[Athen] Is SimBraille in Word documents compatible with refreshable braille displays?

[Xanth King via athen-list]

Yeah, SimBraille is mainly a problem when you're labeling things in tactile
graphics and printing them on a brailler, because the brailler is trying to
reproduce exactly the image that it sees, so you get the extra dots. Text
only braille typically just sends the text information to the printer.

I don't have experience directly with refreshable braille displays, but
I've seen them. Logically I think it would be way more complicated, slower
and less accurate for them to react to the appearance of the font. You
could probably change the font to anything and it would give you the same
result on a typical refreshable braille display.

*Xanth King*
Accessible Formats Technology Specialist
Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs
Wheeler Hall, Basement Level, Room 22


On Tue, Jun 3, 2025 at 11:33 AM Deborah Armstrong via athen-list <
athen-list at u.washington.edu> wrote:


> SimBraille is just another font. Why not insert it in a few places and

> give your student a chapter to test.

>

> They should be able to read Grade 1 Braille without you needing to do much

> extra.

>

>

>

>

>

> *From:* athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman22.u.washington.edu> *On

> Behalf Of *Gracie Sheets via athen-list

> *Sent:* Tuesday, June 3, 2025 11:22 AM

> *To:* athen-list at u.washington.edu

> *Subject:* [Athen] Is SimBraille in Word documents compatible with

> refreshable braille displays?

>

>

>

> Hi all,

>

>

>

> I am working on formatting a textbook for a blind student that

> contains both print and braille. The student has asked if I could insert

> SimBraille into the word document where braille appears so they can simply

> plug in their refreshable braille display for those sections. I've not

> heard of this method before, and I do not have a refreshable braille

> display to test it out. Has anyone tried this method and had success? Or is

> this not possible due to the complexity of braille code?

>

>

>

> Thank you so much for your insight!

>

>

>

> Best,

>

>

>

> Gracie Sheets

>

> *She/They*

>

> *Alternative Formats Coordinator *

>

> Disability Resource Center

> Portland State University

> Office: 116 SMSU

> Phone: 503-725-4150

> Fax: 503-725-4103

> Email: alt.format at pdx.edu

> Website: *www.pdx.edu/disability-resource-center/

> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.pdx.edu/disability-resource-center/__;!!A-B3JKCz!Gp9xS884NuvDENqowp6SyzhPE8bMjJ3wpy_iwQK14p-UHR5_QyOdlWRjw2HHw--g35Rc0Qgpi6bnOGUUz4ve5VN2kXcp-yEN3Mw$>*

>

>

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