Winter 2007

Mary Helen Scheiber checks the format for a braille document on her computer

“We live in the information age. Braille is still the best format for a lot of us to read that information. The more braille that is at our fingertips, the more informed we can be as employees and as citizens,” says Mary Helen Scheiber, braille production specialist.

With 176 blind adults working at the Lighthouse today, braille access is an essential part of daily operations. Braille is available on everything from paycheck stubs to work orders to computer displays.

Braille Documents: Keys to Independence

“I produce personalized information like paycheck documents, pension statements, and medical benefits information in braille,” says Mary Helen. “I also create general braille documents like brochures, Horizons, The Buzz internal newsletter, articles for employees, and information for the Deaf-Blind program. Any print document people want to read I put into braille.”

Mary Helen uses the Duxbury braille translation program to create braille documents on the computer. Duxbury works with Microsoft Word to translate text to braille.  She then creates braille documents through an embosser, the braille equivalent of a printer.

Mary Helen has seen many improvements in braille access through the years. “When I first started here in 1973, if I wanted anything in braille I would use my slate and stylus,” she remembers. A slate and stylus is a method of making individual braille characters by hand. “Today, we can have blind people produce braille documents without assistance.”

For Mary Helen, the most important aspect of braille is the independence it allows blind individuals. “We get braille paycheck documents with the financial information, so we can read that before we go to the bank just like any sighted person. We have that financial independence,” she says. “We’ve come so far that we can request braille and get it the same day. I think that’s great that we can finally provide that kind of timely braille information.”

Machinist Steve Walker reads braille at his workstation

In the machine shop, blind machinists receive braille work orders with each new job. “A good 60% of the work we do, we generate a braille card for it,” says Mike Scheschy, production supervisor. “When a new job comes in, we enter the basic dimensions into a template for braille readers.”

Machine shop staff also provide braille training documents. “We’ve developed training documents for over thirty machines in our shop. If a blind person is training on those machines, we can have them translated to braille. It has really helped in our peer training program because we have blind people training blind people,” says Mike.

He adds, “Without the braille card, the machinist has to rely on someone who has some vision, which takes away their independence to do the job. Braille is a critical part of that independence.”

Kirk Adams uses a refreshable braille display to access his computer

The Lighthouse has over 100 adapted workstations for blind employees which often include computer braille displays. General Manager of Administration and President-elect Kirk Adams is just one of many employees who uses a PowerBraille 80 at his workstation in conjunction with Microsoft applications, email, internet, and databases. The braille display translates up to eighty characters at a time from the computer screen into braille. As he scrolls down, the plastic pins “refresh,” displaying the next eighty characters on the screen.

The Lighthouse has two computer training programs: the Technology Training Center (TTC) for Deaf-Blind adults and the Computer Training Program for blind adults. In these classes, students learn to use braille displays and other braille assistive technology to access computers independently.  Braille displays have been particularly popular among totally blind TTC students, who use braille technology to access email and other computer applications.

Sighted Students Learning Braille

Local elementary school students are also learning about braille. Each year, the Lighthouse invites eighteen fifth-grade classes to participate in our School Tours program. The Lighthouse provides each student with the National Federation of the Blind’s Braille is Beautiful kits, which include slates and styluses for each student. After working with the kits, students visit the Lighthouse and meet blind and Deaf-Blind employees.

“This is a long term program for introducing students to braille and the capabilities of blind people,” Kirk says. “As those students become leaders in the community, they will hopefully have a deeper understanding of blind people’s abilities. The end result would be an employment opportunity for a blind person that may not have come about without this experience.”

Building Braille Literacy

In the years ahead, Lighthouse staff plan to expand braille education opportunities for blind adults.

“Literacy is important,” says Kirk. “It’s essential for employment and high quality jobs. Many people we serve have degenerative eye conditions and are becoming fully blind as adults. It’s challenging for adults to learn braille.”

Kirk investigated some of the top braille curriculums in the country. After careful review with feedback from peers, he chose Braille: A Different Approach for the Lighthouse. The material was designed specifically for blind adult students to learn braille skills rapidly and with ease.

Kirk plans to introduce the Braille: A Different Approach in the coming months.

Helen B. Blumenthal’s Legacy

In 2005, the Seattle Lighthouse established the Helen B. Blumenthal Fund for Braille Services. This endowment, named for long-time Lighthouse board member and braille advocate Helen Blumenthal, was created specifically to support braille education, materials, and accessibility. “Helen brought the first manual braille writer to Seattle,” says Kirk. “She and a small group of volunteer women from the Jewish community brailled textbooks for blind University of Washington law students.”

If you would like to find out more about the Helen B. Blumenthal Fund, please contact Jennifer Moore at (206) 436-2253 or email jmoore@seattlelh.org.

Thanks to Donors to the Helen B. Blumenthal Endowment

We were privileged to receive donations supporting braille access, education, and literacy from the following individuals:

Kirk Adams
Carolyn Danz
Junius Rochester
Helen Stusser

Thanks you for your leadership and support!

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