braille text in real-time using Duxbury's six-key Braille entry, or display any translated text loaded into the application. This added functionality can significantly enhance the usability of the Canute 360, particularly for those who need to quickly navigate content in a multi-line environment. If you already have Duxbury and the Canute 360, you're set to go! Join Bristol Braille Technology’s Ed Rogers and Sight and Sound Technology’s Stuart Lawler to learn not only how to set up this integration but also explore a variety of use cases. Don't miss this opportunity to maximize your Canute 360 experience!

You’re invited to pull up a chair at the Braillists’ Christmas party, where a friendly cast of characters discuss the games they play after Christmas dinner. Card games, board games, dice games and everything in between, we’ve got you covered. We discuss where to buy specially adapted games and how to adapt your own. And because it’s Christmas, the whole cast is in the same room! Grab a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine and celebrate Christmas with us. Items discussed: Indoor Games from RNIB Games from Cobolt All Things Dotty Braille Chess Association LEGO Braille Bricks Braille Superstore 64 Ounce Games Rubik's Sensory Cube Shashibo Cube Early Learning Centre Azabat Dotris Jigsaws from Falcon and Ravensburger

The latest in our occasional series showcasing historical braille shorthand codes which you might still find useful today: Braille, User-Oriented Code (BUOC) was a code written by the late Australian, Rebecca Maxwell, with the support of Australian Braille Literacy Action (ABLA), formerly the Australian Guild of Business and Professional Blind. It was last revised in 1998 and includes a number of useful devices for making braille shorter. We were delighted to be joined by Jordie Howell, a great proponent of BUOC and a contemporary of its author. Jordie introduced us to the principals of BUOC, described how some common words and phrases can be shortened and explained how we can find out more about this grass roots code. Find out more on the ICEB Shorthand Codes page During the session, two books on grade 3 were also mentioned by way of comparison. These books are also available on the above web page in BRF format, and can be obtained from NLS in the US using these catalogue numbers: BRA03950 The Braille Code A Guide to Grade Three Braille for First Year High School Students by Ruth Hayden BRA18832 Key to Grade Three Braille by Lewis Rodenberg

USB, or Universal Serial Bus, has been a feature of braille displays for over twenty years. Originally a standard for connectivity, it has evolved over time to also provide power and charging capabilities. However, if USB is supposed to be Universal, why are some chargers faster than others, and why won’t some chargers and cables work at all? On Tuesday 29 October 2024, we unravelled the answer to this far from straightforward question. Along the way, we covered: A brief history of USB Common USB connecters and how to tell the difference between them How and when the USB cable you use may impact performance What happens behind the scenes when you connect your braille display to a USB charger What to look for when buying replacement cables and chargers Whether or not a power bank is a viable solution for charging your braille display on the go Things to try if your braille display won’t charge The session was presented by Mobeen Iqbal from Taira Technology, an independent provider of bespoke and specialist hardware, software and support solutions. Mo has over fifteen years’ experience working with hardware of all shapes and sizes, from custom-built desktop and laptop computers to TV set top boxes and remote controls, and has a passion for improving the ease of use of technology for blind and partially sighted people. Links from Mo About Taira Technology Energrid Accessible Power Banks Comments in the Chat from Andrew Flatres There are trade offs with having replacements batteries. In addition most braille displays have to have a medical certification which also plays a big role on deciding a replacement battery. EU parliament has voted on a law that will require User replaceable batteries. I believe this should be in force by 2027. From a HumanWare perspective, we want to ensure products have a good life battery span and made light. An approach like the BI 20x where the battery is replaceable but held with two Phillips screw. We also have to consider battery collaboration. To respond to the medical certification, I will try and get a response from our team on this. This is a really good discussion.

Reading aloud is a skill that is both terrifying and liberating. Adding braille to the mix presents unique challenges that can often get in the way of recognising significant progress. Along with reading speed and fluency, the one question we hear most often is: “How can I improve my ability to read aloud?” Building on the topics from her popular masterclass, Revitalise Your Braille Reading Technique, Chantelle Griffiths returns to uncover some of the mystery and magic of reading aloud and to share some tips and tricks to help. In this masterclass we explored: How a six-year-old Chantelle connected the dots between elephants, cats and reading aloud, and the one word she learned that can help you, too. What reading aloud is not, and why “not” helps a lot! The surprising visual analogy that can improve your reading exponentially, if you choose to see it. The three infuriating words that everyone hates to hear but loves to experience. How moving on is not giving up, but levelling up. The capital B mindset that resets your brain and your reading practice every time. And so much more. Why not bring along some familiar reading material, electronic or hardcopy, and try some of what you learn with us in real time. Whether you’re new to reading aloud or you just want a fresh perspective, there’s something here for everyone.

