Slate and Stylus

a. Slate and Stylus

Picture 4.2 Slate and Stylus

Slate and stylus were the tools used by blind persons to write text that they can read without assistance. Like the pen or pencil, slate and stylus are inexpensive, portable, and simple to use. Slate and stylus allowed for a quick, easy, convenient and constant method of making embossed printing for Braille character encoding. The picture from the description of slate and stylus could be seen in the picture 4. 2.

Almost of the students of the ninth grade Junior High School of YKAB Surakarta used slate and stylus to write the text or to note the material given by the teacher. From the 7 students, 5 students used slate and stylus and 2 other student used pen like sighted person. The students who are totally blind could not use pen or pencil to write because they did not write in the form of Latin letter but

the words. Basically, slate consisted of two pieces of metal, plastic or wood fastened together with a hinge at one side. The back of the slate was solid with slight depressions spaced in Braille cells of six raised dots arranged in a grid of two dots horizontally by three dots vertically. In the shape of an inverted Braille dot of approximately 1.5 mm (0.059 in) diameter; .75 mm (0.030 in) depth or height; the horizontal and vertical spacing between dot centers within a Braille cell was approximately 2.5 mm (0.098 in) cell to cell (dot 1 center to dot 1 center horizontally) 6.5 mm (0.26 in). Besides, the front of the slate has been corresponding rectangular cells with indentations in the side of the cell, over the depressions in the back so the blind user can properly position the stylus and press to form a dot.

There were pins or posts in the back of the slate positioned in non-cell areas to hold the paper in place and keep the top properly positioned over the back. The pins aligned with matching depressions on the opposite side of the slate.

A slate as designed for a normal 8.5 inch piece of paper has 28 cells. It could have any number of rows, usually at least four.

Picture 4.3 Braille Alphabet

The Braille alphabet was based on a rectangle made up of six dot positions. It was presented by Louis Braille that created twenty-six letters, ten numerals, and all need punctuation marks. Within the rectangle, each dot position has a number. Different combinations of these positions represent different letters, numerals, and punctuation marks and even indicate when a letter should be

capitalized. For example, a dot position 1 represented letter “a”. A combination of dots in position 2, 5, and 6 stands a period. A dot in position 6 before a letter

indicates that the letter should be capitalized. The Braille alphabet really helps the students who are totally blind to write and read. 5 students in the class used Braille alphabet in learning process but 2 others who were low vision used Latin letter. At the beginning of learning about Braille alphabet the students felt difficult. However, because of the demands, eventually it became a habit. They enjoyed to write and to read using Braille alphabet letters rather than Latin.

Picture 4.4 JAWS Computer

SLB-A YKAB Surakarta had 2 computer laboratories contained of 16 unit computers. Each computer was completed with Jaws Program. JAWS (Job Access with Speech), a computer screen reader program for Microsoft Windows that allow blind and visually impaired users to read the screen either with a text-to- speech output or by a Refreshable Braille display. This program was very useful to the students because it helped them to access the computer.

Sometimes the teacher asked the students to search the source of material on internet. For example in listening session, the teacher asked the students to search the song from the internet, then sang together and discussed about the vocabulary as stated by teacher SW:

Kita ajak murid ke internet, kita cari lagu, kemudian kita cari syairnya terutama lagu-lagu tempo dulu, temponya yang riang dan tidak terlalu cepat. Dengan syairnnya kita bisa menambah vocabulary sekaligus refreshing. Disamping itu juga menambah bacaan-bacaan yang sudah di brailekan.

After non-optical and tactual aids, the students also used auditory aids consisted cellular phone and tape recorder. There was no obligation that After non-optical and tactual aids, the students also used auditory aids consisted cellular phone and tape recorder. There was no obligation that

Picture 4.5 TALKS Program

Another auditory aids used by the students in learning English was tape recorder. From this tool, they could listen the sound recorded from his teacher or listen the conversation from native speaker. Outside of the class, this aid was often used by the students to get some information especially from radio program. Therefore, the auditory aids became really important in teaching and learning process.

The use of media was also influence in achieving the goal of the study. According to Westwood (2008: 48) to facilitate the instruction of learners with The use of media was also influence in achieving the goal of the study. According to Westwood (2008: 48) to facilitate the instruction of learners with

properly. If it usage maximally, it could support the process of learning, especially in producing the book or printing the material in the Braille form. Through it, the students could be more independent in learning.

In addition, the use of computer technology should also be maximized because the students have enough capability in auditory system. The computer which completed with JAWS program makes students easier to be able to access the computer. Furthermore, the computer could replace the function of language laboratory. The learner could practice listening of a song or a conversation by accessing computer the computer. When they were usually hearing English sound, it would affect the other aspect which enhanced the quality of learning English.