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.
7. Changing Entry types and Braille
8. Switching between Braille grades
9. Simple contraction examples
10. Using SpellCheck with contractions example
11. Using AutoComplete with contractions example
12. Using a mixture of Key types and Braille Grades example
13. UEB Grade 2 implementation in SpeakOn
This page describes the use of Braille Grade 2 with the 'Alphanumeric input'.
It is assumed that you have read all the previous pages in this section of the tutorial and understand the concepts and working of 'Alphanumeric input. The pages 'Typing using Braille grade 1 with Key entry' and 'Typing using Word entry' are particularly relevant.
As explained in the Braille Grade 1 page, using Braille is a more elegant alternative to typing using Key tables. Braille Grade 2, while more difficult to learn, provides a more efficient way of typing due to the use of contractions. Note that as mentioned before, 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.
A contraction is a shorthand of one or more Braille cells which represents a complete word or a word fragment. The efficiency of Braille Grade 2 is due to the fact that it is quicker to enter the contraction than the complete word or word fragment it represents.
A contraction is written as a Braille sign, a character or a sequence of characters which sometimes includes a reference to other contractions. It is assumed that the user is familiar with UEB contraction notations which are mostly self-explanatory.
For convenience of presentation, in 'Alphanumeric input' UEB Braille Grade 2, contractions are divided into two groups; complete words and word fragments.
The term 'complete words' refers to contractions that represent whole words such as 'abv' for 'above'.
The term 'word fragments' refers to contractions that represent a fraction of a word; for example, the Braille sign 1-6 for 'ch'.
Some contractions can appear in both groups; for example, the Braille sign 1-2-3-4-6 for 'and' can be a complete word or a fragment of a word such as 'grand'.
As Braille Grade 2 contractions relate to words, in 'Alphanumeric input' only 'Word entry' (not 'Key entry') can be used.
This means that a word is first entered in the 'Internal Word Edit' control (abbreviated to Word control) and if one or more contractions in a word is found, these contractions are expanded either manually or automatically before the complete word is submitted to the SpeakOn control in focus.
In the 'Alphanumeric input settings' task, use the same settings as specified in the Braille Grade 1 page but make sure that the 'Braille Grade 2' item in the 'Braille enabled' list is in focus (Braille Grade 2 is enabled).
As 'Word entry' is required to use Braille Grade 2, it is convenient if this feature is enabled by default. To that effect, check the 'Word entry on start' CheckBox.
There are two Key tables which contain the list of contractions. These tables are not required to enter contractions but are useful as a learning tool as explained later in the tutorial.
Check the 'Braille contraction words enabled' CheckBox to enable the 'Braille Grade 2 complete words' Key table.
Check the 'Braille contraction fragments enabled' CheckBox to enable the 'Braille Grade 2 word fragments' Key table.
As explained in the 'Word entry' page, a word entered in the Word control is submitted to the SpeakOn control in focus by pressing:
Space (3)
With Braille Grade 2, if the word contains one or more contractions, the contractions are expanded automatically to form the complete word in the Word control before submission to the SpeakOn control in focus.
You can expand the contractions manually in the Word control without submitting to the SpeakOn control in focus by pressing:
Content (9 long)
The contractions are also expanded in the Word control when attempting to edit the word by either using the Edit Key table or by pressing:
Backspace (9)
Expanding contractions is explained in one of the examples further down the page.
Typing upper case letters is achieved using the Shift modifier but somewhat differently to the way it is applied in Key tables and Braille Grade 1 as follows:
With Braille Grade 2, only a single upper case letter is possible at the beginning of the word in the Word control; the Shift modifier can be applied anywhere while entering the word and the first letter is capitalized after expansion.
Set the Shift modifier in the usual way by pressing:
Modifier (1)
You can check that indeed the first letter has been capitalized in the Word control after expansion by pressing:
Content (9 long)
and using the Edit Key table's Home key.
