Although
Braille allows visually impaired people access to information and to take
advantage of the fun of reading, it also has its share of disadvantages.
One
of the most striking disadvantages is that most readers read very slowly.
According to estimates, the average Braille reading speed hovers around 90
words per minute. This average varies considerably from one person to the
next. (Ethington, 1956; Foulke, 1962; Lowenfeld & Abel, 1967; Lowenfeld,
Hatlen, & Abel, 1969; Meyers, Ethington & Ashcroft, 1958; Nolan, Morris,
Kederis, Fieg & Smith, 1966).
Many
factors have an impact on reading speed:
Josephson
(1961) studied the leisure activities of the visually impaired and discovered
that they did not favor reading as a fun activity. A related report about
visually impaired readers (Josephson, 1964) revealed that many reader only
revert to reading Braille when it is the only way of gaining access to the
information they require. It is reasonable to assume that the reading speed
of many individuals is so slow that they prefer listening to specially prepared
discs and tapes. There is no absolute proof that individuals who read very
little or prefer not to read Braille at all are actually less practiced readers.
However, reading as slowly as 90 words per minute during long periods of time
is, in the least, a strenuous exercise.
The
Braille Game Board® design was inspired from traditional and new Braille
teaching methods. The basic principle being that one of the best ways to learn
and master a language is to practice, we combine gameplay with the physical
stimuli conferred by reading Braille. By exercising their reading faculties,
readers are stimulated by interactivity: practice allows them to better possess
and master the difficulties of reading Braille.
The
game board brings learning to life in a context of leisure. The result: greater
reading ease and an increase in reading speed. Reading then becomes leisure
as opposed to necessity, and opens even more doors to personal growth and
information. Furthermore, the innovative design of the Braille Game Board®
is universal: it allows readers to play with every Braille code used worldwide.
Its unique design also allows for complete tactile access to the entire writing
surface at all times.
The
Braille Game Board makes conceptualizing word games easier, and keeping
score while playing cards is as easy as one-two-three. One of the main attributes
of the board is that it offers its users a unique benefit: complete tactile
access to the entire writing surface at any time.
Limited
merchandising, five years of testing and the help of numerous volunteers allowed
us to modify the Braille Game Board® and improve it to make it the
unique teaching and leisure tool it is today.
Testimonies and suggestions from visually impaired people of all ages and experienced Braille teachers helped us to develop a never-before-seen, unrivalled writing and gaming tool.
Who can benefit from using the Braille Game Board®?
Visually impaired people, children and adults alike
Parents of visually impaired children
Teachers of all grades
Educational counsellors / advisors.