THE NECESSITY FOR BRAILLE
ACCESS WITHIN PRE-VOCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT
Presenter
# 1
Larry
Lewis
Optelec US Inc.
955 Pembrook Road
Cleveland Heights
OH
44121
USA
Day Phone: (216) 381—8107
Fax:
Email: LarryL@optelec.com
The session will demonstrate the necessity for a multi—sensory approach
to incorporating speech and Braille access into one’s pre-vocational training increases
the likelihood of the working aged adult who is blind obtaining and maintaining
competitive employment.
A. A definition of Braille: what it is, how it is taught, and how it is
implemented
into adaptive technology (a modified demonstration of the Switched On Braille software by
Quantum Technology will be given)
B. Current state of affairs (all statistics stemming from AFB—related research)
1. 70—75% of adults between the ages of 18—60 are unemployed.
2. Currently, there is an approximate 12% Braille literacy ratio among
working—aged
adults who are blind/visually impaired.
3. Of the 25% of blind/visually impaired, working—aged adults who are employed,
almost
90% of them are considered “Braille literate”; in effect, these individuals
read and write
Braille to accomplish tasks relevant to their vocational, civic, and personal
aspirations.
4. Thus, one might ascertain that a high Braille illiteracy rate breeds a high
percentage of unemployed adults who are blind, and a high literacy rate among
employed
adults who are blind is the catalyst for successful job placement and retention
by rehabilitation professionals.
II.
THE ROLE OF BRAILLE IN A REHABILITATION SETTING
A, Often, Braille is introduced to a consumer in a pre—vocational,
rehabilitation setting to accomplish basic tasks such as labeling, food,
staples, supplies, clothes, appliances, etc.
a. Braille is often presented as a palatable option to a consumer when
developing is/her “individualized rehabilitation plan”; unlike an
“individualized education plan” where Braille is often a mandated component of
a child’s education, Braille is not presented by service providers and
rehabilitation professionals as a fundamental, necessary ingredient for
successful pre—vocational and vocational outcomes for consumers who are blind.
C. Often, limited State and Federal funding coupled with a tight time—frame for
a successful outcome to occur can lend themselves to be reasons why Braille
does not play more of a key role in an adult’s rehabilitation plan.
D. This trend continues when a consumer begins to receive services pertinent to
career exploration, vocational placement, and job retention services.
III. BRAILLE IN A VOCATIONAL SETTING
A. Often, speech plays a primary role when adaptive technological
solutions are presented to a vocationally bound consumer.
B. Arguments for the use and implementation of an audible solution include:
1. speech access such as a screenreader is a cost—effective solution which
provides speedy access to mainstream applications.
2. Screenreading applications are not as intimidating to sighted employers,
service providers, etc.
3. Screenreading applications are often readily available requiring in—house,
phone technical support rather than hands-on hardware related service and
support.
C. Arguments for the implementation of refreshable Braille hardware include:
1. While speech access is economically beneficial to an employer, it doesn’t
always provide a multi—dimensional facet for an individual to successfully
complete a given task which is at hand; often, tasks are more quickly and
effectively completed by the utilization of solutions other than a screenreading application by those who are Braille
literate. The inclusion of refreshable Braille offers to the consumer a level
of accuracy and efficiency which is rarely captured by the sole utilization of
speech access.
3. The utilization of refreshable Braille can often accelerate the speed by
which an employee learns a new skill.
IV. OPTELEC’S MULTI-SENSORY APPROACH TO SUCCESSFULLY CUSTOMIZING AND ADAPTIVE
TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTION IN A REHABILITATION SETTING
A. A Multi—Sensory approach to utilizing adaptive technology enables a consumer
to benefit from the advantages of speech and Braille access to mainstream
technologies and proprietary applications; speed and efficiency are undergirded
by accuracy and comprehension of one’s interactions within a given Operating
System, job application, etc with considerations being given to universal
connectivity, mobility, and flexibility throughout countless environments.
B. Refreshable Braille and synthesized speech solutions complimented by “EasyLink” wireless remote Braille access provide to the
consumer a comfortable, intuitive, blind— friendly user interface to perform
specific tasks using mainstream devices such as PDAs,
cellular phones, and PCS in a timely, portable, and compatible manner.
C. The utilization of the Dolphin screenreading solutions
organizes pertinent information prevalent on a PC in an organized, audible
manner to the consumer with great care to be taken for the ability to customize
the applications to access difficult, graphical applications prevalent in many
employment settings.
D. Refreshable Braille displays offer a secondary, tactual dimension to this
complex, graphical environment.
E. Integrated Optical Character Recognition programs bring access to the
hard-copy printed word to the blind employee.
F A multi—sensory approach to utilizing technology in vocational setting offers
a variety of tools to the end user to develop strategies to complete duties
associated with ,is/her job as well as giving to him/her the ability to
successfully advance and compete with his/her sighted colleagues and peers.
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