[AERNet] more up to date equipment

[Melinda Schink]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I teach with the Perkins initially because the kids are not ready for electronic braillers. (By the by, I also teach the slate and stylus.) Sure the Perkins is heavy and you have to press down hard on the keys and (heaven forbid) even load the paper. However, it is certainly more reliable than an accessible PDA (aka note taker). You can "see" what you're writing when you write it. It's just about the only way to do math. You think the Perkins is old, check out the Brailler museum at APH. There are a lot of other devices out there, but the Perkins is well-loved because it is reliable, it makes a presence, and it is available on Federal Quota funds (always a plus). I name mine, and grow attached to them. Betty Blue is my current sweetheart. Not that I'm against modern devices, but there is just something to be said about the good ol' Perkins.
  Melinda

Shelley Mack <mack264wal at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
    Bari,
   
  Sorry to hear you think using the Perkins brailler is archaic.  Just a personal opinion, but I find it to be simple, reliable, and the best way to do spatial math.  As absolutely wonderful as electronic notetakers are, many are quite vulnerable to breaking down, some companies have miserable tech support, some have limitations that cannot be overcome (calculators that don't include commas or give answers in Nemeth; refreshable braille that only knows Spanish accents, not French), some only work with a handful of printers, and the costs are phenominal.  I would never want my students to go back to a Perkins on a full time basis for their entire educational careers.  But be sure to always have a good old Perkins waiting in the wings for the next time you have to send your notetaker in for repair--it could be your best friend. 
   
  Shelley Mack

Bari Coslow <bari at thecoslows.com> wrote:
        st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }                Hi
  I attend Dominican College and am studying to become a teacher of the visually impaired.  We’re learning to use a Perkins Braillewriter and I find it archaic to use. I am interested to learn about other, more up to date, equipment/technology for visually impaired people.
   
  Bari Coslow
  Student
  Dominican College    
   

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