This subject has sparked some fiery arguments over the past couple days, including one with a gentleman who states that because he is able to use a computer he is far from being illiterate. I am guessing that means struggling through with speech to check for punctuation and spelling, which means more keystrokes to do that with, rather than just moving fingers across a page or a line of display. What people are refusing to understand is that portable players, computers, phones, and anything of an electronic nature can go at anytime. Yes, even radios.
With a braille or print book, you don’t need batteries or electricity. Just the knowledge for reading such material, and the ability.
I can understand that some disabilities, such as neuropathy through diabetes can hinder a person’s ability to read braille. But, in my humble opinion if such disabilities, whether they be mental or physical do not exist, there is no excuse for refusing one’s self the access that’s out there for helping us, except for chosen ignorance.
It’s bad enough that we, in the US, have to cater to those who refuse to learn the language of our country. Must we as blind who have options add to the inconvenience with our supposed inconvenience by throwing away such important access as being able to read on paper just as the sighted still do, but in a format that’s been around for us since the 1800’s, simply because we’re spoiled by technology?