The International Braille And Technology Center For The Blind

Established on the 50th Anniversary
of the founding of the
National Federation of the Blind.
Located at the
National Center For The Blind
1800 Johnson Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21230
(410) 659-9314

WHAT:

Demonstrations
Comparative Evaluations
Individual Instruction
Cost Comparisons
Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance Assistance
Personal and Telephone Consultation
Meeting and Conference Facilities
Overnight and Dining Accommodations

WHO:

Blind Persons
Employers
Professionals
Vendors of Technology
Family Members
Members of the Public
(410) 659-9314

Technology, Blindness, and the National Federation of the Blind

Copyright © 1995 by the National Federation of the Blind.

The computer age has brought about advances in technology for all people, including the blind. The International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind is the world's most extensive demonstration and evaluation center for computer-related technology serving the needs of blind persons. The National Federation of the Blind, in cooperation with other organizations, has made a commitment to maintain this unique facility as a resource for the blind of the world. Nevertheless, it must be remembered that technology is merely a tool to use in working toward the complete integration of the blind into society on the basis of equality--such integration being the ultimate purpose of the National Federation of the Blind.

Reaching this objective involves the removal of legal, economic and social discrimination; the education of the public to new concepts concerning blindness; and the achievement by all blind people of the right to exercise to the fullest their individual talents and capabilities. It means the right of the blind to work along with their sighted neighbors in the professions, common callings, skilled trades, and regular occupations.

The National Federation of the Blind believes that the real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight. The real problem if the misunderstanding and lack of information which exist. If a blind person has proper training and opportunity, blindness can be reduced to the level of a physical nuisance.

It is in the context of this philosophy, this progress, and this perspective that the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind was established and is operated.

Meeting a Unique Need

Who wants to spend thousands of dollars for equipment when one has never had the opportunity to see it in operation, to talk to someone who has used it, to compare it to other similar devices, to know something of its reliability and durability, or to determine its capacity to meet real-life on-the-job or personal needs in a practical way?

No one does, of course. Yet, this has often been the only option available to would-be purchasers of specialized access technology for the blind. Unlike their sighted counterparts, blind people are not able to purchase equipment that is accessible to them at their local computer supermarkets. The companies producing Braille and speech access devices for computers tend to be small firms, which do not have local outlets. At best if has been possible to get hands-on experience with only a few devices, and even then, under circumstances making true comparative evaluations virtually impossible.

The International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind meets this unmet need. It serves as a nerve center and laboratory to stimulate the use and development of technology for the blind, facilitates comparative evaluation of state-of-the-art technological devices, constitutes a test site for innovative techniques, and functions as a hands-on training center for individuals and other interested persons and groups.

Equipment

The International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind houses a continually changing collection of equipment and software programs. Newly developed devices come on the market and existing ones become obsolete at a rapid rate. The Center's goal is to acquire on an ongoing basis for comparative evaluation and demonstration purposes at least one of every computer-driven Braille embossing device that is commercially available to blind individuals and institutions anywhere in the world. Such devices range in speed from less than a dozen characters per second to more than 1200 pages per hour and in price from less than $2,000 to more than $80,000.

In addition to hard-copy Braille embossers the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind has an extensive selection of Braille translation programs (software that converts print into Braille), speech synthesizers, audible screen review programs, reading machines (devices that scan a printed page and translate text into spoken words), scanners, optical character recognition systems, refreshable Braille Displays, Braille note- taking devices, raised-line drawing equipment and much more.

The commitment of financial resources, personnel, and physical facilities to achieve and maintain the equipment acquisition and operating goals of the International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind is enormous. Nowhere else in the world does a collection of technological devices such as this exist.

The International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind displays more than 150 devices and software programs. The list of specific equipment changes on a continual basis. To obtain a current listing call the Center at (410)659-9314 or download it from NFB Net, the computer bulletin board service of the National Federation of the Blind at (612)696-1975.

Here is a list of some of the Center's equipment:

Braillo 400S interpoint Braille embosser
Thiel BAX-10 interpoint Braille printer
Elekul-03 high-speed Braille embosser
TED 600 interpoint Braille embosser
Braille Blazer personal Braille printer
Romeo Braille printer
Alva Braille Terminal refreshable display
KeyBraille refreshable Braille display
Braille 'n Speak note-taker
David notebook computer with Braille keyboard, Braille display, and speech
NFBTrans Braille translation software
Duxbury Braille Translator
Speaqualizer speech access system
Keynote Gold PC speech synthesizer
DEC-Talk speech synthesizer
Audapter speech synthesizer
Double Talk PC speech synthesizer
Artic Business Vision screen review program
Vocal-Eyes screen review program
Kurzweil Personal Reader stand-alone reading system
Arkenstone An Open Book stand-alone reading system
DragonDictate voice recognition system
and many more.

Click here for the current list located at www.nfb.org.

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