The slate and stylus are tools used by blind people to write text that they can read without assistance.[1][2] Invented by Charles Barbier as the tool for writing letters that could be read by touch,[3] the slate and stylus allow for a quick, easy, convenient and constant method of making embossed printing for Braille character encoding. Prior methods of making raised printing for the blind required a movable type printing press.
3 slates and 2 styli. Top slate is metal for 8.5 by 11 inch paper with four lines. Yellow slate is plastic. Bottom slate is for 3 by 5 inch card stock. Each stylus has a wood handle and a blunted metal point.
The basic design of the slate consists of two pieces of metal, plastic or wood fastened together with a hinge at one side.[1][4]
The back part of the slate is solid with slight depressions spaced in braille cells of six dots each. The depressions are approximately 0.75 mm (0.030 in) deep and about 1.5 mm (0.059 in) in diameter. The horizontal and vertical spacing between dots within a cell is approximately 2.5 mm (0.098 in), while the distance between adjacent cells is about 4 mm (0.16 in).[4][5][6]
The front of the slate consists of rectangular windows that fit over the braille cells in the back. The inner rim of each window is provided with six indentations, which assist the user to position the stylus properly and press to form a dot.[4]
There are pins or posts in the back of the slate positioned in non-cell areas to hold the paper in place and keep the top properly positioned over the back. The pins align with matching depressions on the opposite side of the slate. A slate as designed for a normal 8.5 inch piece of paper has 28 cells in each row. The rows can be any number, usually at least four.[4]
The stylus is a short blunted awl with a handle to fit comfortably the hand of the user.
Writingedit
Writing is accomplished by placing a piece of heavy paper in the slate, aligning it correctly and closing the slate. The pins in the back of the slate puncture or pinch the paper securely between the two halves of the slate.[1][4]
The person writing begins in the upper right, each combination of dots in the cell has to be completed backward. The awl is positioned and pressed to form a depression in the paper. The writer moves to one of the other dots in the cell or to the next cell as appropriate.[7]
The slate is repositioned as needed to continue writing on the paper. When completed the writer removes the slate and turns the paper over to read the braille by feeling the dots that were pushed up from the back.[4]
Historyedit
Six Principal Systems of Embossed Type;Haüy, Gall, Howe, Moon, Braille, Wait
In addition to the system devised by Louis Braille, a number of other methods for blind people to read and/or write on paper have been used. One of the most popular was the English system of Dr. William Moon invented in 1845.[4][8] The English/Moon system or Moon type is easy to learn for the newly blind as it has a strong resemblance to the familiar written alphabet, but Braille has such great advantages over the Moon system for regular usage that the Moon system never became as popular.[8][9] Braille with its slate and stylus was unique in that it was the first and, until computers with screen readers, the only method a blind person could write and read themselves what had been written.[10]
The earliest systematic attempt to provide a method to "teach the blind to read and to write, and give them books printed by themselves" was by Valentin Haüy who used a system of embossedroman characters. In June 1784, Haüy sought his first pupil at the church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. On 5 December 1786, Haüy's pupils had embossed from movable letterpress type his "Essai sur l'éducation des aveugles" (Essay on the Education of Blind Children), the first book ever published for the blind.[10][11] Prior to 1786, tools for the blind to read or write were the results of individuals' personal solutions. One notable approach was that of Nicholas Saunderson (Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge) blind nearly from birth, who devised an Arithmetical slate.[10]
Braille evolved from a method developed by Charles Barbier. It was successfully used at the Institution Royale des Jeunes Aveugles in Paris for several years, until Braille created his own system, which was more compact and flexible.
^Note: Different references assign invention of the slate and stylus to either Barbier or Braille. However, Braille (1829) credits Barbier with the invention. Barbier's slate consisted of six slots; Braille reduced it to three, as his cells were only half the size of Barbier's. When dashes were removed, the slots were no longer needed in full and were replaced with pairs of dots.
