RESEARCH ON COMPUTER PROGRAMMING EDUCATION IN BRAILLE

该项目计划在使用盲文的基础上为盲人建立一个高效和有效的计算机编程教育系统，日本有几个针对视障者的计算机编程教育课程。虽然这些学校都接受了弱视学生和盲人学生，但在盲人教育过程中仍存在许多问题需要解决。问题如下：（i）盲人在进行程式设计的初期阶段，根本没有办法与电脑系统进行准确而顺畅的沟通。(ii)由于盲文教材不足，失明人士不容易掌握足够的电脑程式知识及操作电脑系统的技巧。盲文编码系统的不完善是造成这些问题的原因之一，为了改善这一状况，本研究做了以下工作：1.盲文编码系统的澄清：对盲文编码系统进行了逻辑上的重新定义，使节目单等文本能够在盲文编码和通用字符编码之间正确转换。2.软件开发：开发了一个软件系统，根据上述1.中的定义，在盲文代码和通用字符代码之间自动转换输入/输出文本，如程序列表。3.盲文材料的开发：一本关于计算机编程的教科书按照上文第1段所述的规则被转录成盲文，然后作为电子数据存储。盲文数据可通过盲文显示终端访问，下一步目标应是开发一个用于编辑、阅读和参考的高性能盲文系统。

This project was planned to establish an efficient and effective education system of computer programming for the blind on the basis of using Braille.There are several courses of computer programming education for the visually impaired in Japan. Though all of them have been accepting not only partially sighted students but also blind ones, there are still many problems to be solved in the education process for the blind. The problems are following : (i) There exists no way for the blind to communicate with computer systems surely and smoothly enough in the early stages of programming exercises. (ii) It is not easy for the blind to get enough knowledge about computer programming and enough skills to operate computer systems because of the inadequacy of Braille materials for learning and reference. One of the causes of these problems is imperfection of the Braille code system.The following have been done by the research to improve the situation.1.Clarification of the Braille Code System : the Braille code system was redefined logically to enable text such as program lists to be converted correctly between Braille code and general character code. And new rules of Braille notation were established so that the materials related to computer programming could be transcribed into Braille properly.2.Development of Software : A software system was developed to convert input/output text such as program lists automatically between Braille code and general character code in accordance with the definition noted in 1.above.3.Development of Braille Material : A textbook on computer programming was transcribed into Braille in accordance with the rules noted in 1.above, and then stored as electronic data. The Braille data are accessible via Braille display terminals.A high-performance Braille system for editting, reading and referencing should be developed as the next goal.