Factors Associated with Proficient Braille Skills.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Rehabilitation Science
• Assistive Technology

Background:

• Proficient braille skills are crucial for individuals with visual impairments, impacting communication and independence.
• Understanding factors associated with braille proficiency is essential for developing targeted educational and support strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate factors associated with proficient braille skill in legally blind individuals.
• To specifically examine the relationship between employment status and braille proficiency.

Main Methods:

• Survey data collected from 449 legally blind individuals (employed and unemployed).
• Logistic regression models used to analyze the association of age category, blindness onset, sex, education, non-visual disability, vision level, assistive technology (AT) skill, and employment status with proficient braille skill.

Main Results:

• Younger age of blindness onset, less functional vision, younger age, female sex, higher AT skill, and employment were associated with proficient braille skills.
• Employment had a stronger association with braille proficiency in the totally blind subgroup.
• Higher braille proficiency rates in the 21-30 age group may be linked to legislative changes in the 1990s.

Conclusions:

• Multiple factors, including demographic, visual, and technological, influence braille proficiency.
• Employment status is a significant correlate of braille skill, particularly for those who are totally blind.
• Increased access to braille learning resources and support is vital for all visually impaired individuals, especially youth and adults experiencing acquired vision loss.