^Note: The spacing for Braille dots and cells are not consistent throughout the world, See Braille Cell Size Dimensions, Retrieved 18 February, 2017 for a chart of different standards.
Alpha Chi Omega (1908). The Lyre of Alpha Chi Omega; Teaching the blind. Original from the New York Public Library: Alpha Chi Omega. p. 285.
Dodge, Mary Mapes Dodge (1920). St. Nicholas; Chapter XI, the nine gifts. Original from the University of Michigan: Scribner & Co. p. 910.
Perkins School for the Blind (1907). Report. Original from Harvard University: Perkins School for the Blind. p. 69.
Shrady; George Frederick Shrady; Thomas Lathrop Stedman; Joseph Meredith Toner; et al. (1902). Medical Record. Original from Harvard University: W. Wood. p. 621.
Harry Houdini Collection (1888). The Popular Science Monthly; Writing machines for the blind. Original from the New York Public Library: D. Appleton. p. 645.
Oregon Education Department (1897). Biennial Report. Original from the New York Public Library: Oregon Education Department. p. 164.
Mrs Frederick Rhinelander Jones (1893). "The Education of the Blind". In Goodale, Frances (ed.). The Literature of Philanthropy. Harper & Brothers. p. 187.
Wisconsin State Board of Control (1904). Biennial Report. Original from the University of Wisconsin - Madison: Wisconsin State Board of Control. p. 222.
Stadelman, Joseph M. (1913). "Valentin Haüy" . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
Sauvage, G.M. (1913). "Louis Braille" . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
ADA (1994). Americans with Disabilities Act: Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings. DIANE Publishing. p. 14. ISBN0-7881-1830-7.
External linksedit
at www.bpa.org Blind Persons' Association
Braille Slate Simulator
February 29, 2024
slate, stylus, confused, with, tablet, stylus, slate, stylus, tools, used, blind, people, write, text, that, they, read, without, assistance, invented, charles, barbier, tool, writing, letters, that, could, read, touch, slate, stylus, allow, quick, easy, conve. Not to be confused with the wax tablet and stylus The slate and stylus are tools used by blind people to write text that they can read without assistance 1 2 Invented by Charles Barbier as the tool for writing letters that could be read by touch 3 the slate and stylus allow for a quick easy convenient and constant method of making embossed printing for Braille character encoding Prior methods of making raised printing for the blind required a movable type printing press 3 slates and 2 styli Top slate is metal for 8 5 by 11 inch paper with four lines Yellow slate is plastic Bottom slate is for 3 by 5 inch card stock Each stylus has a wood handle and a blunted metal point Contents 1 Design 2 Writing 3 History 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksDesign editThe basic design of the slate consists of two pieces of metal plastic or wood fastened together with a hinge at one side 1 4 The back part of the slate is solid with slight depressions spaced in braille cells of six dots each The depressions are approximately 0 75 mm 0 030 in deep and about 1 5 mm 0 059 in in diameter The horizontal and vertical spacing between dots within a cell is approximately 2 5 mm 0 098 in while the distance between adjacent cells is about 4 mm 0 16 in 4 5 6 The front of the slate consists of rectangular windows that fit over the braille cells in the back The inner rim of each window is provided with six indentations which assist the user to position the stylus properly and press to form a dot 4 There are pins or posts in the back of the slate positioned in non cell areas to hold the paper in place and keep the top properly positioned over the back The pins align with matching depressions on the opposite side of the slate A slate as designed for a normal 8 5 inch piece of paper has 28 cells in each row The rows can be any number usually at least four 4 The stylus is a short blunted awl with a handle to fit comfortably the hand of the user Writing editWriting is accomplished by placing a piece of heavy paper in the slate aligning it correctly and closing the slate The pins in the back of the slate puncture or pinch the paper securely between the two halves of the slate 1 4 The person writing begins in the upper right each combination of dots in the cell has to be completed backward The awl is positioned and pressed to form a depression in the paper The writer moves to one of the other dots in the cell or to the next cell