Braille use with 'Alphanumeric input' is optional. If you don't want to use Braille, simply ignore the Braille pages in this section; you can type everything using Key tables.
1. Introduction and required settings
6. Typing and editing Letters, Punctuation and Symbols example
7. Typing and editing Numbers example
8. First letter navigation example
9. UEB Grade 1 implementation in SpeakOn
Using Braille is an alternative to typing using Key tables as described in the previous page. Using Key tables to enter text is easy to learn but it is somewhat cumbersome. Braille grade 1, while taking more time to learn, provides a more elegant way to type. Note that Braille in SpeakOn can be used only to enter text more efficiently; there is no support for Braille displays. Consequently Braille reading skills are of no relevance.
SpeakOn supports only English text to speech and Universal English Braille (UEB). UEB support is for the cell signs but the procedures for typing numbers and upper case letters is much simpler taking advantage of the rich SpeakOn user interface; for text input, there is no need for reliance on Braille sign indicators and complicated rules.
If you already know another flavour of English Braille (for example, Standard English or American), you will find the instructions on this page somewhat easier to follow. If you are new to Braille and are prepared to invest some time learning, 'Alphanumeric input' provides features to aid learning the supported Braille. Furthermore, as you can always type in a combination of Braille and Key tables, you might decide to memorize the Braille signs for the most commonly used characters such as letters and numbers and type other less commonly used characters such as punctuation and symbols using Key tables.
In the 'Alphanumeric input settings' task, use the same settings specified in the previous page 'Typing using Key tables with Key entry' with one exception; make sure that the 'Braille grade 1' item in the 'Braille enabled' list is in focus (Braille grade 1 is enabled).
A Braille cell is comprised of a raised number of dots arranged in a grid of two columns and three rows.
Each intersection of a column and row might contain a dot; a braille cell can therefore contain up to six dots.
The combination of the column and row intersections that contain dots is called a single cell Braille sign. A Braille sign of one cell or more determines the language interpretation.
A dot present in the grid is defined by its number.
The top left dot is one; the middle left dot is two; the bottom left dot is three.
The top right dot is four; the middle right dot is five; the bottom right dot is six.
A Braille sign refers to one Braille cell or a sequence of cells indicating a character (letter, number, punctuation or symbol).
A single cell Braille sign is defined by its dot numbers separated by a '-' if more than one dot is present.
For example, using UEB:
The Braille sign 1 represents the letter 'a'.
The Braille sign 1-4 represents the letter 'c' The Braille sign 1-5 represents the letter 'e'
The Braille sign 2-4 represents the letter 'i'
If you know Braille, you will be familiar with the old manual frame method of entering dots in a cell using a needle. A more modern and efficient alternative is the Perkins typewriter. The Perkins approach has been used more recently on touch devices and it has advantages and disadvantages.
The method used in 'Alphanumeric input' in SpeakOn is somewhat unusual and termed 'Segment Braille'. This method might remind you a bit of the manual frame method mentioned above but takes advantage of the rich SpeakOn user interface.
Referring back to the Braille cell described above, it can be divided into three rows termed segments; the first row from the top is the top segment, the second row is the middle segment and the third row is the bottom segment.
In a Braille cell, each segment can be occupied by a left dot, a right dot, both dots or none at all.
When the Braille function is set, the Left (4) key indicates left dot, the Right (6) indicates right dot, the Up (8) key indicates both dots and the Down (2) key indicates no dots.
When typing letters, each cell must be defined by its three segments. For each segment the user presses one of the arrow keys to specify its dots. The user starts by entering the top segment, followed by the middle segment and lastly by the bottom segment; the system advances from segment to segment automatically.
Typing punctuation and symbols is done in the same way as letters.
Number signs are the same as letters A through to J. Numbers can be entered using only the Top and Middle segments with the Numbers lock either Off or On. Entering numbers with the Number lock Off is more suitable for text containing a mixture of both numbers and other characters. Entering numbers with the Numbers lock On is more efficient with text containing only numbers. Entering numbers is explained in the example further below.
Some characters are defined by two cells; the first cell is known as an indicator. After an indicator is entered, the system interprets the second cell automatically.
Typing upper case letters is achieved using modifiers. Modifiers are applied in exactly the same way as described in the 'Using modifiers' section in the previous page 'Typing using Key tables with Key entry'. The only difference is that entering a letter is done using Braille grade 1 instead of a Key table.