The modifier itself is a 'single shot' which means that it applies only to the first letter in the word. Once a modifier is set, it is possible to lock the modifier by pressing the
'Help / Modifier lock' (1 long)
This results in all the letters in the word being capitalized after expansion.
You can check that indeed all letters have been capitalized in the Word control after expansion by pressing:
Content (9 long)
and using the Edit Key table's relevant keys namely Home, Right and Left keys to browse the letters in the Word control.
To unlock a modifier, press:
Cancel (0)
This will also set the modifier to None.
Using modifiers is explained in one of the examples further down the page.
Using SpellCheck is performed as described in the SpellCheck page with the difference that the text in the Word control needs to be expanded first by pressing:
Content (9 long)
Using AutoComplete is performed as described in the AutoComplete page with the difference that the text in the Word control needs to be expanded first by pressing:
Content (9 long)
Note that with some contractions, expansion can be performed automatically before AutoComplete but it is good practice to first expand the text already entered into the Word control to verify the actual expanded text.
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 'Typing using Key tables with Key entry' page.
When Braille is enabled, as explained in the 'Braille Grade 1' page, an additional help feature is available where you can find the Braille sign for any character in the Letters, Punctuation and Symbols Key tables.
When Braille Grade 2 is enabled, if you perform the settings recommended in the Introduction section in this page, two additional Key tables with a list of contractions are available: 'Braille Grade 2 complete words' and 'Braille Grade 2 word fragments'.
To find out the Braille sign for a particular contraction in either of these tables, set the required Key table function, navigate to the contraction required and press:
'Braille Help' (2 long)
The Braille sign for the contraction in focus in the Key table is announced.
As explained earlier in this tutorial, using 'Key entry' means that any key you enter is submitted directly to the SpeakOn control in focus in a similar way to how a Standard keyboard works.
In contrast using 'Word entry' means that each key is submitted to an 'Internal Word' Edit control (abbreviated to Word control). When a complete word is assembled, the whole word is submitted to the SpeakOn control in focus. As explained earlier, as Braille Grade 2 contractions relate to words, it can be used only with Word entry.
When you switch to 'Alphanumeric input' mode, if you perform the settings described in the Introduction section in this page, by default the Entry type is set to 'Word Entry', ready for Braille Grade 2 use. You can toggle at any time between 'Word entry' and 'Key entry' by pressing:
'Entry type' (8 long)
Notice that for the reasons outlined above, with Key entry, only Braille Grade 1 is available. With 'Word entry' by default Braille Grade 2 is available; these Braille options are announced clearly.
'Key entry' is required in case you want to edit directly the SpeakOn Edit control in focus and in case you want to use first letter navigation in a SpeakOn control.
Toggling from 'Word entry' to 'Key entry' is also used to submit the word in the Word control to the SpeakOn control in focus without the trailing space; this way a number of words can be joined together (no spaces in between) which can be useful for typing words not otherwise possible with contractions. This is demonstrated in an example further down the page.
With 'Word entry', by default, Braille Grade 2 is enabled. It is sometimes useful to switch to Braille Grade 1; for example, to allow the typing of mixed lower and upper case letters.
With the Braille Grade 2 function set, to switch Braille types, do the following:
In the Top segment press:
Down (2)
'Top' is announced, then press:
Select (5)
The Braille type Grade 1 or 2, is announced.
The use of switching between Braille grades is explained in one of the examples further below.
These examples assume that you have read and understood both the 'Braille Grade 1' and 'Word entry' pages. It is also assumed that you have applied the settings recommended in the 'Introduction and required settings' section of this page.
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 the above settings have been applied, by default 'Word entry' is used which means that a word is first entered in the 'Internal Word Edit' control (abbreviated to Word control) and if one or more contractions in a word are found, these contractions are expanded either manually or automatically before the complete word is submitted to the SpeakOn control in focus.
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 2 Braille. In the 'Alphanumeric input' in SpeakOn this means knowing the Braille signs for the different contractions. 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' if you can't remember Braille signs for the various contractions.
