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Date: | Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:21:44 -0400 |
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I meant that at least you're not competing with someone using a typewriter
and as I mostly took notes, I had no trouble keeping up with the other kids.
I've taken dictation before though and did just fine.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Terri Pannett" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2008 6:21 PM
Subject: Re: braille writer
Dear Kevin,
You said, "I'm a bit faster than some who write fast with a pen, if that
makes any sense."
If a sighted person is writing long-hand with a pen or pencil and doesn't
use any abbreviations, then it could be possible. But if the sighted person
is writing shorthand with a pencil or pen, then it isn't possible because I
know sighted people who were able to write shorthand 200 words per minute
with a pencil or pen.
I would like to know your secret for being able to write so fast with a
slate. I have never tested myself, but I think my speed, at best, was 10
words a minute. I couldn't write as fast as sighted kids who used pencils.
Maybe with practice I could have learned to do it, but I'm not sure.
Logically, it takes more time for a blind person to write a character on a
slate than a sighted person using a pencil because each dot must be punched
by hand whereas a sighted person uses strokes to write with. For example, a
braille q uses 5 dots but a hand-written q might take a couple strokes.
That's why I couldn't keep up with a slate. Can you imagine taking verbatim
dictation of a passage in Spanish using a slate and stylus writing grade 1
braille? I knew I couldn't do it and that's why the high school kids HAD to
put up with my brailler. I was not allowed to use a tape recorder.
If you were able to keep up with a slate and stylus, more power to you. But
if you couldn't, then I can see why people would get frustrated with you.
Terri Amateur Radio call sign KF6CA.
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