-: There may be lots of room for braille in your life,
even if you don't use it to read books.
In this episode, braille support manager Danette Johnson,
along with Hadley members, Jeff
and Audrey, join us to discuss learning braille
for everyday use.
I'm Ricky Enger, and this is Hadley Presents.
Made possible by Hadley's donors, whose support brings you
expert perspectives on vision loss.
Welcome to the show everyone. Hello.
-: Hi. It's great to be here. Great to be here.
-: It is amazing to have you all
and wow, do we ever have a lot to talk about?
I've been looking forward to doing this podcast all day.
So before we jump into talking about braille, which is one
of my favorite things, I wanna just take a moment to kind
of let everyone introduce themselves so
that we all can put a name with a voice.
So Danette, let's start with you.
Tell us a bit about who you are
and what you do here at Hadley.
-: Yeah, great. As mentioned, my name is Danette Johnson
and I'm the braille specialist
and braille support manager here at Hadley.
And I have the pleasure of speaking
to our members about braille and answering questions
and sharing tips and strategies
for learning and reading Braille.
I also had the privilege of helping to develop
and write our braille programs here at Hadley.
So I'm really glad to be here and talking about it today.
-: Awesome. So Audrey, you are next.
Tell us a bit about yourself
and if you like, you can touch kind
of on your vision loss as well.
-: I lost my vision three years ago in an accident.
It was a gradual loss.
It took me two years to finally admit
that I really was losing my vision and I needed help.
And so I started reaching out in every way
that I could find.
And learning braille became very important because
I love to travel.
And I realized, that if I'm traveling by myself
and sometimes I do.
I would need to be able to
read elevator and read the room numbers.
And so it became very important to me to learn braille.
I've struggled a lot called Danette a lot,
and if it wasn't for Danette for encouragement,
I probably would've quit.
But I've kind of adapted my own way to learn
and I'm succeeding.
-: I love it. And you have jumped just right into
that practical way that braille is going
to fit into your life.
That's perfect. Jeff, tell us a bit about you
and kind of your vision loss journey
and how you got started learning braille.
-: So my name is Jeff.
I live in Oregon and my vision loss journey started two
years ago when I was 49.
I was brought to the emergency room
with 20/20 vision while currently experiencing covid.
And I went in because I was having severe
and debilitating headaches that were getting worse
by the hour. After a scan
and an examination, it was determined
that I was having a stroke as well.
So I woke up five and a half weeks later
after a coma in another hospital with my wife explaining
to me that I'm now blind.
And for me, I didn't experience the five weeks, it was just,
I went in with 20/20 and I woke up blind.
So it was a whole new world
and there's a long story between the Oregon Commission
for the Blind reaching out to me
and them setting me up with Hadley. A Hadley account.
And when I was first home from the hospital,
I just spent all my times listening to all the workshops
and I kept thinking I'm too old to learn Braille 49.
And, Hadley actually said, well,
you're not too old to learn braille.
People learn it much older than you.
I took that to heart and I started doing
all the workshops of braille.
And it turns out for me personally, it was a lot of fun
because to me it was like a puzzle game
and it it, it also gave me something to do because,
'cause I, I was very limited in
what I could do when I first went blind.
So that's my story.
-: Well there you go. It, it's so good that each
of you came into this with kind
of a thing that motivated you to start.
So Danette, I'm curious, we've said
that our program here is called
Braille for Everyday Use.
So that almost implies that, I mean you would think,
well if I'm gonna learn braille, you know,
am I gonna use it every day If I'm reading, I guess I would.
Is there something different about Braille for Everyday Use
that would maybe set it apart from some traditional programs
and ways to learn braille?
What did we design this to be?
-: Well, you're exactly right Ricky.
We named it Braille for Everyday Use
because that's really what we focus on from the beginning.
A lot of times programs throw a lot of symbols at you,
a large amount at one time
because the end goal may be is to read braille books.
But we wanted to take a look at braille in another way.
How can I use braille from the start?
From the very first letter,
from the very first symbol that I use.
I want this to be a practical thing,
otherwise I might not stick with this.
It's too big, it's too overwhelming.
And we found that focusing on how you can use it immediately
and simply would be just, you know, adding another tool to
that toolbox to help you thrive.
So yeah, our program, braille for everyday use is designed
to introduce braille in this easily digestible way that
isn't overwhelming and focuses on these
practical uses of braille.
