Overview

This is a prototype for ObjectiveEd Braille Sheets. It is intended only as a demonstration of some of the capabilities of this innovation, and does not include all of the educational games that will use this innovation.

Starting the app

To start the ObjectiveEd demo for Braille Sheets on the iPad Mini, start the app named “Braille Sheets”. The iPad should be held in landscape mode with the home button on the right. To exit from this help screen, tap the BACK button in the upper right corner.

When you return from one of the Braille Sheet games back to the main menu, you may have to wait about 5 seconds for voice-over to be restored to the iPad.

Getting Started

Each of the games uses a specific Braille Sheet.

First pick a demo or game. When the game screen starts, place the appropriate braille sheet on the iPad Mini. Keep in mind that when we publish Braille Sheet games for teachers to use, we will provide braille sheets for all sizes of iPads or other tablets. Teachers will be able to create their own sheets, and share them with other teachers. Each sheet is designed to fit perfectly on this iPad Mini.

Using the iPad with a Braille Sheet

The current version of this app is designed for one-handed braille reading using the right forefinger. If you find the braille sheet slides, you can use your left thumb on the left edge to keep the sheet in place. When you do this, touch only the left edge of sheet.

In a future version, we may allow for left finger reading, or for two finger braille reading.  We may create a special braille sheet plastic enclosure that affixes to the iPad case, so the sheet never moves around.  We may switch gestures from double-tapping to split tap, and use the scrub gesture, instead of a 3 finger swipe up, to return from the game screen to the main menu.

Picking a Sheet

Braille Sheet #1 is used for the Demo of Technology. If you are visually impaired, on the last line of braille on the sheet, the line begins with the letter “Q”, and ends in the three letters “AAQ”.

Braille Sheet #3 is used for the Hangman games. If you are visually impaired, on the last line of braille on the sheet, the line begins with the letter “Q”, and ends in the three letters “AQQ”.

Starting Read the Letter – Demo of Technology: Braille Sheet Number 1

Select the app “Read the Letter” from the main menu, and place braille sheet number 1 on the iPad, and double tap the braille sheet.

Using the app: Read the Letter

Move your finger around on the braille sheet, and the app will speak the name of the braille letter you are touching. If you touch a braille character that is not part of the alphabet or punctuation, the app will tell you the dot positions in the character.

For example, consider the contracted braille for the word “ARE”. When you touch the first of the two braille characters for this word, the app will speak the dot positions “3, 4, 5”, for the contraction “AR”. When you touch the second of the two braille characters for this word, the app will speak the letter “E”.

Starting Read the Word – Demo of Technology: Braille Sheet Number 1

Select the app “Read the Word” from the main menu, and place braille sheet number 1 on the iPad, and double tap the braille sheet.

Currently, the app stops reading the word when you touch the next word. To ensure you hear the entire word, move your finger slowly. In the future, this will be a configurable option.

Currently, the app only speaks the word when you move your finger left-to-right; when you regress, no words are read until you resume forward movement. In the future, this will be a configurable option.

Using the app: Read the Word

Starting with the first line, read the braille letters and words. When you touch the first letter of a word, the app will speeak the word. When you touch other letters in the word, you will hear a drum sound.

Starting Hangman: Braille Sheet Number 3

To play the hangman game, select one of the game choices. The practice hangman lets you fill out letters for the word “HANGMAN”, and letters are identified as you touch them. The easy hangman game lets you guess the letters for easy words, and letters are identified as you touch them.

Both practice and easy hangman can be played with speaking letter names or not speaking letter names. When playing with letter names, the letter is announced as you touch it. As the student’s braille literacy improves, she should advanced to play without the letter being announced. That will happen automatically once Braille Sheets is fully connected to ObjectiveEd’s closed loop education system.

The hangman games tell you to place braille sheet number 3 on the ipad, and double tap the braille sheet.

Hangman Game Play

Guess the letters in less than 11 moves.

Move your finger across the letters, until you find the letter you want to guess. Once you found your letter guess, double tap your finger. You can double tap anywhere on the braille sheet.

If you are correct, you are told how many of those letters are in the word. If you are wrong, you get closer to losing.

To give up and hear the answer, swipe right with 3 fingers.