Using Constant Time Delay to Teach Braille and the Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science Notation to Students Making the Transition from Print to Braille

Abstract

Introduction Many students with adventitious vision loss or progressive vision loss need to transition from print to braille as a primary literacy medium. It is important that this transition is handled efficiently so that the student can have continued access to a literacy medium and make progress in the core curriculum. For this study, we used constant time delay to teach literary braille contractions and Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science Notation (hereafter, Nemeth Code) braille symbols to learners with visual impairments who were making the transition from print to braille. Methods A single-subject, multiple-probe research design was used to test the effectiveness and efficiency of constant time delay to teach literary braille or Nemeth Code. Three female students, aged 13 to 15 years, participated at a specialized school for students with visual impairments. The students’ braille and math instructor delivered interventions in the classroom. Procedural fidelity and interobserver agreement data were collected. Results Two students each learned 40 short-form literary braille contractions, and one student learned 28 Nemeth Code symbols throughout the study. Students appeared to generalize learning after instruction with the first word set to identify similar contractions. Students maintained learning throughout the study at high levels. Visual analysis of the data suggests a functional relationship between constant time delay and contraction identification. Discussion This study replicated previous work (Hooper, Ivy, & Hatton, 2014) to expand understanding of the scope of the usefulness of time delay in braille education. Implications for practitioners For students making the transition from print to braille, constant time delay may be an efficient method to help students acquire braille. The efficiency itself may increase students’ confidence and motivation to learn braille.

Procedural Adaptations for Use of Constant Time Delay to Teach Highly Motivating Words to Beginning Braille Readers

“…A functional relation was replicated with all three participants. The results of this study corroborate findings of previous research (Hooper et al, 2014;Ivy & Hooper, 2015), suggesting that constant time delay is a promising practice to teach braille word recognition. In addition, the results suggest that verbal controlling prompts are sufficient and effective to teach highly motivating words to young, beginning braille readers with multiple disabilities.…”

“…Data were collected using event recording on a trial-by-trial basis. Five possible responses were mutually exclusive and exhaustive, and identical to those previously used for braille literacy (Hooper et al, 2014;Ivy & Hooper, 2015). These responses were "correct anticipation" (an independent, correct response); "correct wait" (a prompted, correct response); "nonwait error" (an error prior to prompt); "wait error" (an error after prompt); and "no response."…”

“…Students are given several opportunities to read the word correctly in the first stage before the time delay is introduced. Two studies have shown that constant time delay can be effective in teaching automatic recognition of braille words or symbols (Hooper, Ivy, & Hatton, 2014;Ivy & Hooper, 2015). Participants in these studies represented children not previously represented in the constant time delay literature.…”

Efficacy of Using Vocabulary Flashcards in Braille

“…Although they had success with three of the four participants, there was a great deal of variability in the data. Based on the success of constant time delay to teach functional vocabulary words, Ivy and Hooper (2015) conducted another study using constant time delay to teach academic vocabulary. In that study, they used 3 ϫ 5 index cards to teach academic vocabulary words to two students (a third participant learned notation in the Nemeth Braille Code for Mathematics and Science Notation).…”

Using e-mail as performance feedback to teach paraprofessionals to implement constant time delay with braille words

“…Indeed, five studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of using CTD to teach braille words and contractions, including teaching novel English Braille American Edition (EBAE) words, Nemeth Code symbols, and/or dot-five contractions to braille readers (Hooper et al, 2014; Ivy et al, 2017; Ivy & Hooper, 2015; Moss, 2016; Wilcox, 2014). These prior studies all involved researchers as the ones who delivered the instruction to students with VI.…”