We discuss braille using braille, the very first letter.
For things like, labeling everything around your home,
such as your pantry items.
Your electrical panels so you know which switches
to flip, your pet food containers
or for example, just using one
or two letters like putting the letter A on your aspirin
bottle and the letter T on your Tylenol bottle
to be able to tell those apart.
So very practical simple uses for braille.
And then we talk about things like reading the elevator
buttons as Audrey mentioned
and restroom signs so you know
that you're going in the right restroom when you're out
for dinner, just everyday kind of things like that.
Absolutely. Yeah, we only introduce like three
or four letters or symbols at a time.
So you get plenty of practice
and it doesn't feel overwhelming before we add more letters.
We even provide those little stickers with the letters
so you can use them immediately
and sticker them on things around your home to help.
And I think that that too is a little bit different than
some other programs just introducing a few things at a time
to make it, you know, digestible
and you make you feel confident and comfortable
and then it feels like braille is
purposeful from the get go.
-: Yeah, it makes a lot of sense
because even if you learn the braille alphabet,
if you're learning the alphabet just sort of
for its own sake, maybe you haven't thought about, well
where is this going
to fit in my daily life other than say reading books.
But this is a very practical approach.
And Audrey, this was your actual motivation to start.
So this elevator buttons and things like that.
Do you remember when you started, you had this in mind,
you wanted to to use it to, to read signs,
to read hotel room numbers.
Do you remember the first time that it really,
really clicked
or you found a specific motivation to keep going?
Do you remember a moment where it kind of clicked for you?
-: I do. I remember
that I realized when you were talking about labeling,
how I could make my life easier by learning braille
and labeling things in my home
that I really didn't know what they were.
I'm 75 years old.
So when you say that braille can be learned at any age,
I wanna say yes because it may not be
as easy for a 75-year-old as it's
for a 49-year-old year old.
But I haven't lost my ability to learn because of my age or
because of my blindness.
I still have capabilities
and realizing that
braille could make my life easier in
so many more ways has kept me going.
-: So well said.
We hear it a lot, I'm too old
or this, this is going to be too hard.
But you're so right, you haven't lost your capability
and you haven't lost that willingness, that zest
for learning.
And so you came in excited for one reason
and now you're finding other reasons too,
labeling things in your house so it's fitting in your life,
which is wonderful.
Jeff, what about you?
Can you remember a moment where it went from,
I am learning this, it's kind of a puzzle, I'm having fun
to, oh I can actually see this
being useful.
Did you have a a, a practical thing that you sort
of started with?
-: I actually do, oddly enough for me, my first use
for Braille practically was I wanted
to actually write in braille
because part of the medical issue I had
that caused my blindness also made my fingers numb
neuropathy at the fingertips.
So I was having a more difficult time advancing reading
it, but I did wanna write it.
And the practical use for that at the time was,
it was Christmas time and I wanted to say a little something
to a young niece that I have who's 11 years old
because I had had a difficult year
and she was worried for me
and I just wanted a way to connect
and I wanted to say, Hey look, I can do this.
I can write in braille, you may not understand what this is,
but let me explain to you, I'll write your name in braille,
I'll write your school name in braille.
And it was just a way for me to kind of connect
and say, I'm learning new things
so when you feel like you don't wanna learn in school
or it's difficult
or something like that, just know
that at my age I'm still doing it.
You can too. And I wrote her a little like Merry
Christmas and everything else there.
And that was the first practical use I had
for it in that sense.
Other practical uses, yes there's elevator buttons
and there was also labeling around the house.
I, I got a hold of a braille label maker once I advanced
enough through the Hadley workshops
and I started labeling everything I could think of.
Those were very practical early on as well as being able
to read braille on certain devices
and paperwork that was being sent to me now
by various blind organizations like Talking books
for the Blind and such.
So that was practical for me too, is trying to understand
what I was just sent.
-: That's awesome. And Audrey, for you,
how is Braille fitting into your life now?
So you've, you've progressed a bit
and you've mentioned labeling things in your home.
Have you had a chance to practice kind of
what you came into this for, reading those signs
as you're out and about?
Where's Braille fitting in now for you?
-: It's actually fitting in well.
Yes, I've had a chance to read the signs
outside my home and my home and in my home,
I do practice my braille every day,
but I do it at different times during the day
because I have a very busy life
and so I fit braille in where it fits,
but I make sure to do it because it has become a love.