Braille Screen Input has been overhauled! iOS and iPad OS 18, released on Monday 16 September, include the biggest refresh of Braille Screen Input since the feature was first introduced in iOS 8. Although you can, for the most part, still use Braille Screen Input as you always have done, the new functionality in Apple's latest flagship operating systems is a source of much excitement throughout the blind community and will almost certainly take your Braille Screen Input experience to the next level. Join us in this episode as Matthew Horspool talks us through what's new. Summary of New Features New gestures for entering and exiting: double tap the far edges of the screen with two fingers to enter. To exit, pinch outwards or inwards, or perform a two finger scrub. BSI is also still available in the rotor and if this is enabled, the rotor gesture still works to exit, but it does not work if BSI is removed from the rotor. You can now braille a for sign. There are keyboard clicks and haptics during text entry, the same as those for the QWERTY on-screen keyboard. When searching for apps on the home screen, you can now use grade 2. You now have access to a Braille Item Chooser from within Braille Screen Input. It works in a similar way to searching for apps on the home screen, but functions within apps. You can now enter Braille Screen Input automatically when encountering a text field. Braille Screen Input now uses the Braille Table options in Settings, Accessibility, VoiceOver, Braille to determine whether input is contracted, uncontracted etc. Swipe up with two fingers to change braille table. There is a new Command Mode, accessible via a three finger swipe left or right from within Braille Screen Input, or a tripple tap with two fingers at the far edges of the screen from elsewhere. Gestures in Command Mode are akin to braille display commands with the space bar held down, e.g. type the letter h in Command Mode to go to the home screen. You can also move the cursor and perform text selection with one finger and two finger swipe gestures. When using the Braille Item Chooser or searching for apps on the home screen using Braille Screen Input, you can opt to remain in Command Mode when swiping right with two fingers rather than exiting Braille Screen Input altogether. When in Command Mode, if the setting to enter Braille Screen Input when encountering a text box is enabled, VoiceOver will automatically switch from Command Mode to Braille Entry Mode when a text box is encountered. There are new sounds for entering and exiting Braille Screen Input, calibrating the dots and changing between Command Mode and Braille Entry Mode. There is now a setting to determine whether translated text appears on the screen whilst Braille Screen Input is active. All Braille Screen Input gesture assignments, plus the assignments for entering Braille Screen Input, can be customised. Braille Screen Input now supports Japanese braille. N.B. if the master toggle for VoiceOver sounds is switched off in Settings, Accessibility, VoiceOver, Sounds and Haptics, the new Braille Screen Input sounds will not play. Supported Devices iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max, 2024 iPad Pro (M4), 2024 iPad Air (M2), 2024 iPad Pro 11-inch 5th generation, 2024 iPad Air 6th generation, 2024 iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, 2023 iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, 2022 iPad Pro 12.9-inch 6th generation, 2022 iPad Pro 11-inch 4th generation, 2022 iPad Air 5th generation, 2022 iPad 10th generation, 2022 iPhone SE 3rd generation, 2022 iPhone 13, 13 mini, 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max, 2021 iPad Pro 12.9-inch 5th generation, 2021 iPad Pro 11-inch 3rd generation, 2021 iPad 9th generation, 2021 iPad mini 6th generation, 2021 iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max, 2020 iPad Pro 12.9-inch 4th generation, 2020 iPad Pro 11-inch 2nd generation, 2020 iPad Air 4th generation, 2020 iPad 8th generation, 2020 iPhone SE 2nd generation, 2020 iPad 7th generation, 2019 iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max, 2019 iPad Air 3rd generation, 2019 iPad mini 5th generation, 2019 iPad Pro 12.9-inch 3rd generation, 2018 iPad Pro 11-inch 1st generation, 2018 iPhone XS, XS Max and XR, 2018 Apple Support Articles Type braille directly on the iPhone screen with VoiceOver Type braille directly on the iPad screen with VoiceOver Common Braille commands for VoiceOver on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch Customize VoiceOver gestures and keyboard shortcuts on iPhone Customize VoiceOver gestures and keyboard shortcuts on iPad

