Highland Society for Blind People

Communications

Keeping in touch is an important part of most people’s lives, and one of the key elements for a person who has a visual impairment to maintain an independent lifestyle.

Reading

Many people with impaired vision can continue to read provided the print is clear enough and larger than normal. We can advise on obtaining Large Print versions of many publications as well using strategies to make the best use of remaining vision. For example the use of a typoscopes to enhance the text or the provision of a Task Lamp can make all the difference to a persons ability to read print.

For many the use of Low Vision Aids, such as magnifiers, are of great benefit and we can assess individuals for the most beneficial type to suit their needs. The Low Vision Aid Assessment can be carried out either at our premises or in the person's own home. There are many different types of magnification aids available and we have a broad range available to try out.

For people who are unable to read any size of print the tactile alternatives, Braille and Moon, give access to at least some of the printed materials available.

What is Braille?

Braille is a tactile communication language, which has been universally adopted by blind people and was invented by a French man, Louis Braille in 1824. Its English version consists of 63 symbols, which are variations on the dot of a domino six. Apart from the 26 letters of the alphabet, the symbols include 8 Braille punctuation signs and 27 contractions for common combinations of letters such as ST or TH. There are two grades; Grade One Braille where every letter is spelt out in full and Grade Two Braille in which various contractions are used to express frequently occurring groups of letters and words thereby reducing the bulk of the Braille text.

What is Moon?

Moon is also a tactile method of communication invented in 1847 by the Englishman Dr William Moon. It is a line-based code in which many of the letters are simplified versions of the print alphabet. For most people Moon is easy to learn as it requires less sensitivity in the fingertips than Braille and as it is based on the print alphabet it is relatively easy to understand. As with Braille there is both Grade 1 and Grade 2 Moon - it has been said that the Grade 1 Moon alphabet can be learned in a day. It was the most popular tactile code used in Britain until Braille took over in the late 1880's. Moon is still used today and is particularly useful for anyone lacking the sensitivity in the fingertips to be able to read Braille which can apply to older people as well as people who have Diabetes. Unfortunately there is a limited amount of reading material available in Moon compared to Braille.