We at ViewPlus have heard some lively debates over the years about the issue of whether new technologies such as Video Magnifiers and Voice-Activated Software will someday take the place of traditional Braille. The consensus was that Braille was becoming obsolete and that blind students and adults can get all the information that they need through auditory tools.
However, we have seen a steady stream of research which has convincingly disproved these arguments. For example The Washington State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (WSLBPH) conducted a study that researched the link between reading Braille and employment. They found in their sample that the unemployment rate for the blind mirrored almost exactly the National average – 66%. However, those in the study that could read Braille had a significantly lower unemployment rate – 33%. Another study conducted by Ralph Ranalli shows that of the estimated 85,000 blind adults of working age in the U.S. that read Braille, a staggering 90% are gainfully employed.
The link between reading Braille and career advancement is clear. That is why we at ViewPlus have developed industry leading products such as the VP SpotDot that can finally bring Braille into the classroom with color and brilliant texture. Click the link below for more information: