Roses are red, violets are blue. You like to read, and I do too.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve written about several different ways that a blind person can read. We’ve talked about Braille and how it brings a level of accessibility that audio alone cannot give. We’ve talked about audiobooks, and how it is sometimes more practical, and sometimes, more convenient than Braille. So, if you’ve been reading my articles, you know that blind and visually impaired people can, in fact, be avid readers too.
But have you, as a sighted person, ever stopped to wonder how blind people read if they don’t have Braille? What if they don’t have access to an audiobook? What if they’re sitting in a waiting room at a fancy office, surrounded by those glossy magazines that always seem to appear in places like that?
Have you ever wondered how a blind woman writes this very article you’re reading or that poetic line above?
Well, have you ever seen a blind person using a smartphone, tablet or computer? Have you ever heard these devices talking so quickly that you could not understand a single word?
Technology has brought an entirely new level of accessibility to the lives of people with visual impairment. Today, most smart devices, phones, tablets, and computers alike, come equipped with built-in accessibility features.
Microsoft’s narrator, the built-in screen reader that comes on Windows computers, has advanced enough that we can use it to help us install screen readers like JAWS and NVDA. Screen readers allow text on a screen to be spoken aloud or displayed on a refreshable Braille display. With a few gestures or keystrokes, a blind user can read emails, browse the Internet, scroll through social media. And yes, with apps like Be My Eyes and Envision, we can even read those glossy magazines in the waiting room.
But technology does not stop at reading. Writing, note-taking, and even drawing can be accessible too. Voice-to-text software allows blind writers to dictate entire essays or articles with remarkable speed and accuracy. Some apps can convert handwritten notes or printed documents into digital text that can then be read aloud. Tactile graphics and 3D printing now make charts, graphs, and maps accessible in ways that were unimaginable just a few decades ago.
We now live in a world where a sighted person can help a blind person set up a smartphone once, and from that point on, that device can open doors to independence. Through technology, blind readers are no longer limited by what is available in Braille or audio format. If it exists digitally, chances are we can read it.
Technology does not replace Braille, nor does it eliminate the value of audiobooks. Instead, it adds another powerful tool to the toolbox, one that allows blind people to read, write, learn, and create alongside everyone else.
The rise of accessible technology has also fostered community and collaboration. Blind readers and writers can participate in online forums, contribute to blogs, and even co-author books with sighted partners. We can learn new languages through apps, enjoy digital art, or play video games that have been made accessible. This is not just about convenience; it is about equality and inclusion.
Reading is not about sight. Reading is about access. With the right tools, blind readers can explore any world, enjoy any story, and share their own voices without limits. Technology has made it possible, and every day, more doors are opening for us to step through. The possibilities are only growing, and with each innovation, the question is not whether a blind person can read, but what we can do next.
This column is supplied in conjunction with the T&T Blind Welfare Association Headquarters: 118 Duke Street, Port- of-Spain, Trinidad
Email: ttbwa1914@gmail.com
Phone: (868) 624-4675
WhatsApp: (868) 395-3086
