Refreshable Braille Display

In an increasingly technologically dependent society, it is necessary that all people are able to interact with new technologies thoroughly and efficiently. But how does someone with a vision impairment interact with a personal computer, a Macbook, or an iPhone? There are several different ways for this interaction to take place.

This post focuses on what is called a Refreshable Braille Display (RBD). The Refreshable Braille Display allows users to read what is on the screen by providing a braille translation of the text on the page. Specialized software ensures that data is captured from the screen (or a users perception of the screen) and sent to the device, which outputs the data through braille. This enables students with vision impairments to interact with the device, effectively allowing them to read the text. It even works with an iPhone:

Because of the complexity of the device in accordance with withstanding every day wear and tear, one drawback is the cost. Depending on how many cells (or usable braille characters per RDF), one can save some money by buying a device with 24 keys as opposed to 40 keys. Coupled with the screen reader (software), the cost can add up. But, to a person who can benefit from, learn from, and interact with technology through use of an RBD and the screen reader, the technology is invaluable. Students who can use these adaptive technologies can greatly benefit in the classroom and beyond, both enabling and empowering them to learn.