Do you need an easy way to identify your shampoo from your hair removal cream? Do you want to avoid accidentally feeding dog food to your dinner guests—again? Does your granddaughter complain that you’ve covered up the print label on her favourite midnight snack with your “special dots”? Our sense of touch can give us much more information about our environment than we may think. Naturally, there’s braille, but how else can we use this powerful tactile sense to make things easier at home and further afield? In this Masterclass, Matthew Horspool and Chantelle Griffiths joined forces to take you on a tactile journey to help you master your sense of touch for the simple, yet powerful purpose of identification and marking. They covered: How everyday office stationery can save your sanity when travelling. How a simple rubber band can turn nightmare neighbours into amicable allies. How to use braille in fun and creative ways, even if you’re not yet a confident braillist. Why you need to own hair ties, even if you have no hair to tie. How texture and orientation work together to create a customisable system for identification that anyone can use. And so much more! Whether you’re newer to sight loss or blind since birth, there’s something here for everyone. Join us to learn how to level up your tactile marking skills, and create unforgettable experiences for yourself and others, for all the right reasons.

This session, presented by Saima Akhtar, is designed to give you a Whistlestop tour of the fundamentals of Arabic braille. Rest assured, it’s not nearly as complicated as you think. By the end of the session, you will have more insight into the following areas: The origins of Arabic braille Common misconceptions around the structure and layout of Arabic braille How the Arabic alphabet is constructed (here we will tackle the puzzling conundrum surrounding how to identify consonants and vowels) Next steps for anybody looking to learn more after the session Please note, it will be much easier to follow along if you have a grasp of grade one English braille as Saima will refer to similarities between English and Arabic braille throughout the session.

Many braille displays include an SD or Micro SD card slot. However, when it comes to purchasing a suitable card, there are so many options! Which is best, and which work with your braille display? In this session, we were joined by friend of the Braillists Ben Mustill-Rose to help make sense of them. He covered: Technical terms – SD, Micro SD, SD HC, SD XC and card classes How much capacity you need Card readers and adapters Avoiding poor quality cards Unpacking and setting up your new card, including formatting and write protection

According to its website, “BrailleBlaster™ is a braille transcription program developed by the American Printing House for the Blind to help transcribers provide blind students with braille textbooks on the first day of class.” It uses markup from source documents to automate formatting, and provides “tools to make advanced tasks quicker and easier.” Although it is “Designed primarily for editing textbooks that meet the specifications published by the Braille Authority of North America,” the adoption of Unified English Braile in most English-speaking countries makes it suitable for use in a wide variety of applications in many parts of the world. It is free of charge and compatible with virtually all braille embossers. On Tuesday 20 February 2024, we were delighted to be joined by two representatives from APH to introduce us to BrailleBlaster and demonstrate some of its features: Willow Free is the Tactile Technology Product Manager and based in the United States Michael Whapples is the Lead Developer of BrailleBlaster and based in the United Kingdom

Sometimes, you just need a BRF file with no fuss, even though you know it might have the occasional error or won’t be formatted quite as you’d like. RoboBraille is one solution to this problem. It works with a large variety of file formats including PDF, Microsoft Word and plain text, and converts them to braille within a matter of minutes. Best of all, it’s entirely online, so you don’t need to install anything. You can use it on computers even if you don’t have admin rights, smartphones, tablets and even braille notetakers. Join us in this episode to find out: When is fully automated translation appropriate (and when is it not)? Translating files through the robobraille.org website Translating files by emailing RoboBraille How to evaluate the output Where to find help

Following our exploration of braille translators during National Braille Week, we were delighted to be joined by esteemed assistive technology pioneer Dean Martineau. Dean is a long term braille user and has spent many years developing his own personal braille shorthand system. In this Masterclass, Dean introduced us to the Biblos braille translator and demonstrated how he uses it to translate text into his personalised shorthand system. He also covered some more conventional uses of the program and compared it with other free translators on the market, including Send to Braille and Sao Mai Braille.

A message from our Chairman, Dave Williams, to thank our many volunteers this National Volunteers Week.

For many years now, Sight Scotland have championed National Braille Week, an opportunity to celebrate braille usage and raise awareness of the importance and value of braille. It runs in the second week of October, to coincide with World Sight Day. In 2023, we celebrated National Braille Week at the Braillists by running five Masterclasses, one each day, following the journey “From Print to Braille”. These episodes are the recordings of these Masterclasses. This week: The Duxbury Braille Translator is used in braille production facilities all over the world. We will explore how templates can be used to produce braille according to virtually any international standard, and how styles and codes can be used to control the finer points of the braille output. The presenter is James Bowden.

