Braille, an irreplaceable friend

With the development of technology, the lives of visually impaired people have also gained great convenience. Smartphones, reading pens, AI blindness aids, and various apps designed specifically for visually impaired people have expanded the channels for visually impaired people to obtain and exchange information. If a visually impaired person can effortlessly read through "listening," then what is the need for the existence of braille?
Researcher Ruby Lairs from the Louisiana Institute of Technology pointed out that there is a strong correlation between Braille reading ability and higher education levels among visually impaired individuals. People with stronger Braille reading ability have a higher likelihood of employment and income. Especially for visually impaired individuals who have been learning Braille since their youth, this characteristic will be more pronounced.
Braille has special value in education. On the one hand, just like when a visually impaired person is reading, fonts, colors, and text positions all help with memory, the tactile feedback brought by reading braille by touch is also beneficial for learners to understand and remember the content; On the other hand, screen reading software on various intelligent devices can convert textual content, but it is difficult to express mathematical geometry, physical circuit diagrams, periodic tables of chemical elements, music scores, and other content clearly. In this case, braille plays an irreplaceable role. For children, independent reading is also a special pleasure that should not be deprived. Learning Braille can help stimulate the learning, thinking, and creative abilities of visually impaired children, and enhance their language comprehension and expression abilities.
In addition, braille can ensure the autonomy and privacy of visually impaired individuals' lives to a greater extent. Braille, like all languages, can be personalized for use, allowing direct communication between the person who writes Braille and the reader. Whether it's reading a Braille letter or using Braille to mark and locate personal items, using Braille can make visually impaired people feel more secure and comfortable, and also give them the possibility of "not relying on electronic devices" in simple life scenarios or personal behaviors.
Braille is not just a way of writing and reading. Some scholars have found in their research that mastering and using Braille to some extent also represents that a visually impaired person has an equal personality and the ability to self-develop, which plays an important role in developing their identity cognition.
Technology has brought more convenience, but it will not replace Braille. If television and the internet do not make the text used by discerning people outdated or erase the meaning of "reading," then Braille will not lose its value. Some people believe that the application scope of braille is too narrow, and cannot deny the fact that braille itself, precisely because it has not been widely used.
Braille is an important tool for visually impaired people to understand the world and to eliminate poverty and obstacles. Its widespread application in social life is not only an inevitable measure to promote the accessibility of social environment and information but also represents the respect and care of society for visually impaired people. It does not need to be "seen", but as a symbol of civilization, it constantly shines with the brilliance of civilization.
Braille House Number