AN OVERVIEW OF ISSUES IN THE STUDY OF BIBLICAL LANGUAGES BY STUDENTS WHO ARE BLIND:
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR FACULTY AND STAFF OF SEMINARIES AND CHRISTIAN COLLEGES
If you have recently met a student who is blind and wants to study biblical languages, you may have some questions about how this is possible. This article provides information that will help you to understand the resources available to assist the student in the study of biblical languages. Since the student likely possesses some or all of the technology that is needed, this information will assist you in communicating effectively. If the student is in need of additional assistance, some information is provided at the end of the article which will enable you to brainstorm with the student regarding strategies for obtaining needed supplies.
Textbook Concerns
The greatest concern regarding language study is whether the textbook used in the course is available in an accessible format. Several Greek texts are available from the Bartimaeus Group. These are in a special format for use by students who are blind. They can be printed on a braille printer (called an embosser) or viewed on a braille display. (See below for more information.)
Only two Hebrew texts are available in accessible form. They are Thomas Lambdin’s Introduction to Biblical Hebrew and Kyle Yates’ The Essentials of Biblical Hebrew. Both books are available from the Jewish Braille Institute, though it can be difficult to obtain materials from JBI because they are no longer active in the production of books for their library.
It is sometimes possible to obtain books in electronic format from the publisher; however, often these are in PDF format, which does not interact well with screen readers. PDF files must often be loaded into optical character recognition programs for conversion, increasing the likelihood of errors in the end product. Abbyy Fine Reader Professional 9.0 is the first such program to feature the ability to scan Hebrew. I am still evaluating its effectiveness.
In light of the shortage of accessible textbooks, many students wishing to study Hebrew elect to arrange for independent study and use Lambdin or Yates unless they can arrange for transcription of another text through a company specializing in the transcription of Hebrew materials. This must be done many months in advance, and the company will generally request two copies of the text in order to complete the process.
Introduction to Technology
Technology for people who are blind includes a number of devices that enable the person to read and/or write information independently. Often, a number of different configurations are able to accomplish the same thing. It is important to remember that two people who are blind may prefer different pieces of technology. This is especially true if you have been teaching for a while and have had a blind student in a previous class. Technology develops very rapidly in this field; and the devices used by your previous student may no longer be manufactured if some time has past. Your current student is likely very knowledgeable about his/her needs, though more information may be needed in order to make the study of biblical languages a success. The biblical language study page provides a wealth of information for blind students regarding how to configure their technology and what resources are available in accessible format.
Braille Writing Equipment
The simplest and cheapest device for writing braille is the slate and stylus. The slate is a device consisting of a guide attached to a frame housing a number of evenly spaced braille cells. Paper is inserted between the guide and the frame. Using the stylus, the writer is able to punch out any combination of braille dots and thus produce hard copy braille. All students do not use the "slate"--in fact, many consider it antiquated and/or "too hard" to learn. However, some find it essential because of its portability and ability to produce hard copy braille on the spot.
The Perkins Brailler is a machine very similar to a typewriter that allows for braille input and output. The Perkins brailler features a row of six keys, three on either side of a spacebar, as well as a line advancement key and a backspace key at either end of the keyboard. The "Perkins" is not something that a college student will use in a classroom; however, some students may have one in their room or apartment and may use it if they want notes or other items in hard copy braille.
COMPUTER ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND
People who are blind or visually impaired access the computer using one of three modes of output: large print, synthetic speech, or braille. Most have learned to type well and are quite comfortable with using the computer keyboard. In fact, keyboard commands provide access to most of the same functions normally accessed using the mouse. Voice recognition software is not required by a person who is visually impaired.
Note: Very few options exist to provide access to operating systems other than windows 95 and later versions. Those that do exist are less well developed and require more configuration during setup. Users with minimal understanding of computer concepts may require assistance with these other systems.
Large Print
Windows 98 and later versions provide an accessibility option which enables the user to enlarge the text on the screen. This is adequate for some people. Others, who may need larger print, use software which enables further enlargement of the text as well as the changing of foreground and background colors and, in some cases, synthetic speech output which supplements the large print. The two most popular programs are ZoomText, manufactured by AI Squared of Vermont, and Magic, manufactured by Freedom Scientific of Florida. Both companies offer demonstration versions as downloads from their Websites.