For many years now, Sight Scotland have championed National Braille Week, an opportunity to celebrate braille usage and raise awareness of the importance and value of braille. It runs in the second week of October, to coincide with World Sight Day. In 2023, we celebrated National Braille Week at the Braillists by running five Masterclasses, one each day, following the journey “From Print to Braille”. These episodes are the recordings of these Masterclasses. In this episode, discover how making a few small tweaks to your Microsoft Word documents will not only lead to better automated braille, but also speed up your word processing tasks! Using styles, inserting proper characters and ensuring tables are created effectively will all be covered. The session was presented by Barry Coates, Technology Training Manager at RNIB.

Supernova is a screen magnification and screen reading package from Dolphin Computer Access Ltd, based in Worcester in the UK. Braille display support is a core part of its offering, but we don't hear very much about it. In this session, we were joined by Aj Ahmed, proprietor of AAT Solutions, an independent provider of assistive technology training and support. Aj talked us through how to set up a braille display to work with Supernova, the various settings which are available, and the keystrokes which will help you make the most of this functionality.

If you have a new braille display and you’re struggling to connect it to your computer, iPhone or iPad, or you have a new computer, iPhone or iPad and you’re struggling to connect it to your braille display, this session is for you. We covered: The pros and cons of Bluetooth and USB Pairing and unpairing your braille display via Bluetooth Drivers and how to install them Screen reader setup Using braille without speech The session was presented by Matthew Horspool.

Many screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA, make use of the popular, open source Liblouis braille translation engine as part of their braille display support. In this session, we explained and demonstrated how to harness the power of Liblouis braille tables to implement additional contractions in your screen reader of choice. If you use a long word regularly and find it is taking up too much space on your braille display, this is the session for you! It also serves as a brief introduction to Liblouis translation tables in general. The session was presented by James Bowden. In addition to his work as Braille Technical Officer at RNIB, James is also the Chair of the Braille Technology Committee of the International Council on English Braille, and is the primary developer of the default UEB translation table in Liblouis. Over many years, he has not only added new symbols to the UEB tables, but has also corrected numerous errors with existing contractions, and he actively contributes to discussions about the future development of Liblouis. Please note: although we did our best to present the concepts in this session in as simple and straightforward a way as possible, modifying Liblouis tables involves advanced file and folder manipulation, administration rights and working with computer code in a text editor. You do not need to be a computer programmer in order to benefit from this session, but it is best suited to people with intermediate to advanced computer knowledge.

“What’s wrong with grade 2?” In many cases, nothing. It strikes a good balance between compactness, readability and lack of ambiguity. However, in some cases, a code which is even more compact than grade 2 is extremely advantageous, especially when information needs to be written down at speed. The Braille Shorthand Code was one attempt at creating such a system. Devised and used in the UK, it was last updated in 1959 and still has a loyal following. In this event, we were joined by Dr Norman Waddington, a prolific user of the Braille Shorthand Code for many years. Norman explained the principals behind the Braille Shorthand Code and took us through some examples of some typical shorthand phrases. He also talked about the equipment which was traditionally used to produce braille shorthand and discussed who would benefit from using the Braille Shorthand Code. To order The Braille Shorthand Code book from RNIB, quote archive number 513871. A BRF version of The Braille Shorthand Code can be downloaded from the Shorthand Braille Codes page of the ICEB website.

iOS 17 was released last September, bosting a number of significant braille enhancements. In this Masterclass, we were joined by Scott Davert to find out more. Scott is well regarded in the blind community as an expert in braille on iOS. He regularly contributes braille-related content to the AppleVis website, and presented a series of three Masterclasses introducing us to braille on iOS in 2022. This was an extensive presentation followed by your questions. We also covered some of the new braille features in iOS 16 which have not been covered in other sessions.

