Braille Literacy

Mairenis Cruz
Professor Gleason
Spring 2010

Braille Literacy
Braille Literacy indicates having the skill to decipher and produce the Braille code, a technique usually used by people with extremely poor or no vision at all. Before one can go into deeply explaining what Braille literacy is, we must first define what each term means when it is separated from each other. Literacy, as many people understand it to be is the ability to read and to write. This description sounds very straight forward and very comprehensible but the truth is that literacy is in fact, much more complex than this. Reading and writing do make up a large fraction of what it is to be literate but there are other, more intricate factors such as communication, comprehension and even interpretation. These must be taken into account before labeling a person as literate in any language. On the other hand, Braille is a method for used by blind people in order to read and write. It is a form of code that uses six dots that can be positioned in multiple ways within two columns to represent letters in a writing system.
Braille was developed by Louis Braille in 1824 in response to a twelve dot code devised by an army captain so that soldiers could communicate silently during battle. Charles Barbier’s twelve dot code was too difficult for L.Braille to understand because it obliged those reading it to look at the each individual marking and it took too long for the reader to scan across the page. Braille created his own code using six dots instead of twelve but what was significantly important about it was that it could be used to write as well, unlike other types of codes that had been created for the blind. It wasn’t until two years after his death that Braille was officially recognized in France. Today, it is widely used in many parts of the world.
Contrary to the popular impression, Braille is not used by all blind people. In fact, in 2007 a report published by the American Printing House for the Blind stated that out of 57,696 United States children labeled legally blind, a measly ten percent was used Braille as their main reading and writing system. This number has seen a major decrease from the earlier years. Back in 1960, about fifty percent of children enrolled in school were literate in Braille. It is believed that the reason for this deterioration of Braille usage has been because of improvements in technology, problems with school budgets and reforming ideas about how to educate the blind.
The United States Congress passed the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which called for the integration of blind students into conventional schools with children without disabilities. It also mandated that programs that d services to these students receive federal funding despite the disability in consideration. In all, a total of twenty-seven states have passed legislation that makes it a law to provide blind children with the prospect of learning Braille in schools.
For various reasons, Braille has been loosing popularity over the years. In the article, “The Braille Literacy Crisis for Children”, Louise Johnson, a teacher at the Utah School for the Death and Blind, addresses many of the issues revolving the idea that there is a dilemma within the Braille education system. Fewer children are being taught to read and write in this medium. His article criticizes three theories blamed for this setback. The first accusation is made at the huge developments in technology that have provided various sources from where children can acquire information. These sophisticated pieces of equipment (talking calculators, watches, recording devices, television, and computers) provide the blind with an easier access to information that does not require that they read or write. Johnson argues that if everyone were to receive information this way, we could make the same case for all readers and writers, visually impaired or not. “I believe the idea that visually impaired children do not need literacy comes in part from the idea that visually impaired people will always be helpless and dependent.” (Johnson) Being able to read in any situation provides a person with the independence they need to live a substantial adult life.
Johnson also points out the need to for an appropriate amount of Braille instructional time. Although many blind students are mainstreamed into regular schools, they aren’t taught in Braille the equal amount of time that other students are being taught reading and writing skills. It is unfortunate because it hinders not only they’re chance of being literate but also their ability to develop skills in other subjects such as math and science. Johnson’s final criticism is that the Braille code should not be simplified anymore than it already is. She claims that Grade 1 Braille is crucial because it establishes the fundamentals necessary to produces fluent readers and writers. She believes that what would be most beneficial to these students is indeed to be part of an inclusive classroom, but be given ample support within the school and home setting.
Braille literacy means that one is able to use Braille in various forms as well as other sources of information that can be used to extract knowledge. The rationale as to why being literate is so important is the same one behind “knowledge is power.” It is explained that reading and writing empowers those whose vision is impaired by stimulating their aptitude and allowing them to take control of their own studies. It is essential to their academics but also to other aspects of life because being literate enables a person to better communicate with others.
Phil Hatlen discusses his own experience teaching when other teachers believed that recorded materials were an acceptable form of teaching literacy. Teachers used this medium because they found that it was much more convenient to acquire books on tape rather than books written in Braille. It was also to a great extent, easier and more resourceful to get through material this way instead of through Braille.