A student who is using screen enlargement software will not need to make special modifications in order to access language material or write in Hebrew or Greek. Students with "low vision" may prefer handwriting or may wish to use a Hebrew or Greek keyboard. I recommend the keyboards from Logos. They are available via my keyboarding page along with installation instructions.
Synthetic Speech
People who cannot see well enough to read large print or who find reading for long periods of time to be tiring may use software which causes the text from the screen to be spoken via the sound card or another device, called a speech synthesizer. The quality of speech offered varies depending on the device, but it has improved greatly since its inception in 1939. The two most popular "screen readers," as these programs are known, are GW Micro's WindowEyes and Freedom Scientific's JAWS for Windows.
Users of synthetic speech output can take advantage of specialized keyboard combinations which cause the output device to read by line, paragraph, sentence, word, etc. One of the greatest disadvantages of using synthetic speech, however, is the difficulty it presents in enabling the user to form an accurate understanding of the layout of the screen when the screen reader does not read the information in its correct context. This problem may arise when incorrect methods have been used to format information or when the software has not been used previously with a screen reader and may employ new methods of displaying information which the screen reader does not "recognize". Furthermore, the latest versions of screen readers rearrange the text from pages which contain columns or tables significantly so that reading will be easier for people who are blind. This can prevent the blind user from knowing how the information was originally organized and how pieces of data relate to one another. Developers of screen readers are now including features that allow the user to get more information about text format and layout. Several companies and individuals also offer tutorials and training which can help blind people to gain a better understanding of how Windows presents information on the screen and how to use screen readers most effectively.
American screen readers cannot read Hebrew or Greek aloud. (There is a Hebrew version of JAWS which can be purchased for quite a bit of money.) The best method for a screen reader user to access biblical language material electronically is to use a braille display. (See below for information.)
Braille Output
A braille display is a device which works with a screen reader, displaying a certain number of characters on a single line at one time. Features of the device allow for exploring various areas of the screen. As the user moves around the screen using the controls, the line of braille, created by an array of pins, "disappears" and a new combination of pins from the array forms the braille translation of text from the new portion of the screen.
Braille displays are the most costly of the access options; however, they provide the best access to language materials. They also allow for a more realistic concept of the layout of the screen to be formed.
Braille displays work in combination with the same software which controls the production of synthetic speech. Therefore, when setting up the computer to display foreign language materials, some changes need to be made to the "screen reader." Instructions for making these changes are available on the braille display page and on the keyboarding page.
Notetakers and PDAs
A notetaker is a portable device which allows for word processing and selected other activities. A variety of notetakers are available and offer a number of features. Some allow the blind person to enter commands andinformation using a Perkins-style keyboard. Others feature a standard qwerty keyboard. Some provide only speech output while others feature a braille display. Many notetakers also include calculator functions.
The advantages of notetakers include portability, long battery life, quick start-up, and choice of keyboard style. Some parents and teachers favor early introduction of the notetaker as a braille writing tool because of the strength required to use the Perkins brailler successfully.
Manufacturers of notetakers have recently introduced new products that function like palmtop computers. These devices are larger than the palmtop but provide most of the same features as well as the features of a notetaker. Currently, two of these devices are available: the BrailleNote from PulseData and the PAC Mate from Freedom Scientific. Each of these has advantages and disadvantages.
The BrailleNote is an older product and is therefore more widely known. Rather than providing access to mainstream programs for palmtop computers, the BrailleNote features programs designed intentionally to work with the KeySoft speech and braille output software. These programs include a word processor, Web browser, email program, calendar, address management program, and calculator. ActiveSync allows access to the file system from a PC. The BrailleNote includes an optional screen for visual display.
The PACMate includes a detachable braille display that can also be used with a standard computer. Like the BrailleNote, the PAC Mate includes a specialized word processor and calculator. However, since it uses the same operating system that other PDAs use, it allows the user to run mainstream programs like Pocket Word, Pocket Outlook, and Pocket Internet Explorer. This makes the PAC Mate as compatible with the PC using ActiveSync as any other PDA is. If a person is already using JAWS on a computer, he will be able to transfer most of this knowledge to use of thePAC Mate since speech and braille output is provided by JAWS for Pocket PC. The PAC Mate can also be connected to a computer for remote viewing.
