Project Overview and Objective

Exploratory study about how adults who become blind later in life and their instructors engage in the Braille learning process. Adults, who become blind later in life after childhood, face a particular lack of structured support for learning Braille.

Approach and Research Methods

Framed research around the following questions:

1. What technologies do adults who lose their vision later in life use to learn Braille?
2. How do Braille instructors use technology to instruct adults who lose their vision later in life?
3. Are the Royal National Institute of Blind People’s (RNIB) recommendations for instructing adults who lose their vision later in life implemented in instructional practices that use digital technologies?

Exploratory interviews, open-ended questions structured by themes

Open-ended questions created according to themes presented in research questions.  Two groups of participants referred by Chicago advocacy and support groups for individuals who are blind or visually impaired:

1. Adults who lost their vision later in life
   • (N = 3) contained two men (Stan: age 45 and Sam: age 55) and one woman (Sarah: age 60)
2. 2) Braille instructors.
   • (N = 3) were women (Barbara: age 57; Beth: age 59; Betty: age 71)

Interviews recorded, transcribed and analyzed. Looked at responses across open ended theme questions to look for patterns.

Results

• Adult Braille learners each had similar start/path of instruction, typically small group sessions, some one on one tutoring, and very little self-learning activities. Instructors reported similar experiences for their students.
• Braille instructors were aware of RNIB recommendations; however the adult learners were not self-aware of the process needed to learn Braille, no metacognition.
• Very little reports of using digital technology for Braille learning.
• Learners and instructors did not recall playing Braille reading/writing games as part of instruction.
• Motivation issues, stopping and restarting learning process, were reported by all learners and confirmed by instructors.
• Possible opportunity for digital technology intervention to help with adult learner motivation.
  • Learners reported a need for social interactions with other adult Braille learners and for ways to practice Braille outside of instructor provided materials.
  • Technology solution that enabled social communication with Braille or a social Braille based game may be an area for future research.
  • Not all Braille materials used for learning need to be “instructional” to provide adult learners with value.

Presentation Slide Deck for Exploratory Research Study
Full Report for Exploratory Research Study

 

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