After you have enabled Braille Grade 2 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 by pressing:
Function (7)
The first example word to type is 'knowledge' which can be entered with the complete word contraction 'k'. The Braille sign for 'k' is 1-3; enter this sign using the Segment Braille technique as explained in the Braille Grade 1 page.
The text you entered, in this case the character (contraction) 'k' is entered into the Word control. You can expand and check this text by pressing:
Content (9 long)
The word 'knowledge' is announced as expected.
To submit the text in the Word control to the SpeakOn control in focus press:
Space (3)
Note that you don't need to expand the text in the Word control first; if you are confident with the text you entered, including the contractions, you can just press:
Space (3)
The second example word to type is 'land' which can be typed by entering the character 'l' followed by the word fragment contraction 'and'.
The Braille sign for 'l' is 1-2-3; enter this sign using the usual Segment Braille technique. Then enter the Braille sign for the contraction 'and' (which is 1-2-3-4-6) in the same way. The text you entered, in this case the character 'l' followed by the contraction for 'and' is now in the Word control. You can expand and check this text by pressing:
Content (9 long)
The word 'land' is announced as expected.
To submit the text in the Word control to the SpeakOn control in focus press:
Space (3)
Again note that you don't need to expand the text in the Word control first; if you are confident with the text you entered, including the contractions, you can just press:
Space (3)
If you want to capitalize the first letter, namely the word 'Land', all you have to do is to set the Modifier to Shift at any time before expanding and submitting the text you entered to the SpeakOn control in focus by pressing:
Modifier (1)
If you expand the text you entered using the Edit Key table and examine the individual letters, you will find that the first letter is capitalized as expected.
If you want to capitalize all the letters, namely the word 'LAND', follow these steps at any time before expanding and submitting the text you entered to the SpeakOn control in focus.
First press:
Modifier (1)
Then press:
Help / Modifier Lock (1 long)
If you expand the text you entered using the Edit Key table and examine the individual letters, you will find that all letters are capitalized as expected.
In 'Word entry', if you wish to type a word with mixed upper case and lower case letters, you need to switch to Braille Grade 1. To do this first press:
Down (2)
The top segment is announced.
Then press:
Select (5)
Braille Grade 1 is announced.
As it is a toggle action, if you wish to switch back to Braille Grade 2, follow the same procedure.
As explained in the 'Getting help' section of this page, when Braille Grade 2 is enabled, if you perform the settings recommended in the Introduction section in this page, two additional Key tables with a list of contractions are available: 'Braille Grade 2 complete words' and 'Braille Grade 2 word fragments'.
You can use these as a learning tool; for example, set the 'Braille Grade 2 complete words' function and then use the Down, Up, Right and Left keys to find a complete word which can be represented by a contraction you might be interested in.
In the first example above, the word 'knowledge' was used; if you forgot the contraction for this word, locate all words starting with the letter 'k' with the Down and Up keys. Then using the Right and Left key locate the word 'knowledge' and then press:
'Braille Help' (2 long)
The Braille contraction for the word in focus ('knowledge') which is 'k' is announced.
Similarly, you can set the 'Braille Grade 2 word fragments' function and find the word fragments available and their respective contractions.
While complete word contractions ensures correct spelling, word fragment contractions do not.
Say that you want to type the word 'disagree'. To do this type '.' (2-4-6) which is the contraction for 'dis' then type the rest of the text 'gree' (deliberately miss the 'a').
Expand the text you typed into the Word control by pressing:
Content (9 long)
The text 'disgree' is announced.
Switch to the SpellCheck mode by pressing:
SpellCheck (6 long)
The word 'disagree' happens to be the only one in the list of suggested words. Press:
Space (3)
You are switched back to the 'Alphanumeric input' mode and the word 'disagree' is submitted to the SpeakOn control in focus.
The purpose of AutoComplete is to increase typing efficiency. With Key tables and Braille Grade 1, the case for using AutoComplete is clear. With Braille Grade 2 contractions which speed up typing anyway, the case for AutoComplete is less compelling; nevertheless it can be useful.
