Hi,
Hope this e-mail finds you well.
As a Braille user since first grade, I can’t say enough about the importance of Braille. I am sure that I would not have reached my current level of  competence had I not had the knowledge of Braille during my educational and professional lives.
	I think that every Blind child should have a Braille display. I prefer a Braille display such as the Chameleon or Mantis, both of which are available through ApH, and I believe they are both excellent devices. The Chameleon, which is a very portable 20-cell display that offers flexibility, and can be used to provide Braille display functionality to many platforms, including Windows, Mac, and iOS devices. It may have some functionality with Chromebooks, but I have no first hand knowledge of this.

Having the ability to read and write on the same device means that the blind student can learn Braille in a way that makes Braille something that becomes an integral part of daily life. Braille reading is every bit as important as Braille writing, and having a Braille display will further this, as the student will eventually use it reflexively.

As the child learns to type, as opposed to using six-key entry, The Mantis uses the standard qwerty keyboard, thus enabling the student to type on a qwerty keyboard… Both the Chameleon and Mantis pair with iPads, or can be used as stand alone devices.

Also, both devices make it possible for students to download books from BookShare, NLS Bard, both of which are free for blind students. Students should have the ability to listen to and read books. For example, I use both audio books and Braille books, depending on  the purpose for which the book is intended. Both reading and listening are important skills, and use different parts of the brain. It is my understanding that, for people who learn Braille at a young age, the visual cortex is activated when reading. I believe that using Braille can reinforce other skills such as orientation and mobility and other important tactile skills, such as feeling around for objects, etc.
I hope this is helpful.
If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Best Regards,
Suzanne Erb, M.S.
suzerb1@comcast.net
215.313.0550

> On Jan 22, 2025, at 09:39, Julianne Reightler - jr1483 at desales.edu (via QIAT-ATAP list) <QIAT-ATAP@simplelists.com> wrote:
>
> I'm looking for feedback on braille software vs devices, or combination. Thanks.
>
>
> Thank you,
> Julianne Reightler
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