I'm actually reading words and phrases
and thank you Danette for sending those to me.
That has been, I wanna say my connection, it's really kind
of spurred me on and encouraged me to keep going
and keep learning.
I still struggle with some of the letters,
but I have learned how to, in a word
feel each individual letter.
And so I'm spelling the letters out
as I'm reading the words as well.
I think my older mind is probably a little, a little,
but that's, that's not a problem.
I'm just gonna keep going.
-: I love it. Jeff, you have mentioned a couple of ways
that braille is fitting into your life too.
And for you, you mentioned writing, so braille
and technology I think has been
a nice fit for you.
Can you talk about that, how,
where Braille is fitting in your life in terms
of using it with technology?
-: Yes, I can actually,
when I first started using a slate and stylus,
that was a big push for me in braille
because that was my first experience writing braille.
And that actually helped a lot with the learning process
of braille I, 'cause I'd have to learn every letter
and also learn how to write it backwards.
And it really helped cement what the letters were
and I was really excited for that
because it was so helpful for me.
And then nowadays I use technology as well as a slate
and stylus for certain types of practice.
But with technology I use an Apple iPhone
and it has a feature called Braille Screen input.
And I think Samsung has a similar version
and braille screen input.
It allows you to use a touch screen,
not an actual physical braille keyboard
or any other physical keyboard,
but a touch screen in braille mode.
It just maps where your fingers are
and you can reset the mapping whenever you want.
But it allows you to type the braille symbols
and it will then translate it into written text
that a sighted person will see.
So for example, I use braille screen input every single day
to not only write very quick texts,
especially if I'm in mixed company, I don't want
to interrupt a discussion that's happening somewhere else,
like at a meeting that I have
for a blind support group locally, I don't necessarily want
to cut in, but this will allow me
to type on screen on my phone.
-: Yeah. Instead of dictating that out loud, right.
-: Instead of dictating it.
And I do actually use hearing aids, so I, it pumps the, the,
the sound of the letters through my hearing aids.
But otherwise you could use earbuds
or headphones if you want to keep it silent because
otherwise people will hear A, B...
-: Right.
-: But that, that is a good thing.
I love the ability to do that.
'cause one thing I have difficulty doing is taking
notes during these meetings.
If someone's getting very, giving very useful information
for the blind and such,
and this is a quick way for me to do it.
And contracted braille especially is quick
because it shortens everything.
I just, I really thoroughly enjoy that.
As well as taking notes, sending texts,
writing brief emails and stuff.
I really love that aspect
and I have found it extremely useful in that regard as far
as writing in both ways goes. Yes.
-: Yeah, that's really great.
It's a way to enter your stuff without kind
of fiddling around with the touchscreen.
And even if you can still see the touchscreen
to some degree, a lot of people find this a much quicker and
and more private way as you mentioned, without having
to dictate things or squint down at the screen if you're
trying to use your vision, learning that quick method
of input.
So Danette, Audrey already touched on this
to some degree, kind
of talking about getting those practice things sent out
and ways to practice
or to keep you going when things are getting a
little bit hard.
It is overwhelming when you're first learning something.
So and and I think it's easy
to get discouraged if you don't have someone in your corner.
So what kind of support do we offer at Hadley
so that people are not just doing this alone?
-: Yes, you're absolutely right Ricky.
And we have a couple of different ways
that people can get connected
and get that support so they don't feel they're alone.
We really don't want anyone
to think they're out on their own on this braille journey.
And so we have braille specialists here
to answer your questions.
As I mentioned, at any time you can call,
you can email from something as simple as
what was the answer on this page?
I missed it. Or I'm not sure I'm holding out my hands right
or I'm not feeling these correctly,
or I can't identify this letter.
So call and ask questions and we can discuss tips
and strategies to help you be successful.
And then we also have a monthly discussion group on the
first Thursday of every month called Embracing Braille
and people can join by Zoom or by phone.
And in that group we discuss a braille related topic each
month and members can share their own tips
and strategies as well as that's a good chance
to ask questions of other people who are going
through the same thing or have been through the same process
and have been in your position and learning braille.
-: Yeah, I always think that's so helpful, just
that community aspect of encouraging each other
or a new person comes in
and they're feeling like I'm never gonna learn all this,
and then three months later, they are the person jumping
in with a suggestion, Hey, here's what helped me.
I always love watching that in action.
