Hello Bryan, Being a Computer Scientist student myself and studying at University, I hope I can answer your question adequately.
I use an Alva BC640 braille display. While it does come along with a controller in order to sue a Perkins-style keyboard, I don't use it. it creates too much noise which may hinder me from hearing exactly what the professor says. Instead, I remove that part. Because the display itself is very thin, it fits perfectly with my MacBook. The back of the display fits snugly against the front of the MacBook so that my fingers can simultaneously read and write, while I can keep an ear on what the professor says. If I need to navigate, I can either use VoiceOVer commands or the assigned VoiceOVer commands on the braille display itself. I honestly find that this enables me to constantly pay attention without missing a single word. I don't have to hear VoiceOver, and all I can hear are the slight sounds of the keyboard and the braille cells. It's an excellent way to go through classes, since there is no distractions. I also prefer to read a book in braille as opposed to audio. If I listen to any audiobook, educational or otherwise, I tend to drift off and my mind wanders. If I read with braille, my focus is stuck on what I'm reading because to me, at least, reading it with my fingertips allows me to better absorb its knowledge. It doesn't allow my mind to wander, since it requires my concentration in order to progress through the book. I've also done this on my iPhone 4S. Sometimes, I just find the iPhone faster. I don't have to pull out the MacBook and boot it up if it's not asleep, and I have all the productivity applications I'd need in order to diligently take notes. Input sources is a mixed bag, I think. To me, it all depends on the design of the braille display itself and whatever controls are connected to it. In the case of my ALVA BC640, it is a small D-pad and some thumb keys, and several keys it refers to as eTouch buttons that I can use to perform VoiceOVer functions. Of course, you can always remap these with the Voiceover Utility. Regards, Nicolai On Mar 18, 2012, at 2:49 PM, Bryan Jones <[email protected]> wrote: > Thank you Roger, > > One situation where I've been thinking a Braille display might help me is in > the classroom. I'm a university student and spend lots of time in class > listening to the professor in one ear and VO in the other. I'm wondering if a > Braille display can improve my classroom experience. For example, do folks > find it easier to follow along in an e-textbook during class by listening to > VO or by reading the braille output? I see that many braille displays also > offer some sort of input methods. Do these input methods make it any quicker > and / or easier to navigate various resources on the computer or iPhone? > > I was intentionally vague in my original email as this whole Braille concept > is still very new to me and I'm interested in hearing of the various ways > folks use these displays in their daily lives. I've read a fair amount of the > sales literature and the few device-specific reviews online, but most of > those seem to assume the reader knows all about Braille and what a braille > display is for. > > Thanks again, > Bryan > > On Mar 18, 2012, at 8:59 AM, Roger Firman wrote: >> will probably receive many responses, however, of course it >> very much depends upon your own individual needs. >> >> If you have a requirement to check details of material you access, >> braille certainly can present you with options. If speech gives you >> everything you need then, perhaps, a braille display might be something >> you don't really need. >> >> Appreciating what I have written may seem obvious, as I don't know your >> specific needs it is hard to give a comprehensive reply. >> >> Roger. >> >> <--- Mac Access At Mac Access Dot Net ---> >> >> To reply to this post, please address your message to >> [email protected] >> >> You can find an archive of all messages posted to the Mac-Access forum at >> either the list's own dedicated web archive: >> <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/pipermail/mac-access/index.html> >> or at the public Mail Archive: >> <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>. >> Subscribe to the list's RSS feed from: >> <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml> >> >> The Mac-Access mailing list is guaranteed malware, spyware, Trojan, virus >> and worm-free! >> >> Please remember to update your membership options periodically by visiting >> the list website at: >> <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/mac-access/options/> > > <--- Mac Access At Mac Access Dot Net ---> > > To reply to this post, please address your message to > [email protected] > > You can find an archive of all messages posted to the Mac-Access forum at > either the list's own dedicated web archive: > <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/pipermail/mac-access/index.html> > or at the public Mail Archive: > <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>. > Subscribe to the list's RSS feed from: > <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml> > > The Mac-Access mailing list is guaranteed malware, spyware, Trojan, virus and > worm-free! > > Please remember to update your membership options periodically by visiting > the list website at: > <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/mac-access/options/> <--- Mac Access At Mac Access Dot Net ---> To reply to this post, please address your message to [email protected] You can find an archive of all messages posted to the Mac-Access forum at either the list's own dedicated web archive: <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/pipermail/mac-access/index.html> or at the public Mail Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>. Subscribe to the list's RSS feed from: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.xml> The Mac-Access mailing list is guaranteed malware, spyware, Trojan, virus and worm-free! Please remember to update your membership options periodically by visiting the list website at: <http://mail.tft-bbs.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/mac-access/options/>
