Readers' experiences of Braille in an evolving technological world

Abstract

This paper investigates people's experiences and opinions of Braille as a reading method. It aims to explore how Braille's role may be evolving in a world with an increased range of technological alternatives for reading. Two participant studies with people with visual impairments are reported. Firstly, a survey (Study A) explores current reading experiences and preferences. Secondly, building on the survey findings, a series of in-depth interviews (Study B) explores individual reading experiences of different artefacts. The findings show how particular assistive technologies may be deemed more or less appropriate for different reading contexts and purposes and highlights issues of production and standardization for reading artefacts. This suggests that providing people with visual impairments with access to a range of resources could support more inclusive practices. The findings also suggest that in some contexts, such as information presented in public spaces and on packaging, greater standardization of Braille could be of benefit to people with visual impairments.