The 6-Dot Cell
Braille characters are made of a "cell" of six dots, arranged in two columns of three.
- Dots are numbered 1, 2, 3 on the left and 4, 5, 6 on the right.
- Letter A: Just Dot 1.
- Letter B: Dots 1 and 2.
Contractions
To save space (since Braille takes up more room than ink), Grade 2 Braille uses contractions. For example, a single cell can represent a whole word like "the" or "and."
Reading with Fingers
Experienced readers can read at speeds similar to sighted people, about 100-125 words per minute.
Key Takeaways
- Braille is not a language; it's a code for a language
- There are specific codes for music and math (Nemeth Code)
- Refreshable Braille displays allow for digital reading