Article
Braille Doodle: Kickstarter price
This tactile device is available at a low kickstarter price for a short period of time!
Remember the classic doodle toy that used little steel balls and a magnetic pencil to move the balls into place? Introducing the new BrailleDoodle, a version of this classic toy designed to encourage students with blindness or low vision to create tactile drawings!
Press Release
Innovative BrailleDoodle Revolutionizes Learning for Blind Children Worldwide
On May 2nd, National Teachers’ Day, the Kickstarter Begins!
New York, NY – What if teachers of the visually impaired (TVIs), parents, and institutions could have a ground-breaking invention to enhance education and make learning fun for blind children? The TouchPad Pro Foundation is excited to announce the launch of the BrailleDoodle Kickstarter. Developed by Daniel Lubiner, a 25-year veteran special education and art teacher to blind students. The BrailleDoodle is an affordable, innovative device poised to revolutionize how blind children learn.
The pandemic had a significantly detrimental impact on blind children, who were left to learn remotely with few resources. Even before the pandemic, only 10 percent of blind children were learning to read and write, and this number has only decreased further. However, worldwide, that figure is much lower; for example, it is less than 1 percent in India. The BrailleDoodle seeks to help remedy this issue by providing an accessible and enjoyable way for blind children to learn Braille.
What is the BrailleDoodle?
The BrailleDoodle features an array of hundreds of holes, each containing a smooth metal ball that can be pulled to the surface by a magnetic stylus. A tiny spring under each ball holds it up with just the right amount of force, and a user can simply push the balls back down to erase.
The device features a ‘Braille side‘ with examples of letters, numbers, and words, and plenty of space to practice. Other devices are sold to teach Braille; however, the BrailleDoodle alone allows young children to work independently, and has room for practicing words and sentences.
The ‘Doodle side‘ reveals plenty of space to enjoy what some call “The Etch-a-Sketch for the blind.” It’s a place for tactile drawing, and unlike any other product, graphs can be made and manipulated.
“It is amazing how we take for granted that sighted children have everything they need to learn how to read and write, see charts, graphs, and diagrams; we assume everyone does,” said Lubiner. “The BrailleDoodle aims to level the playing field and give blind children the same opportunities for success.”
When is the BrailleDoodle Kickstarter?
Launching on May 2nd, the BrailleDoodle offers an unheard-of early bird price of $70, a bargain for a potentially life-changing device. Yet, the early bird price will only last ten days. The TouchPad Pro Foundation is a registered non-profit organization founded in 2021 to distribute the BrailleDoodle to children who are blind, low-vision, or deaf-blind worldwide, even to those unable to afford it. All donations made on Kickstarter and directly to the foundation are tax-deductible.
Creating access to tactile art and making learning fun puts children on the path to a successful education and a better future. Go directly to the BrailleDoodle Kickstarter here.
Visit TouchPadProFoundation.org for more information and alt text.
CONTACT
Daniel Lubiner
TouchPad Pro Foundation
Tel: (973) 699-3327
Email: [email protected]
Editor’s Note: The BrailleDoodle is developed by TouchPadPro Foundation and is not a Perkins’ device or endorsed by Perkins.
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