[Blindtlk] [nobe-l] Fwd: Among the Blind, Literacy in Braille Declines Markedly

[T. Joseph Carter]

Only 12% of children who should be learning Braille do, but I've heard in
years past 9% or 10%.  Perhaps this is a good thing--a sign that Braille
literacy is indeed on the rise again, if slowly?

When I visited the Anchor Center for Blind Children in Denver, I was
fortunate to see that they were offering Braille to every child enrolled,
as well as large print to those children who could benefit from it.  I
think there might have been one or two exceptions from parents who didn't
want to accept blindness in their "only visually impaired" children, but
in general the students there are learning Braille in the hopes that it
will be a useful tool for each of them at some point.

I think I will look forward to the day when it is so anywhere blind
children learn.  I myself can read large print, given the right
conditions, and I wouldn't give up the ability to do so.  And yet, I can
read Braille faster, for longer periods of time, and more comfortably.  I
only began reading Braille about a year ago.  I still read more with my
eyes because most of what I have to read is electronic, and I have only my
BrailleNote's tiny display to work from at the computer.  (Besides that, I
use a Mac, and Mac Braille display support is currently in beta.)

I won't waste my effort preaching to the choir about how a person who
cannot read and write is functionally illiterate.  Relying on the reading
and writing abilities of others is madness.  But to the person who has the
opportunity to learn both, the advantages of that option significantly
outweigh the extra work required to teach print as well as Braille.

Of course, our society doesn't need to be convinced that a child should
learn the print, it is the Braille they don't see the value in.  As I
said, I think this attitude is one we are changing, and I believe it is
one we should continue to change.