Braille System: An Overview
Do you know who Helen Keller was? She was an American author, advocate, and political activist. But do you know she was blind and deaf from her childhood? Then how did she get her education? There is a Braille system for writing and reading for blind and partially sighted people. There are 6 raised dots in the cell and these 6 dots are arranged to make different alphabets, numerals, punctuation marks, etc. There are many advantages as well as disadvantages of the Braille system. To know more about how a visually challenged person can read and write, continue reading this article.
What is Braille System?
The Braille system is a universally accepted system used by blind people for writing and reading. It comprises a code of 63 characters.
Braille Script
The Braille script has a sequence of embossed dots that are arranged in a particular manner to represent different letters, numbers, and symbols. The scripts are written from right to left but read from left to right. The raised dots are created by using slates and a stylus. Braille is not a language, it is a writing system that can be transcribed into different languages.
Types of Braille System
There are mainly three types of Braille script. These three types are given below:
Type 1
Type 1 comprises 26 alphabets of English. It is also called uncontracted Braille. Each letter is represented by one cell. It utilises a large amount of space and also needs more time to read. But it is given to beginners.
Type 2
This type is made up of numerals, punctuations, and abbreviations. It is a more concise type of Braille script and illustrates many words, shortened, and combinations of different cells. Various rules have been formulated for use of type 2 Braille script.
Type 3
It is the third and last type of Braille system. It is the least used method of Braille. It is mostly used for private purposes such as personal letters, diaries, and notes.
History of Braille System
Night Writing
Initially, Braille script was not discovered for blind and deaf people rather it was discovered for war purposes.
It was initially discovered by a man of the French army named Charles Barbier around 1800 for communication without noticing by any other person or in dark. He observed many people got killed because of using lamps in the dark to read combat messages.
Barbier developed a Braille system on a 12-dot cell.
Louis Braille
Louis Braille lost his eyesight at a very young age. And he got the motivation to develop a night writing script for Charles barrier at the age of 11. He devoured his 9 years with the development of a modern type of Braille script.
Braille Writing
Braille is written on a slate using a stylus. A slate is a metal or plastic handbook that opens one at the end. There are various shapes and types of slates used for writing that have cells with 6 dots. A stylus is used for punching holes in the cardboard (cardboard inserted into the slate). It is 3 inches long with a metal tip, wooden or plastic from the end. In the Braille system, we write in a reverse manner from right to left but read from left to right. Through this script, visually challenged people can write.
Braille Reading
Braille script is read by moving fingertips from left to right across the dots in a row. Dots are arranged in two rows and three columns. All alphabets are made by different arrangements of these 6 dots. With the help of this script, visually challenged people can read.
Advantages of the Braille System
There are various advantages of the Braille system. Some of the advantages of Braille script are given below:
It helps blind and partially sighted people to read and write.
Braille script is easy relative to other scripts for blind and deaf people for learning and writing.
It is easily adapted to present technology
It is smaller than the previously used night writing script.
Disadvantages of the Braille System
There are also various disadvantages of the Braille system along with the advantages. Some of the disadvantages of Braille script are given below:
It can only be written or learned by those persons who have learned it.
Mistakes or errors can't be erased in this script
Braille materials such as slates and stylus are costly.
Reading speed is slower than print reading or recorded material.
Important Questions
1. How many words are there in Braille?
Ans: There are 250 letters, numerals, punctuation, contraction, formatting marks, and abbreviation.
2. Who invented the Braille system and why?
Ans: The Braille system was invented by Louis Braille. Louis Braille got blind at a very young age and at the age of 11, he got the inspiration to modify Charles's barrier night script into a communication system useful for the blind.
3. Why is Braille important?
Ans: Braille system or script provides an opportunity for blind and partially sighted people to read and write words and has the enjoyment of written words that sighted people have.
Key Features
Nowadays, blind people can also read and write like normally sighted people with the help of the Braille system.
There are mainly three codes or types of Braille. But most commonly used are grade1 and grade 2.
Grade 1 is called noncontracted or alphabetic Braille and grade 2 is contracted Braille for saving space.
The Braille system is smaller than the night writing script and it is also adopted by present-time technology. These are some advantages of the Braille system.
Disadvantages: it can be only read and written by a person who has learned it and is also very expensive to produce.
Visually challenged people can read and write.
Practice Questions
1. How does the Braille system work?
2. How do blind people see?
3. What is the Braille system?
4. How is the Braille system used?
Interesting Facts
Braille is not a language. It is a method used to write any language and can be written in any language.
Braille takes up a lot of space. It takes more area than the traditional alphabet.
We can type Braille on our iOS using a Braille keyboard.
Braille can also be used for music.
FAQs on A Visually Challenged Person Can Read and Write
1. What are the important features of Braille?
The important characteristics of the Braille system are given below:
Each letter or alphabet is represented by combinations of six dots arranged in row rows and tree columns.
The Braille system has a total of 63 dot patterns or symbols.
Each symbol represents a combination of letters, individual letters, words, punctuation marks, and other important signs.
It is made of raised dots that can be read by touch.
It should not be confused with language. Braille script or system t is not a language. It's a method of writing or reading.
2. Explain the Braille device.
There are various types of Braille devices available for blind people that operate in Braille. Some examples of Braille devices are Refreshable Braille Devices, Screen reading technology, and Braille printers. Refreshable Braille devices on connecting with other devices such as tablets, smartphones, and computers produce Braille.
Screen reader devices allow a blind person to read content on the screen of a computer with a speech synthesiser. Braille printers are the printers used to print any content in Braille.
3. When was Braille first used?
France is the first country that adopted Braille as the method of official communication in 1854 after the death of Louis Braille who invented the Braille system for blind people. Braille was introduced in Britain in 1861 and was adapted to the English language in 1902 but not adopted as an official way for English blind people to communicate until 1918.