Recently, Codefactory has provided access to PDAs, smart phones, and related software via software called MobileSpeak. MobileSpeak provides access to the touch screen environment as well as allowing the user to access the PDA via an external keyboard. It also allows for use of a braille display with the PDA.
The accessibility of biblical language materials on notetakers is unknown to me. Students will be able to use notetakers with braille input keyboards to take their own notes; however, the back translator will not convert this material into the correct language if they are doing homework to turn in. When doing English to Hebrew or Greek exercises, a computer with an appropriate language keyboard should be used.
Braille Translation Software: What's the Point?
Braille translation software converts computerized print into braille for embossing in hard copy or use on a braille display. Students may use a translation program to emboss electronic texts which have been prepared in braille format or to translate their own materials for embossing in hard copy. The Duxbury Braille Translator will translate Hebrew material from print to braille; however, it does not currently support polytonic Greek (the characters used in biblical Greek). Note: The books from Bartimaeus Group were scanned using optical braille recognition and are not in need of braille translation. However, the translation program is needed to communicate with the braille embosser.
Closed-Circuit Televisions
Closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) display magnified text from a page on a screen. Many CCTVs also allow the user to select different background and foreground colors. This is a useful feature for people who find that reading light text on a dark background is easier. Some CCTVs are portable.
People who have a fair amount of vision may be comfortable using a CCTV for long reading assignments for which a magnifier is not suitable. People with less vision may use the CCTV for reading mail or short pieces of informationwhile relying on other modes of reading for longer work.
Braille Embossers
An embosser accepts the contents of a text file or a file created by translation software and creates a braille hard copy, just as a printer creates a print hard copy. Braille embossers may "print" on one or both sides of a page and may produce braille at up to 56 characters per second.
Scanners and OCR Software
Scanners send an image of a page to a computer, where optical character recognition (OCR) software interprets the text from the image and feeds it to the screen reader. A scanner and OCR software can enable a blind person to read most books and many magazines independently.
Some mainstream OCR programs, such as Abbyy Fine Reader Professional, are very compatible with screen readers. Specialized OCR programs are also available that provide additional features which are useful for people with visual impairments. Examples include Freedom Scientific's OpenBook and Xerox's Kurzweil.
Abbyy Fine Reader Professional 9.0 scans both Hebrew and Greek; however, I am uncertain of its accuracy. I am unfamiliar with the capabilities of other programs regarding these languages.
Writing in Hebrew and Greek
Your student will be able to produce Hebrew and Greek using an alternate "keyboard," a software program which remaps the keys on the computer keyboard so that a person can type in another language. Instructions for downloading and installing Hebrew and Greek keyboards that have been tested for use with braille displays and the JAWS screen reader are available on the keyboards page.
Assisting Your Student
When talking with your student, it is important to keep in mind that the student may or may not be quite knowledgeable about technology and resources available. Many students are quitte adept at searching for information online and have learned to make plans for obtaining what they need. Often, what they need most is for faculty and staff to maintain an open mind regarding their capabilities and to be willing to learn how they do things. If you have had other blind students in the past, it is important to remember to relate to each student as an individual. Your current student may or may not wish to network with your previous students and may or may not want information regarding your previous students' methods of study.
If your student does not possess all of the technology and resources that is needed for language study, vocational rehabilitation programs may be of assistance. Your assistance in verifying that language study is required for completing your program may help your student to obtain timely assistance from a vocational rehabilitation counselor. Alternatively, if you anticipate welcoming additional students who are blind into your program, you might consider encouraging your university to purchase some assistive technology and set up an accessible workstation.
Getting More Help for Yourself
If you would like to discuss issues related to the study of biblical languages by students who are blind, please join the bib_lang_brl email list. This is a forum where you can exchange information with students and professionals who have embarked on this same journey. Many have had the same questions you have and will be glad to provide help in any way they can.
If you have questions regarding the information in this article or other aspects of language study as a student who is blind, please feel free to email me.
About Sarah
Sarah Blake graduated from Anderson University with an M.Div., professional distinction in Hebrew, in August, 2009. She provides biblical teaching for retreats, church services, and other special events; music ministry; and education for churches and community groups seeking to develop strategies for including people with disabilities. For more information about booking Sarah to speak at your church or community event, visit her services page.
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