From: Darrell Shandrow 
Subject: Re: Blindness & web article (fwd)
Agreed on the braille necessity.  I would be absolutely nowhere without
decent braille skills.
I learned to read and write with braille, before I even had a talking
computer.  I have utilized braille texts and diagrams to learn key
GUI and general computer concepts.  
Anyhow, the point of all this is to say that there are some out here who
seem to believe that braille is a part of the past and that it is not
necessary for our blind children to learn it.  They say that computers and
tapes make braille unneeded.  Some also say that computers will make
old-fashioned reading and writing a thing of the past for the sighted.  I
don't believe it for one minute!  
Some of these nay-sayers for braille happen to be competent blind people
who *do* have decent braille skills.  I think that it is especially unfair
to our future generations for these people to stand up and say braille is
out the door.   
Regards,
Darrell Shandrow					[http://www.qfi.org]
Technology Specialist, Colorado Center for the Blind
I am not representing the CCB.  This is just me...
Changing what it means to be blind every day and in every way!
---
---------------