Getting tactile diagrams at University is often not as easy as it should be. However, the Open University has an excellent reputation for accessibility, and has developed robust processes for students to request diagrams and for those diagrams to be designed and produced. This session was presented jointly by Jeff Bashton, former Visual Impairment Adviser at the Open University; and Andrew Whitehead, Graphics Media Developer within the OU’s Learner and Discovery Services. It briefly outlined what the Open University is, before explaining what gave rise to the tactile diagrams initiative and how it was developed. Andrew illustrated how diagrams are prioritised, and described the tools and techniques he uses to design and produce them. We learnt how these techniques are applied to standard graphs and charts, as well as more complex images such as a cross-section of part of the brain! If you are currently studying at University, or thinking of starting a University course soon, this session serves as a case study of how Universities can provide effective support in this area. We gave details of DSA funding models at the end of the presentation. If you are interested in tactile diagrams in general, this session offered valuable insights into the tools and techniques available and the reasons for choosing them. Decision Tree: Deciding if a Tactile Diagram is Necessary Start Is the information a repeat of the facts? Yes: go to 5. No: go to 3. Would the information be more meaningful in text form? Yes: go to 6. No: go to 4. Return to 2. Does the graphic require the reader to use visual discrimination or visual perception? Yes: go to 7. No: go to 8. Return to 3. Do not produce graphic. Return to 2. Create a figure description. Do not produce a graphic. Return to 3. Modify the graphic. Return to 4. Is the actual object unavailable, too small, too large, or too dangerous to examine by touch and perceived details? Yes: go to 11. No: go to 9. Return to 4. Does the reader need the information from a map, figure or graph to complete an assessment/task or to participate in discussions and/or answer questions? Yes: go to 11. No: go to 10. Return to 8. Do not produce graphic. Return to 9. Produce graphic. Return to 8. Return to 9. Tactile Diagram Transcribers A2I All Formats Pia RNIB Business Services RNIB Personal Transcription Services Scottish Braille Press Swansea University Transcription Centre University of Leeds Equality and Inclusion Unit Sources of Tactile Diagrams RNIB Bookshare - Accessible Images APH Tactile Graphic Image Library (TGIL) National Braille Press (NBP) Tactile Images and Maps from the Lighthouse for the Blind, San Francisco Sources of Swell Paper and Heat Fusers HumanWare Swell Form Machine Sight and Sound PIAF Tactile Image Printer HumanWare Swell Touch Markers HumanWare Swell Touch Paper A4 100 sheets HumanWare Swell Touch Paper A3 100 sheets Sight and Sound PIAF Swell Paper Braillists Consumables page Other Links of Interest Guidelines and Standards for Tactile Graphics from the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) Inkscape Curriculum Framework for Children and Young People with Vision Impairment Tactile Reading Conference 2025 Visio Tactual Profile and Feel Free

As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, a few people joined us for a cosy fireside chat to round off the year on Tuesday 19 December. How do you write and address your Christmas cards? How do you know whose Christmas presents are whose? And what part does braille play in all of this? We were joined by our expert Braille for Beginners team, Mel Pritchard and Chantelle Griffiths, to get the conversation started, and we heard plenty of ideas from the audience too, on a multitude of Christmas-themed topics.

Have you ever downloaded a book from Bookshare or Reading Services, but struggled to extract the zip file? Have you ever had a BRF file emailed to you, but not been able to copy it to your braille display? Does your braille display only support text or BRF files, but you want to read Word or PDF files on it? If you can answer “yes” to any of these questions, this episode is for you! Matthew Horspool was in the presenter’s chair on Tuesday 19 September 2023 and took us step by step through extracting zip files, converting files from one format to another, and copying files from your computer to your braille display. Demonstrations using a screen reader formed an integral part of the presentation, and as ever there was plenty of time for questions at the end. N.B. most of the demos were carried out on Windows, but the concepts discussed should apply equally to other operating systems.

Whether you're new to braille or an experienced braillist, reading is an important and fundamental process. To fully appreciate the brilliance of braille for use in daily life, reading is something you should enjoy and feel comfortable with. But what can you do to improve your reading skills once you have learned all the letters and perhaps some contractions as well? How can you enhance your reading speed and accuracy even if you've been doing braille for a while? On Tuesday 20 June 2023, Chantelle Griffiths, Co-Founder and CEO of New Zealand's Tactile and Technology Literacy Centre, shared some practical tips and tricks to get you on the right track with your reading, no matter how much braille you've done or where you are on your braille journey. There is something here for everyone. We learnt: What actually happens when we read and how reading by touch is different — or not — from reading visually. How to press the “reset button” for your fingers and brain when you're just not feeling it. Literally. The fundamental braille technique you didn't know you knew and how it enhances your reading. The three C's of braille reading; what they are and how they work together to help you connect the dots between your brain and fingers. How playing the viola relates to reading in a straight line and how you can experience something similar yourself, even if you're not a musician. How to start from exactly where you are and enjoy the process. Lots more practical tips, ideas and experiments you can try on your own. This was a very practical session. If you'd like to follow along with the recording, please have some hardcopy or electronic braille handy and a couple of random objects that feel nothing like braille. For further information please visit the Braillists Foundation Media Page.

