Onkyo Braille Essay Contest 2006 -- International Section (Asia-Pacific Region) ■ International Runner-Up "How Braille and Talking Devices Have Made Me a Confident Person" Ms. Ashleigh Jayne Brooks (Australia: Female, 19-year-old) |
I started learning Braille at the age of four, attending preschool half an hour earlier than the other children. I had no idea of the impact that these lessons, consisting of lining up cards to make silly sentences, would have on my life. Once I had grasped the basic concept of Braille, I flew through books at an astonishing rate. I would seize any opportunity to read, even take a book with me in the car on the five-minute journey to school. There is no doubt that Braille in the form of reading material has played a significant role in my life. My outlook has been broadened from reading non-fiction and fiction works concerning diverse people and situations. Initially, it was reading that helped me shaped my chosen career path. After reading a novel in which a social worker helped a young girl find her birth mother, I decided that this was the career for me. I was only eleven at the time. And now I am at university studying for a Bachelor of Social Work. Not only has Braille enabled me to read extensively, it has helped me enormously in my education and in preparing me for my life ahead. Through all my schooling, class-room materials were transcribed into Braille by an aide. Sometimes teachers failed to submit work for transcription with many excuses, especially the ever-frustrating "I thought it would be easier if someone just read it to you." I often wondered if the teachers had ever had someone read to them a lengthy article on Astrophysics! I was presented with a Keynote Companion when I was ten. At first I preferred the brailler, but when I reached senior high school, I began to think that Braille was becoming unfashionable. Ultimately, however, I came to realise that Braille was the preferred format for me rather than being presented with information electronically. With the acquisition of a Pac Mate on loan from the university, this allows me the ease of a computer which also incorporates Braille. I can read my textbooks through the refreshable Braille display but without the inconvenience of having to carry hundreds of bulky Braille volumes or finding storage space for them in a university bedroom. Previously, I received my materials in electronic format which I listened to by using JAWS or Text Aloud. This slowed me down considerably, and I often had to apply for extensions on my assignments. Now I have access to Braille, I am confident that my speed will be increased, and I will be able to keep pace with the other students. I do not believe that computers with speech output can replace Braille as it has been such a major influence on my life. However, I do admit that certain talking devices, especially for communication, can further enhance the independence of blind people. For example, since purchasing Talx (a talking software), I can now access most of the functions of my mobile phone, even download outrageous ringtones. And most importantly, I can fully participate in the SMS craze sweeping the globe. I will actively take a stand to promote the importance of Braille and Braille literacy. When I meet blind people, I strongly encourage them to maintain their Braille skills, even though there are so many appealing alternatives. Where possible, we should use Braille and speech software to our advantage. Braille has allowed me to participate to a great degree in the broader society, and has allowed me to keep pace with my peers in many areas. With the advances in Braille note-takers, allowing IT and Braille skills to be conbined, I believe there is a promising future for Braille, with the chance of many more lives to be enriched as mine has been. |
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