I went to Iowa Braille and Sight-Saving School also. They probably promoted 
two-handed braille reading in one form or another, but I developed plenty of 
speed by reading with my left hand only (mostly theindex finger). Part of 
the strategy, as I saw in about the third grade was that when copying from a 
book to the slate and stylus, I would be able to read with the left hand 
while writing with the right hand. I don't know how many pages per hour I 
can do these days; it has probably slowed down somewhat.
73,


Lloyd Rasmussen, W3IUU, Kensington, MD
http://lras.home.sprynet.com
-----Original Message----- 
From: Jim Shaffer
Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2015 11:55 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: braille, was: absolutely nothing to do with ham radio but 
Dayton made me think about it.

Hmmm, I think we all at the Iowa school read with both index fingers.

-----Original Message----- 
From: Harvey Heagy
Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2015 10:32 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: braille, was: absolutely nothing to do with ham radio but
Dayton made me think about it.

Well, Jim, join the club.  I wish I was a fast Braille reader, but I'm just
not.  We were reading it with our primary hand index finger with the index
finger on the other hand marking our place on the next line which worked for
me pretty well.  But some superintendent felt it was faster to read it with
both index fingers following each other on the same line, so we did.  I
think for me that slowed me down.  But like you, I do support Braille
instruction for all legally blind children as well as those newly blinded
adults who can learn it.
Harvey

-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Jim Shaffer
Sent: Thursday, May 7, 2015 8:47 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: braille, was: absolutely nothing to do with ham radio but Dayton
made me think about it.

I've never been a fast braille reader either.  In second grade, my teacher
noticed that I was struggling with print and my limited sight, and switched
me to braille.  She told me later that I did two years of work in one year
using braille.  I tell this story in a letter I wrote to President Obama as
part of an NFB campaign to send 100 letters supporting braille instruction
to the president.  My letter was one of those chosen.

I wrote the JJRadio program so that I'd have what amounts to a braille ham
rig.  I use braille to monitor/control the radio now, and keep the TS-590's
VGS-1 turned off.  When in a QSO, I turn my computer's speech off too.
--
Jim, ke5al


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