Hatlen represents the other side of the spectrum. He believes that using recorded materials would incline the students to become dependent on these and encounter bigger difficulties trying to learn Braille later on in life, having lost crucial time. Hatlen is so passionate about his belief that having a good set of listening skills does not qualify one as being literate that he compares the notion to that of a visual person who would not be considered literate if he or she were not able to read and write, but did in fact had great listening skills. Although he makes this statement, he acknowledges that recorded materials are a great source for the blind and that when working with Braille, could really be the model circumstance for many people.
Another person making a case in favor of Braille is Penelope A. Zago, a consultant from the Michigan department of education. In her article, “Weaving the Cloth of Literacy: The Relationship between Braille and Reading”, she makes the claim that Braille is a very creative tool for students who are visually impaired. It makes it possible for students to make a connection between any prior knowledge they might have and writing. One example she gives is journal writing and how rewarding it could be for someone to read what they’ve written years before about their life. She uses a metaphor to explain the connection that goes on when reading Braille to that of weaving a cloth. In many instances, blind students have not been exposed to certain visual concepts. They are free of fallacies and stereotypes so when introduced to new concepts, in a sense they begin with clean slates. What Braille does is that is works to create the meaning that these readers need.
Demographics also play an important part in the marker for Braille literacy. S.J Spungin claims that it is often that these reports cannot be trusted. They don’t present accurate information because they don’t ask direct questions such as, “are you blind?”. They simply make general assumptions that often lead to contradicting data. One report made by the federal government affirmed the decrease of blind people while several states opposed this statistic and claimed that the number had risen in recent years. However, what these reports do show is that the number of students who learned Braille at an early age have excelled in school and been comparably successful to the students who have no recorded disabilities. This has also proven to affect the students long term success as a study conducted in Washington from 1998-1999 showed that only forty four percent of adults who were blind were unemployed in contrast to the seventy-seven percent who were unemployment and did not read Braille.
This same report also revealed that out of the 85,000 blind adults currently living in the United States, ninety percent were engaged in Braille literacy and had work. Visually impaired people that could not read and write Braille only had a 1 out 3 success rate of service with pay. Braille represents a key dynamic of the achievements made within the blind population.
Given all the positive grounds for Braille literacy, one would want know why statistics show such an increase in the number of illiterates in the blind community. Spungin thinks that several reasons are responsible. For one, there are people who choose not to learn how to read Braille. They believe that Braille serves as an acknowledgement to the outside world that this person is in fact blind. It has nothing to do with being well-read but with how one wants to be perceived by others. Another reason is the lack of competent instruction available to the blind, making it difficult to find the suitable supplies to teach this medium or limited ones that provide very light support. Individualized Education Plans are often limited to whatever the school can afford and lead to unrealistic views of the visually impaired children need. These impediments are part of some of the leading aspects of Braille literacy decline.
There are organizations that are working to working to overcome some of the aforementioned obstacles. One of these is the American Foundation for the Blind which aids people with vision loss by providing them with the right information and sources they need to lead healthy, independent lives. It also provides training to teachers in Braille under various concentrations. The National Braille Press is a non-profit organization that prints thousands of books yearly for blind children. They strongly believe that “Braille is the only true means of literacy for a person without sight” and very importantly, that those who are blind have the same access to information as those that do have their sight.
It is known that being literate is a door opener for all people because it can lead to profound knowledge. Braille as literacy is no different. It is the channel that grants this same access to those disabled because of their vision.
















Bibliography
1. 200 Years: The Life and Legacy of Louis Braille.
American Foundation for the Blind, 2009. Web. 1
April 2010.
2. “Braille Literacy.” 22 Febraury 2010 at 18:30.
Wikipedia. Web. 30 March 2010.
3. Johnson, L. (1996). The Braille Literacy Crisis for
Children. Journal of visiaul impairment and
blindness; 90(3). Web. 27 March 2010.
4. Hatlen, P. “Comprehensive Literacy”. Literacy: Issues
for People Who Are Blind, Parents and Professionals
(2002). Web. 1 April 2010.
5. Zago. P. “Weaving the Cloth of Literacy: The
Relationship between Braille and Reading” Issues
for People Who Are Blind, Parents and Professionals
(2002). Web 1 April 2010.
6. Spungin, S.J. (1996). Braile and beyong: Braille
literacy in a larger context. Journal of visual
impairment
and blindness; 90(3), 271-274. Web. 30 March 2010.
7. “ Who We Are”. nbp.org, n.d. Web. 30 March. 2010.