The Orbit Reader range is now very extensive and comprises the Orbit Reader 20, the Orbit Reader 20 Plus and the Orbit Reader 40. On Tuesday 30 May 2023, James Bowden, Braille Technical Officer at RNIB, talked us through what these products can do, how they work, and the differences between Orbit Readers and other braille displays and notetakers. We learnt: The differences between the Orbit Reader 20, 20 Plus and 40 How Orbit technology differs from traditional braille display technology How to find and open files How to find text within a file How to use the editor How to transfer files between the Orbit and a computer For further information please visit the Braillists Foundation Media Page.

“This new braille has so many extra dots!” This is something we hear a lot, and it’s often followed by the question, “What do they all mean?” This Masterclass will help to solve the mystery. James Bowden, Braille Technical Officer at RNIB, Chairman of the Braille Coding Group of the UK Association for Accessible Formats, and the UK Representative to the Code Maintenance Committee of the International Council on English Braille, described the common indicators in UEB and gave some real world examples of their use. In particular, we covered: Capital letters and block capitals Making sure a word or symbol is not misread as a contraction Italicised, bolded and underlined text This session was recorded on Tuesday 16 May 2023. For further information please visit the Braillists Foundation Media Page.

There was a lot to cram into the last of our computer science-themed classes. We started with a quick refresher about what we’ve covered so far before taking a deep dive into what it takes to write software and build hardware with a particular focus on the accessibility elements of the process.

The final recording from the recent Six Dots to Success conference held in collaboration with Sight and Sound Technology Ltd. This episode features: Options in Education with Braille with Alannah Moriarty Panel discussion chaired by Roger Firman Summing up

The fourth of a series of recordings from the recent Six Dots to Success conference held in collaboration with Sight and Sound Technology Ltd. This episode features a recording of one of the breakout rooms.

The third of a series of recordings from the recent Six Dots to Success conference held in collaboration with Sight and Sound Technology Ltd. This episode features a recording of one of the breakout rooms.

Hable One is a powerful, fun and exciting way for you to interact with your smartphone or tablet using braille. As well as being a fully functional braille keyboard, supporting both grades 1 and 2, it also serves as a wireless remote control for every aspect of your smartphone or tablet, from moving around the screen to selecting, playing and pausing music, dialling numbers and changing settings. For beginner braillists, it is a uniquely satisfying way of putting your braille skills into practice. For more advanced braillists, it is a vital productivity tool. It works in partnership with the smartphone or tablet’s screen reader and supports all popular apps including messages/WhatsApp, Facebook/Messenger, Twitter, Spotify, mail, contacts, calendar, reminders and notes. On Tuesday 21 February at 7:30 PM GMT, we were joined by representatives from Hable, who told us more about this innovative device. We learned how easy it is to set it up and saw some practical examples of how it works both as a keyboard and a remote control. There was also plenty of opportunity for the audience to ask questions.

The second of a series of recordings from the recent Six Dots to Success conference held in collaboration with Sight and Sound Technology Ltd. This episode features a recording of one of the breakout rooms.

According to Wikipedia, Git is a distributed version control system that tracks changes in any set of computer files, usually used for coordinating work among programmers collaboratively developing source code during software development. Luckily for us it’s far more interesting than it sounds on paper as it was the topic of the third in our series of computer science masterclasses. We started off by cutting through some of the technobabble typically associated with tools such as this and then got hands on with some simple examples using the popular Liblouis project. We built on our Linux skills from the previous class along the way and even did a little bit of programming before ending the session with questions.

The first of a series of recordings from the recent Six Dots to Success conference held in collaboration with Sight and Sound Technology Ltd. This episode includes: Welcome from Sight and Sound CEO Glenn Tookey Welcome from Braillists Chairman Dave Williams Keynote speech from Peter White, Disability Affairs Correspondent at the BBC Greater Independence with Braille: a video by Red Széll

Linux: it powers everything from laptops to toasters, braille displays to coasters. You may have heard of the world’s most popular operating system if you follow technology related news, but what is it and how do you get started exactly? In the second of our computer science themed Masterclasses, we explored how to get started using Linux with technologies that you’ll already be familiar with. We started by getting access to a test system to experiment with, then introduced everyone to a few basic commands that allowed us to perform some basic tasks. For further information please visit the Braillists Foundation Media Page.

