Reading Comprehension Issues and Individuals with Visual Impairments: The Effects of Using 8-dot and 6-dot Braille Code Through a Braille Display

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of 6-dot and 8-dot braille code on the reading comprehension ability of individuals with severe visual impairments and/or blindness when the latter receive typographic meta-data (bold and italic) by touch through a braille display. Also, patterns of hand movements were investigated and related to issues of comprehension. The most important finding related to the superiority of the 8-dot braille code in predicting reading comprehension in individuals with severe visual impairments. It was also found that reading comprehension was particularly predicted from the negative relationship between participants’ fluency and comprehension. It was conjectured that all comparisons between conditions were significant suggesting that the present findings were likely robust and not reflective of idiosyncrasies in the sample. The focus of the discussion was placed on the importance of conducting additional research increasing the sample size with more extensive training for those who will constitute the extended sample.