Let's use the previous example where you want to type the word 'disagree'. You make a quick mental calculation that five letters are just over half the word length;
8 divided by 2 equals 4, plus 1 equals 5
You therefore type the first five letters of the word 'disagree'; 'disag' using first the contraction '.' for the word fragment 'dis' as described above.
Switch to the AutoComplete mode by pressing:
AutoComplete (4 long)
Since you typed already the word 'disagree' in the previous SpellCheck example, this word is already in your AutoComplete personal dictionary which retains the last 500 correctly spelled words you typed. Therefore, the AutoComplete mode starts with the list of suggested words in your personal dictionary which includes the word 'disagree'. Note that as you did not type for long using 'Alphanumeric input', this is probably the only word suggested in the list.
With the 'disagree' word in focus, press:
Space (3)
You are switched back to the 'Alphanumeric input' mode and the word 'disagree' is submitted to the SpeakOn control in focus.
When using Braille, an additional bespoke AutoComplete is also provided for both complete words and word fragments. As the number of words or word fragments is limited to those defined in Braille Grade 2, there is no need for a mental calculation of the number of letters to type; simply type at least one letter of the complete word or word fragment required as described in the examples below.
If you know for example that the word 'knowledge' is a complete word defined in Braille Grade 2, you can use AutoComplete to find it quickly as follows:
With the Braille function set, enter the letter 'k' then first press:
Left (4)
Then press:
Select (5)
You are switched to the AutoComplete mode with a list of suggested complete word contraction list.
There are two complete words suggested in the list; 'know' and 'knowledge'. With the 'knowledge' word in focus press:
Space (3)
You are switched back to the 'Alphanumeric input' mode and the word 'knowledge' is submitted to the SpeakOn control in focus.
As another example, if you want to type the word 'freelance' and you know that 'ance' is a word fragment defined in Braille Grade 2, you can use AutoComplete to find it quickly as follows:
With the Braille function set, enter the text 'freela', (the letter 'a' is the last letter you entered). Then first press:
Right (6)
Then press:
Select (5)
You are switched to the AutoComplete mode with a list of suggested word fragments contraction list.
There are a number of word fragments suggested in the list. With the 'ance' word fragment in focus press:
Space (3)
You are switched back to the 'Alphanumeric input' mode and the word 'freelance' is submitted to the SpeakOn control in focus.
Sometimes it is beneficial to use a mixture of techniques to increase typing efficiency especially with long words.
Take for example the word 'acknowledgement'. It is known that the letter 'k' is a complete word contraction for the word 'knowledge'. Unfortunately this contraction expands to 'knowledge' only when used on its own. The following is a technique to get around this limitation.
First set 'Key entry' by pressing:
Key Type (8 long)
Braille Grade 1 'Key entry' is announced ('Key Entry' as explained earlier in this tutorial is only available with Braille Grade 1). Then enter the text 'ac'; it is submitted directly to the SpeakOn control in focus.
Then set 'Word entry' again by pressing:
Key Type (8 long)
Braille Grade 2 'Word entry' is announced.
Then enter the complete word contraction 'k' and expand it by pressing:
Content (9 long)
The word 'knowledge' is announced.
You can now enter the two cell word fragment contraction 5-6>3-4-5 for 'ment'.
Expand it again by pressing:
Content (9 long)
The text in the Word control, 'knowledgement' is announced. Finally press:
Space (3)
The expanded text 'knowledgement' is submitted to the SpeakOn control in focus joining the text 'ac' already there to form the required word 'acknowledgement'.
The above might sound complicated but it is easy to perform once you get used to the way 'Alphanumeric input' works; you entered two letters and two contractions instead of typing 14 letters. Alternatively, you could have entered eight letters and used AutoComplete.
The Braille implementation reference section
describes the UEB SpeakOn implementation.
More specifically for Braille Grade 2, read the 'UEB Grade 2 implementation in SpeakOn' section in the 'SpeakOn UEB implementations notes' page and the 'UEB Grade 2 Contractions' page.
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