Hi, Braille displays are a very personal thing, much like voices and voice settings. What feels comfortable in my hand may not be comfortable in your hand. The shape of the cells and positioning of the keys is extremely important. So, I suggest you feel as many displays as you can to determine which is most comfortable for you.
I must say, apple braille support is very good. It's highly configurable. Bluetooth and usb are both supported. computer braille input is supported. There are some improvements I would like to see for the release of Lion, including grade two input and the ability to define mac OS key assignments as well as voiceover key assignments. The edition of return and backspace keys for braille input wouldn't come a miss either. I have personal experience with the braille connect and the focus 40 blue, and I've also heard good things about the alva BC640. I've taught all of these displays, and I prefer the braille connect. It's more expensive, but it's the smallest and lightest in it's class. It's the best built out of the three displays I've tried far and away. It feels comfortable in my hand. The control surface is very streamlined and nice. Plus you can now get a beautiful executive products leather case for it which rocks if I do say so myself. If you have a braille note or a braille sense they will work with the mack very nicely. This would be a much more expensive solution than a braille display but would give you more functionality in terms of note taking in class. I'd love to get a braillelite up and running but it just isn't going to happen. Even if you were to get a nice usb to serial cable and get it all hooked up, there isn't a voiceover driver for the braillelite, so it will just be ignored. Hope this helps, Erik Burggraaf User support consultant, Now posting occasionally on twitter at eburggraaf, 1-888-255-5194 http://www.erik-burggraaf.com On 2011-04-16, at 8:54 PM, Priscilla Garces wrote: > Hey all listers, > I'm new to the Mac operating system being that I switched from windows after > I graduated from college. > What made me switch is because of the cost effectiveness in terms of > accessibility out of the box. When I used a PC I used a screen reader called > jaws for windows and these can run from the range of $600 to upgrade and > $1000 to purchase the screen reader + the annual fee which is high in order > to maintain the SMA's. That is separate in addition to the cost of the > hardware itself based on research on the various costs of computers ranging > from 400 to $900 even more for quality computing. Another reason is the fact > that tech support is available for the computer in person and the time and > inconvenience in resolving the various troubles faced when using Jaws and the > added fact that you need sighted assistance which is not granted by phone. > With Apple I can go to the center which is near my house and have all of my > computer problems and even receive training on the accessibility depending on > the knowledge of the person who has experience with its use. That and many > other reasons most of them being financial and personal as well as the added > fact that the state refuses to pay for the upgrade or purchase of new > software to perform the appropriate tasks independently is the factor that > made me consider buying the mac being that I wanted to try something > different. Hence the long story I have questions regarding the use of braille > displays and the mac as well as scanning software that is accessible for mac > users using voiceover. > Does anyone have experience using braille displays with the mac? If so, which > braille display do you use and what is your experiences with its ease of > reading, accessibility etc? Would the braille note be useful a braille > display? Which braille displays are cheaper, the braille note or a standalone > braille display? I have an old braille lite millennium, would that work with > the mac? Because if it does that would be great and I won't have to deal with > the commission refusing to purchase anything and deal with the stress of > fighting them to get what I really need. If not I understand the need for new > equipment which I need for grad school or work anyway. > Based on your experiences, which braille display or notetaker works better > with the mac? Also which scanning program works well with voice over based on > experience? > > Any advise is appreciated. > > Thank you very much. > > > > > Priscilla Garces > priscillagarces1...@hotmail.com > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