Using modifiers is explained in the example further down the page.
Braille typing is implemented as a function as part of the 'Alphanumeric input' mode. Therefore the 'Help list' and Help input' modes are the same as described in the 'Getting help' section in the previous page 'Typing using Key tables with Key entry'.
When Braille is enabled, an additional help feature is available where you can find the Braille sign for any character in the Letters, Punctuation and Symbols Key tables. To find out the Braille sign for a particular character, set the required Key table function, navigate to the character required and press:
'Braille Help' (2 long)
The Braille sign for the character in focus in the Key table is announced.
This example assumes that you read and understood the Typing and editing example in the previous page 'Typing using Key tables with Key entry' as many of the techniques introduced are the same. Braille typing is of course different from 'Key tables' and will be explained.
Start SpeakOn and start the 'Alphanumeric input practice' task with the focus on the 'Enter text' edit control.
Switch to the 'Alphanumeric input' mode by pressing:
'Alphanumeric input' (2 long)
When you switch to the 'Alphanumeric input' mode, assuming you configured the settings recommended in the previous page, you use 'Key entry' which means that any text you enter is submitted directly to the SpeakOn control, as if you used the Standard keyboard. You can toggle to 'Key entry' if necessary by pressing:
'Entry type' (8 long)
It is assumed that you know the basics of UEB grade 1 Braille. In the 'Alphanumeric input' in SpeakOn this means knowing the Braille signs for the different characters. If you don't know these, a handy help feature is provided for learning these signs and is explained further below. You can always use a combination of Braille and 'Key tables'.
As in the example on the previous page, you will first type the sentence 'Hello world.'
After you have enabled Braille grade 1 as explained above, the Braille function should appear by default at the top of the list of functions available. You can always set the Braille function pressing:
Function (7)
The first letter you need to type is 'h'; notice that at this stage, it is in lower case; you will change this to upper case later.
The sign for the letter 'h' is 1-2-5. Dividing it mentally into the segments described above:
The Top segment has one left dot (1); a left dot is entered using the Left arrow and therefore press:
Left (4)
'Top' is announced telling you that you just entered the Top segment.
The Middle segment has both dots (2-5); both left and right dots are entered together using the Up arrow and therefore press:
Up (8)
'Middle' is announced telling you that you just entered the Middle segment.
The Bottom segment has no dots; no dots are entered using the Down arrow and therefore press:
Down (2)
The letter 'h' is announced telling you that you just completed and submitted the letter 'h' to the SpeakOn control.
Notice that in the above example of typing the letter 'h', you did not have to indicate to the system which segment you were entering; the segments are advanced automatically from Top to Middle to Bottom. If you think in the middle of entering a Braille sign that you made a mistake simply press:
Cancel (0)
The current sign entering operation is cancelled and you can start entering the segments again.
The next letter is 'e'. The sign for the letter 'e' is 1-5
Dividing it mentally into segments, the Top segment has one left dot (1), the Middle segment has one right dot (5) and the Bottom segment has no dots. You therefore press in succession:
Left (4)
Right (6)
Down (2)
The letter 'e' is submitted to the SpeakOn control.
The next letter is 'l'. The sign for the letter 'l' is 1-2-3
Dividing it mentally into segments, the Top segment has one left dot (1), the Middle segment has one left dot (2) and the Bottom segment has one left dot (3). You therefore press in succession:
Left (4)
Left (4)
Left (4)
The letter 'l' is submitted to the SpeakOn control.
The next letter is another 'l'. To submit the last letter again to the SpeakOn control press:
Select (5)
The last letter in the word 'hello' is 'o'. The sign for the letter 'o' is 1-3-5
Dividing it mentally into segments, the Top segment has one left dot (1), the Middle segment has one right dot (5) and the Bottom segment has one left dot (3). You therefore press in succession:
Left (4)
Right (6)
Left (4)
The letter 'o' is announced and submitted to the SpeakOn control.
After you type the word 'Hello', press:
Space (3)
Now you need to type the word 'world'; use the same method as described above for the word 'Hello'.
All that remains now is to type the '.' (full stop) at the end of the sentence.
Let's assume that you forgot the Braille sign for '.'; to find out this Braille sign, do the following:
Press Function (7) until the Punctuation function is set. Using the arrow keys find the 'full stop' (might be indicated by the word 'period' by the synthesizer). Press:
'Braille Help' (2 long)
The Braille sign for '.' 2-3-5 is announced.
