Braille Implementation on iOS Devices

1. Braille Implementation on iOS DevicesJudith M. Dixon, Ph.D.Immediate Past ChairBraille Authority of North AmericaConsumer Relations Officer, Acting Braille Development OfficerNational Library Service for the Blind and Physically HandicappedLibrary of Congress

2. This session will: • Provide an overview of braille implementation on iOS devices (iPhone/iPad/iPod touch) • Discuss braille output on an iOS device • Discuss braille input on an iOS device • Explain braille codes used and if/how they can be input and output with an iOS device • Examine viability of using an iOS device in various settings--educational, professional, personal • Identify areas needing additional work

3. Advantages of using braille with an iOS device • All the usual advantages of using braille--see spelling, see things change, etc. • Input text much more quickly than onscreen keyboard • If display has routing keys, cursor routing to specific characters • Navigation is much more precise • Quiet • Private

4. Braille displays • Needed to read braille on an iOS device • iOS devices support more than 30 refreshable braille displays http://www.apple.com/accessibility/iphone/braille-display.html • Only Bluetooth devices are supported • No drivers needed • After pairing once, braille display connects automatically (If no connection, locking and unlocking the phone usually helps)

5. Braille displays (cont.) With Bluetooth braille display, a braille reader can: • Read the information provided by VoiceOver in braille • Input text if the braille device has a keyboard • Replicate VoiceOver gestures with display keys • Quickly configure braille input and output with display keys • Obtain additional information provided by the optional status cell display

6. Braille on iOS devices is configured in: • Settings > General > Accessibility > VoiceOver > Braille If a display is paired, its name is announced when “braille” selection is reached in main VoiceOver menu

7. Within braille menu: • Contracted braille (on/off) • Eight‑dot braille (on/off) • Status cell (off/left/right) • Choose a braille device (displays list of devices turned on and in range, as well as ones previously connected)

8. Eight‑dot braille (on/off) • All the braille written on paper uses a six‑dot cell • Virtually every refreshable braille device on market today has eight‑dot braille cells • Dots 7 and 8 are used to show uppercase and special characters

9. Contracted braille Eight-dot braille Braille on display is shown in uncontracted braille          Braille input is interpreted as uncontracted braille Braille on display is shown in contracted braille Braille input is interpreted as contracted braille Off Braille on display is shown in eight-dot braille (all words spelled out with Dots 7 and 8 indicating uppercase and other special characters) Braille input is interpreted as “ASCII braille” Not available On

10. Optional status-cell display When raised, each of the eight dots of the status cell conveys information: Dot 1: Announcement History contains an unread message Dot 2: Current Announcement History message hasn't been read Dot 3: VoiceOver speech is muted Dot 4: iPhone battery is low (less than 20% charge) Dot 5: iPhone is in landscape orientation Dot 6: Screen display is turned off Dot 7: Current line contains additional text to the left Dot 8: Current line contains additional text to the right

11. Replicating gestures • Display configuration varies somewhat from one device to another • Standard set of commands Read page starting at selected item: Dot 1 + Dot 2 + Dot 3 + Dot 5 + Space bar Read page starting at top: Dot 2 + Dot 4 + Dot 5 + Dot 6 + Space bar Activates Home button: Dot 1 + Dot 2 + Dot 5 + Space bar Goes to Status bar: Dot 2 + Dot 3 + Dot 4 + Space bar Activates Volume Up button: Dot 3 + Dot 4 + Dot 5 + Space bar Activates Volume Down button: Dot 1 + Dot 2 + Dot 6 + Space bar Activates a Back button if present: Dot 1 + Dot 2 + Space bar support.apple.com/kb/ht4400 • Apple website lists variations of the key lists for more than 20 devices, including Alva, APH, and Baum

12. Replicating gestures(cont.) Gestures not replicated are: • Double tap and hold: drag the item/execute a standard gesture • Three-finger single tap: double tap • Two-finger triple tap: item chooser • Two‑finger double tap: start and stop the current action • Bring focus to a table index

13. iOS device as a braille‑reading tool • Any document can be read in contracted braille with the contracted braille option turned on • Files already in contracted braille can be read with document readers that display text files • Apps for reading braille documents • iLike2Read • Filer

14. iOS device as a braille‑writing tool • Braille is written in accordance with a very precise set of rules • There are many anomalies within the braille code • Users must be extremely accurate in the way the braille code is written and must understand the unique ways that braille is implemented on the device

15. Braille input With eight-dot braille off: • Timing function is in effect • After a second, characters in a string interpreted as contracted braille • Writing quickly delays this interpretation until the end of the string

16. With contracted braille off With eight‑dot braille on: • Uppercase letters are formed with Dot 7 • Numbers are letters a-j in the lower portion of cell • Computer braille punctuation is used

17. With contracted braille off (cont.) With eight‑dot braille off: • Capitals formed by preceding letters with a Dot 6 ,(the capital sign) • Numbers formed by preceding letters a‑j with Dots 3‑4‑5‑6 # (the number sign) • Punctuation is braille punctuation € - euro sign: 1-2-3-4-6-7 Þ - lowercase letter thorn: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 ¹ - superscript1: 1-2-3-5-6-7 Í - lowercase i acute: 2-3-4-6-7 ß - sharp s: 2-3-4-5-6-7

18. Braille Input • Input keys and other controls (if available) can be used to control iOS device when VoiceOver is turned on • Some braille keyboards connected via Bluetooth can also be used for braille input and control of iOS device • Editing with a braille display’s keys or braille keyboard does not emulate a mainstream Bluetooth keyboard • Apps for writing braille also being developed • Apps for writing braille don’t integrate with the iOS device the way a brailledisplay does

19. Available braille codes • English Braille, American Edition • Unified English Braille • On Apple devices, changing “regional format” to Australia, for example, will render contracted braille in the Unified English Braille code

20. Importance of braille codes • In most developed countries, braille codes are established and maintained by braille authorities • In U.S., it is the Braille Authority of North America www.brailleauthority.org • Recommend that mobile device developers work to implement braille in consistent and predictable manner • Vendors should work with national and international braille authorities to jointly modify existing braille codes to best meet the needs of braille users of their devices

21. Judith M. Dixon, Ph.D. Immediate Past ChairBraille Authority of North AmericaConsumer Relations Officer, Acting Braille Development OfficerNational Library Service for the Blind and Physically HandicappedLibrary of CongressWashington, D.C. Phone: 202‑707‑0722e‑mail: jdix@loc.gov