So as we're wrapping up,
I'm just wondering if someone is out there
and they're listening
and they're like, wow, Audrey's doing great,
Jeff's doing great,
and I'm sure Danette is really encouraging,
but I just don't know if I can do this.
I don't know if this is for me.
So as we're wrapping up, what's something that each
of you would say to that person who's sort of on the fence?
So Audrey, we'll start with you.
-: I have a mentor who is learning braille
and so on our mentor call,
sometimes we will talk about our difficulties with braille
or our successes with braille.
That has also been very helpful for me.
I have two people who in my life who have taught braille
and I can ask them questions.
I want you to know Danette is a wonderful source.
The specialists at Hadley are very encouraging.
I wouldn't want someone to not think that they can't do it
because of their inability to learn.
You can go as quickly or as slowly as you want to,
and you can go through those lessons as many times
as you wish and really learn the letters.
I've had to go through some of those lessons
and probably will go back and do them again
because I wanna make sure that I know the letters
and I just wanna encourage people
who wanna learn braille, You can do it.
-: Thank you so much, Audrey. I love it.
Okay, Jeff, you're up.
What would you say to someone who's saying,
I don't know if this is for me.
I don't know if I can.
-: Yeah, I was that person.
I didn't think I could
because I mentioned a little earlier,
my fingertips were numb because of neuropathy
after my stroke, I just didn't think it'd be even possible.
But I started slowly gaining a little sensitivity in certain
fingers and it turns out that now I have one finger
that is pretty much my primary braille reader.
It's the middle finger on my right hand.
That's how I read all my braille. It's very effective.
I'm sure it would be more effective if all my fingers
worked, but that's the one I've got.
And I'm reading braille.
I'm very slow at reading contracted braille,
but I'm adequate at reading standard Braille at the moment
because of the practice that I've really been putting in.
And I faced a limitation and discouraged me early on,
but I found another way around it
where even if I can't read it, I would like
to communicate it
because I'm also trying to think of vocational things
that I can do, like translating things to braille maybe
for the blind and such.
Well, it turns out
that I can actually read it adequately now,
and I'm really glad that I took the time,
even though I had the limitation early on of reading it
because of physical reasons.
I'm really glad it took the time to learn it anyway,
to actually produce it
because now I can do both. That I think as well
as there are many practical uses for it that I have had.
And one little story that I like to tell is I was
so happy the first time I learned the symbol
for the apostrophe.
Why? Because I have family from the south
and they like to use the word y'all.
Well now I can properly write the word y'all, where
before if I was writing something like that,
I wouldn't be able to spell it correctly.
And the reason that's important is
because if I'm writing a text message
and braille screen input, they see it on their screen,
a standard text, and I can input it correctly
and they'll get it correctly.
So they know that at least they
know how to spell the word y'all.
-: You get to communicate in exactly the way you want.
-: Yes, thank you. I even know braille symbols
where I'll just type the happy face
colon, right parenthesis.
-: There you go. Danette, you talk to people every day.
So I know, you know, just some of that discouragement
that people can have
or some of the reasons they think about not doing it.
So what would your thoughts be
of the person who's not quite ready to pick up the phone?
-: Well, I want people to just consider
that braille can be just another tool in their toolbox
and they're never too old to learn.
And whether they wanna just learn enough to mark the buttons
or dials on their washing machine,
or if they wanna hold and read a book again.
Braille can be for everyone.
There's so many different uses for it
and we're here to help.
-: Awesome. And if you're wondering then how to get started
with braille, the process is really easy.
You can just give us a call,
800-323-4238,
and we will get you set up with getting started.
The way it will work is you'll get
your first Braille workbook
and along with that you'll be listening to some audio
that's going to tell you, what am I supposed to be doing
with this Braille workbook.
And I hope that you will be encouraged if this is something
that you've considered before
or maybe it's something you thought you really couldn't do
and it just wasn't on your radar,
perhaps this discussion has changed your mind.
So give us a call.
We'd love to have you learning
to read Braille joining us in our braille discussion group
and we're very encouraging if things are looking a little
overwhelming, so give us a call.
Thank you so much to all of you for joining us.
It's, we had a very full virtual room,
but it's been a delightful time. Thank you all.
-: Thank you, Ricky. Thank you. Thank you.
-: If this conversation helps you, it's
because someone made sure it was here
right when you needed it.
Thank you to Hadley's donors and thanks for listening.
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