You can either memorize this sign and enter it using Braille or you can submit it directly to the SpeakOn control by pressing:
Select (5)
Note that with the latter option, you used first Braille to enter the words 'hello world' followed by '.' using the Punctuation Key table. This demonstrates the flexibility of the 'Alphanumeric input' system where you can mix and match both methods of typing.
Remember that you typed by mistake a lower case 'h' for the word 'Hello'; you will rectify this now.
With Braille, in the same way as typing text with Key tables, you edit text using the Edit function. Remember that the Edit function is just a Key table with edit keys.
Press 'Function reset' (7 long) to set the Edit function. Locate the Home key and press Select; this moves the focus in the SpeakOn Edit control to the first letter you entered 'h'. Locate the Delete key and press Select; the lower case letter 'h' you typed before is deleted.
Set the Braille function again.
To type an upper case letter press:
Modifier (1)
until the Shift modifier is set.
Then type the letter 'h' in Braille as explained before.
Notice that the Shift modifier is applied only once. If you want to type a word made of upper case letters, set the Shift modifier as explained above and then press:
'Help / Modifier Lock' (1 long)
From now on all letters typed are in upper case. To revert back to normal typing set the Modifier (1) back to None. This can be done most easily by pressing:
Cancel (0)
Note that the lock action is applied only if a modifier is set. If the modifier set is None (no modifier), one of the Help modes is activated; the operations of the Help modes are described elsewhere in this manual. If you find yourself by mistake in one of the Help modes, use Escape (0 long) to switch back to the 'Alphanumeric input' mode.
If you wish to remove everything you typed, set the function to Edit, locate the 'Select all' key, press Select, and then locate the Delete key and press Select.
To switch back to the 'Default input' mode so that you can operate SpeakOn as usual, press:
Escape (0 long)
The Braille typing operation is the same for letters, numbers, punctuation and symbols. With practice, typing is faster but remember that the 'Alphanumeric input' mode in SpeakOn is intended for casual typing of a word or two; for example, looking for a radio station, searching for a podcast category or filtering publications.
Number signs are the same as letters A through to J. Numbers can be entered using only the Top and Middle segments with Numbers lock either Off or On.
Numbers lock is only available when the Braille Function is set. By default the Numbers lock is Off. To toggle the Numbers lock On and Off do the following:
In the Top segment press:
Up (8)
'Top' is announced, then press:
Select (5)
The state of the Numbers lock, On or Off, is announced.
You will enter the number '5' with both Numbers lock Off and On. The sign for the number '5' is the same as the letter 'e' which is 1-5.
Entering numbers with the Numbers lock Off is more suitable for text containing a mix of numbers and other characters. Make sure the Number lock is Off.
The sign for the number '5' is 1-5.
Dividing it mentally into segments, the Top segment has one left dot (1) and the Middle segment has one right dot (5).
You therefore press in succession:
Left (4)
'Top' is announced
Right (6)
'Middle' is announced
Select (5)
The number '5' is announced and submitted to the SpeakOn control.
Note that only the Top and Middle segments are entered followed by the Select key; this is how the system knows that you entered the number '5' and not the letter 'e' although both have the same sign.
Entering numbers with the Numbers lock On is more efficient with text containing only numbers. Make sure the Numbers lock is On. The sign for the number '5' is 1-5.
Dividing it mentally into segments, the Top segment has one left dot (1) and the Middle segment has one right dot (5).
You therefore press in succession:
Left (4)
'Top' is announced
Right (6)
The number '5' is announced and submitted to the SpeakOn control.
Note that only the Top and Middle segments are entered. The Top and Middle segments are advanced automatically and the number is submitted to the SpeakOn control. After submission the Top segment is ready to receive the next number.
To be able to enter a non number character, the Numbers lock must be toggled Off as explained above.
This is performed exactly in the same way as described in the 'First letter navigation' example in the previous page 'Typing using Key tables with Key entry'. The only difference is that entering a letter is done using Braille grade 1 instead of a Key table.
The Braille implementation reference section
describes the UEB SpeakOn implementation.
More specifically for Braille Grade 1, read the 'UEB Grade 1 implementation in SpeakOn' section in the 'SpeakOn UEB implementations notes' page, the UEB Letters and Numbers page and the UEB Punctuation and Symbols page.
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