In our last Masterclass before the Christmas break, we’re delighted that Kim Charlson, Executive Director of the Perkins Library (part of Perkins School for the Blind), was able to join us again. Kim is author of the book “Drawing with your Perkins Brailler”, which includes step-by-step directions for creating 36 different drawings including shapes, animals and subjects with holiday and transportation themes. In this session, she used Christmas-themed drawings to explain the concepts behind using braille cells to create pictures. Bring a Perkins and some paper and follow along and, by the end of the session, you will have your very own festive pictures made entirely of braille dots! And don’t worry: if you heard Kim’s excellent session last year, this year’s pictures are brand new!

There are two well-known braille keyboards on the market today, the Orbit Writer and the Hable One. What are the similarities? What are the differences? Which one would suit your needs best? On Tuesday 4 October 2022, we were joined by a user of each keyboard. They told us more about how their preferred keyboard works and why they like it, and we learnt how they compare against each other. For further information please visit the Braillists Foundation Media Page.

Connor Scott-Gardner is an avid reader, and on Tuesday 6 September 2022 he demonstrated how to download books from RNIB Reading Services, transfer them to a braille display and read them. He also explained how Reading Services differs from other offerings from RNIB and elsewhere. For further information please visit the Braillists Foundation Media Page.

If you have an iPhone, iPad or Android device, it’s highly likely that you can braille in grade 2 directly on the touch screen and have it back translated instantly – a perfect replacement for the on screen keyboard. In this episode, Matthew Horspool and special guest Chris Norman demonstrate how this works on both iOS and Android. We also briefly explored other ways of entering braille without a braille display, including the popular Perky Duck program from Duxbury Systems. This session was recorded on Tuesday 5 July 2022. For further information please visit the Braillists Foundation Media Page.

It’s often said in the industry that garbage in = garbage out, but what does this mean in practice? On 17 May 2022, our Chairman Dave Williams held a conversation with Kawal Gucukoglu, who worked for many years as a braille transcriber at RNIB. They discussed the principals of effective braille layout – headings, paragraphs, lists, tables and so on – and how to implement them in electronic file formats to achieve optimum quality.

In this session, Matthew Horspool explains how braille is still relevant in the 21st century and demonstrates how free and low-cost braille technology is significantly improving the independence and productivity of blind and partially sighted people of all ages. We paid particular attention to Braille Screen Input and the Orbit Reader, both of which are relatively recent additions to the braille technology landscape and are being used by thousands of people all over the world. This session was presented by the Braillists Foundation on behalf of Visionary: Linking Local Sight Loss Charities on Tuesday 8 February 2022.

The Perkins Brailler has been a staple in the lives of braille users ever since the first one was manufactured in Watertown, Massachusetts in 1951. To this day, the Perkins is widely considered to be the most durable braille device on the market, with machines over 50 years old still going strong. They are so popular, in fact, that it is easy to forget that we need to teach new braillists how to use them! Furthermore, even established braillists do not always know how to diagnose faults when they arise, or how to take the best care of their machines so as to minimise the risks of faults arising in the first place. On 15 March, we were joined by Alan Thorpe of Eyecan, a certified Perkins Brailler Repair Centre. Alan took us on a tour of the Perkins Brailler, introducing us to the proper names of all of the parts! He explained how to insert paper and write braille, and described some common faults and how to overcome them. He also explained when a professional service or repair may be required and briefly explained the differences between the different models of Perkins Brailler available. For further information please visit the Braillists Foundation Media Page.

We were delighted to be joined by Scott Davert, one of the most well-known authorities on the use of iOS with a braille display, for the third and final part of his exploration of this winning combination. Scott is the Coordinator at the Technology, Research and Innovation Center, part of the Helen Keller National Center for DeafBlind Youths and Adults, and serves on the editorial team at AppleVis. In this session, he explained how to re-assign braille display commands and demonstrated web browsing with a braille display in Safari. This session was recorded on Tuesday 1 March 2022. For further information please visit the Braillists Foundation Media Page.

Following the first successful Masterclass, we were delighted to have been joined once again by Scott Davert, one of the most well-known authorities on the use of iOS with a braille display, to continue his exploration of this winning combination. Scott is the Coordinator at the Technology, Research and Innovation Center, part of the Helen Keller National Center for DeafBlind Youths and Adults, and serves on the editorial team at AppleVis. In this Masterclass, he introduced some more advanced navigation commands, including using the rotor, and then discussed and demonstrated text editing. This session was recorded on Tuesday 15 February 2022. For further information please visit the Braillists Foundation Media Page.

