Strategy
Reading Books Created with Book Creator App Using an iPad and RBD
Learn how to use a Braille Display to read a teacher-created book!
Here is a video demonstrating how to read digital books created using the Book Creator app on the iPad with an Orbit Reader 20 refreshable braille display (RBD). Once a book has been created, I have only been successful having my student read the braille on the display using the app itself. Books can be exported and read using the Books app. However, the content of the book (the text and alt text) will not display on the braille display itself. When using the Books app, students can listen to the book being read aloud using Voiceover and using braille display commands to navigate between the pages.
In this video, I navigate to the book I want to read and select it using the select button. When using a different braille display, push a cursor router key above the braille on the display to select the book. The book can be read by navigating to the Reading Mode button located at the top of the screen. This allows you to listen to the text and alt text when Voiceover is not muted. When Voiceover is muted using the commands M + Space, you can read the text and alt text in braille on the display. Use the command Dot 4 + Space to navigate to the next line and Dot 1 + Space to navigate to the previous line. The rocker/panning keys can also be used to navigate between the lines of braille. To navigate to the next page, use the command O + Space (Dots 1,3, 5, + Space). To navigate to the previous page, use the command OW+ Space (Dots 2, 4, 6 + Space).
In the video, you will notice that Voiceover reads the alt text aloud inconsistently when the focus of the cursor is on the image, thus I touched the image itself to read the alt text. I am still working out the kinks to have my students read these books without technical issues. When we experience difficulties, we always work through them. We learn together how to solve the issue that day or the next day we meet. If your student is an auditory learner, he/she may prefer having the book read aloud using the Book Creator app by selecting the Read to Me button.
Note: In the video, I made an error stating you can use the command Dot 4 + Space to navigate to the previous line. I should have said Dot 1 + Space allows you to navigate to the previous line.
By R Saladino
