The first ten letters of the alphabet (A-J) are composed exclusively of some combination of the top four dots. The next ten letters (K-T) are composed by adding the bottom left hand dot to the previous ten letters. Thus when the top left hand dot (which is generally A) is accompanied by the bottom left hand dot, it becomes “K. " Next of course comes “L” which is made by adding the same dot to the formation that means “B” This pattern continues as you go through the alphabet to “T. ” The next five letters–excluding “W”–are formed by adding both of the bottom two dots to the original ten letters. “W” is anomalous because the letter didn’t exist in French, the language for which braille was originally designed. [1] X Research source
To indicate that the whole word is capitalized—not just the first letter—the word will be preceded by two capitalization symbols. That means, two cells of just the bottom right hand dot. To write a number, use the number symbol. This is the three dots of the right column along with the bottom dot of the left column (making a shape like a backward “L” in the English alphabet). The number symbol can be followed with the symbols generally denoting “A” through “J. ” An “A” following the number symbol becomes a “1,” and a “B” becomes a “2,” all the way up to “J” which represents “0. ”
The stylus is a small device, usually a couple inches long. One side is a handle, the other is dull shaft of metal. The metal is pressed into the paper to create the protruding dots that comprise the braille alphabet. The slate is used to keep the dots precisely spaced into neat rows of appropriate distance from one another. It is composed of two pieces of metal, approximately the length of a page of paper, attached by a hinge. It is typically tall enough to include 4-6 rows of braille. Card-stock paper is a thick type of paper. When a stylus is applied to it, it will bend into an indention, rather than rip. [2] X Research source
Braillewriters start at approximately $700 and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some are designed to be used with a single hand or only require a soft touch. There are also a variety of high tech braillewriters, to be discussed shortly.
There will also be a large curved piece of plastic on the top of the machine that serves as a cartage return as well as grey nobs on the side that are used to roll the paper into the machine. In braille the dots are sometimes signified with numbers, where the upper left hand dot is 1, the middle left dot is 2 and the bottom left hand dot is 3. The right column similarly descends from 4-6. If we represent the dots this way, the braillewriter keyboard is arranged: 321 (space) 456.
Recent Macintosh computers allow you to program a keyboard or even the touch screen of your iPad to serve as a braille typewriter. In this case keys on a typical QWERTY keyboard can be reprogrammed to have the same functions they would on a brailler. [6] X Research source