Following our brief introduction to Braille on iOS last year, we’re delighted this year to have been joined by Scott Davert, one of the most well-known authorities on the topic, to explore this winning combination in more detail. Scott is the Coordinator at the Technology, Research and Innovation Center, part of the Helen Keller National Center for DeafBlind Youths and Adults, and serves on the editorial team at AppleVis. In a series of three Masterclasses, he discussed and demonstrated how to make the most of using your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch with a braille display, from basic exploration to text editing, web browsing and much more. In the first Masterclass, he covered: Supported braille displays and how to connect themBraille settings in VoiceoverExploring the home screenSome useful braille display commands This session was recorded on Tuesday 1 February 2022. For further information please visit the Braillists Foundation Media Page.

In our first Masterclass of 2022, Matthew Horspool tackled the hows, whys and wherefores of braille embossers: choosing them, setting them up and making the most of them. The session covered: The purpose and function of an embosser and why you might want oneDifferent types of embosserDifferent types of paperConnectivity optionsThe user interfaceThe relationship between embosser and computerThe role of translation software This session was recorded on Tuesday 18 January 2022. For further information please visit the Braillists Foundation Media Page.

Happy Christmas! In this special episode, James Bowden talks us through drawing some stars. The instructions are provided in written form below: Star 1 Line 1: ow sign (Dots 246); comma (dot 2) Star 2 Line 1: o (dots 135; k (dots 13) Star 3 Line 1: capital sign (dot 6); ar sign (dots 345); gh sign (dots 126); apostrophe (dot 3)Line 2: dot 4; wh sign (dots 156); s (dots 234); a (dot 1) Star 4 Line 1: space three times; letter sign or grade 1 indicator (dots 56); semicolon (dots 23)Line 2: space three times; ar sign (dots 345); gh sign (dots 126)Line 3: space twice; ar sign (dots 345); space twice; gh sign (dots 126)Line 4: x (dots 1346) twice; space four times; x (dots 1346) twiceLine 5: space twice; wh sign (dots 156); space twice; s (dots 234)Line 6: space four times; wh sign (dots 156); s (dots 234)Line 7: space four times; dots 45; b (dots 12) A Box Line 1: p (dots 1234); c (dots 14); l (dots 123)Line 1.5: l (dots 123); space; l (dots 123)Line 2: c (dots 14) twice; a (dot 1) Star 5 Line 1: space twice; capital sign (dot 6); i (dots 24); en sign (dots 26)Line 1.5: space twice; comma (dot 2); space twice; comma (dot 2)Line 2: dot 4; ed sign (dots 1245); space three times; dots 46; f (dots 124)Line 2.5: space twice; semicolon (dots 23); dot 5; space; semicolon (dots 23)Line 3: space twice; r (dots 1235); a (dot 1); e (dots 15); l (dots 123)

We were delighted to be joined by Kim Charlson, Executive Director of the Perkins Library (part of Perkins School for the Blind). Kim is author of the book “Drawing with your Perkins Brailler”, which includes step-by-step directions for creating 36 different drawings including shapes, animals and subjects with holiday and transportation themes. In this session, she used a drawing of a Christmas tree to explain the concepts behind using braille cells to create pictures. Bring a Perkins and some paper and follow along and, by the end of the session, you will have your very own frilly Christmas tree made entirely of braille dots! This session was recorded on Tuesday 7 December 2021. For further information please visit the Braillists Foundation Media Page.

We were delighted to have been joined by Sean Randall for the second in a two-part series. Sean is something of a computing and IT mastermind and now works at New College Worcester, training many of their students in the use of assistive technology including screen readers and braille displays. This session covered sources of reading material that are more mainstream in nature, including apps or specialist software used to read. These included: Amazon KindleLocal librariesSmaller publishers (e.g. Smashwords This session was recorded on Tuesday 23 November 2021. For further information please visit the Braillists Foundation Media Page.

We were delighted to have been joined by Sean Randall for the first in a two-part series. Sean is something of a computing and IT mastermind and now works at New College Worcester, training many of their students in the use of assistive technology including screen readers and braille displays. This session primarily discuss the various braille devices available to consumers. He then provided an overview of libraries and sources of materials specifically for blind people, including: RNIB: reading Services, Bookshare and NTNMThe Seeing Ear National Accessible LibraryBibles for the Blind This session was recorded on Tuesday 9 November 2021. For further information please visit the Braillists Foundation Media Page.