as appropriate 7 The slate is repositioned as needed to continue writing on the paper When completed the writer removes the slate and turns the paper over to read the braille by feeling the dots that were pushed up from the back 4 History edit nbsp Six Principal Systems of Embossed Type Hauy Gall Howe Moon Braille WaitIn addition to the system devised by Louis Braille a number of other methods for blind people to read and or write on paper have been used One of the most popular was the English system of Dr William Moon invented in 1845 4 8 The English Moon system or Moon type is easy to learn for the newly blind as it has a strong resemblance to the familiar written alphabet but Braille has such great advantages over the Moon system for regular usage that the Moon system never became as popular 8 9 Braille with its slate and stylus was unique in that it was the first and until computers with screen readers the only method a blind person could write and read themselves what had been written 10 The earliest systematic attempt to provide a method to teach the blind to read and to write and give them books printed by themselves was by Valentin Hauy who used a system of embossed roman characters In June 1784 Hauy sought his first pupil at the church of Saint Germain des Pres On 5 December 1786 Hauy s pupils had embossed from movable letterpress type his Essai sur l education des aveugles Essay on the Education of Blind Children the first book ever published for the blind 10 11 Prior to 1786 tools for the blind to read or write were the results of individuals personal solutions One notable approach was that of Nicholas Saunderson Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge blind nearly from birth who devised an Arithmetical slate 10 Braille evolved from a method developed by Charles Barbier It was successfully used at the Institution Royale des Jeunes Aveugles in Paris for several years until Braille created his own system which was more compact and flexible Notes edit a b c Alpha Chi Omega 1908 Shrady et al 1902 Note Different references assign invention of the slate and stylus to either Barbier or Braille However Braille 1829 credits Barbier with the invention Barbier s slate consisted of six slots Braille reduced it to three as his cells were only half the size of Barbier s When dashes were removed the slots were no longer needed in full and were replaced with pairs of dots a b c d e f g Harry Houdini Collection 1888 ADA 1994 Note The spacing for Braille dots and cells are not consistent throughout the world See Braille Cell Size Dimensions Retrieved 18 February 2017 for a chart of different standards Dodge 1920 a b ENGLISH MOON web Duxbury Systems Inc September 2006 Retrieved 2008 04 01 Oregon Education Department 1897 a b c Lowell et al 1893 Stadelman 1913 References editAlpha Chi Omega 1908 The Lyre of Alpha Chi Omega Teaching the blind Original from the New York Public Library Alpha Chi Omega p 285 Dodge Mary Mapes Dodge 1920 St Nicholas Chapter XI the nine gifts Original from the University of Michigan Scribner amp Co p 910 Perkins School for the Blind 1907 Report Original from Harvard University Perkins School for the Blind p 69 Shrady George Frederick Shrady Thomas Lathrop Stedman Joseph Meredith Toner et al 1902 Medical Record Original from Harvard University W Wood p 621 Harry Houdini Collection 1888 The Popular Science Monthly Writing machines for the blind Original from the New York Public Library D Appleton p 645 Oregon Education Department 1897 Biennial Report Original from the New York Public Library Oregon Education Department p 164 Mrs Frederick Rhinelander Jones 1893 The Education of the Blind In Goodale Frances ed The Literature of Philanthropy Harper amp Brothers p 187 Wisconsin State Board of Control 1904 Biennial Report Original from the University of Wisconsin Madison Wisconsin State Board of Control p 222 Stadelman Joseph M 1913 Valentin Hauy In Herbermann Charles ed Catholic Encyclopedia New York Robert Appleton Company Sauvage G M 1913 Louis Braille In Herbermann Charles ed Catholic Encyclopedia New York Robert Appleton Company ADA 1994 Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings DIANE Publishing p 14 ISBN 0 7881 1830 7 External links editHow Tactile Writing Began at www bpa org Blind Persons Association Braille Slate Simulator Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Slate and stylus amp oldid 1138293010, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
