Research on Braille-Based Method of Software Development for Internet and on Skill Teaching of Software Development in Braille

本研究的目的是为了使盲人能够踏实、顺利地自行开发互联网相关软件。目的是建立一种非可视化的方法来使用PC上的开发环境，并准备工具来提高开发的效率和准确性。(1)开发环境的获取本文选择java作为编程语言。在二零零一年及二零零二年，我们使用了一款适用于Windows的屏幕阅读软件，以建立一个环境，使Java可以以盲文输出和语音输出的方式进行访问。在2003年，另一个屏幕阅读器也被用来研究其脚本功能是否可以扩展非视觉访问Java的可能性。因此，借助盲文输出和语音输出，盲人开发与互联网相关的基础软件成为可能。(2)软件开发工具2001年和2002年，开发了一款文本编辑器软件。编辑器的设计目的是根据选定的代码将当前聚焦的文本部分输出到盲文显示终端上。实验表明，盲文输出功能对提高程序源代码等文本数据的输入和编辑效率有很大的帮助。2003年，为了增强盲文输出能力，提高可操作性，对文本编辑器进行了现场测试。因此，为盲人完成了一个有用的文本编辑器。(3)学习材料制作盲文材料，帮助盲人学习互联网和Java语言。考虑到触觉阅读的特点等因素进行了制作。视障学生将这些材料用于实际学习。事实证明，这些材料对于获得有关Internet的知识和Java编程的基本技能非常有用。

This research was planned for the purpose of enabling the blind to develop Internet-related software by themselves surely and smoothly. The purpose required the establishment of a non-visual method to use the development environment on PC and the preparation of tools for raising the efficiency and accuracy of development.(1)Access to Development EnvironmentJava was selected as the programming language for the purpose. In 2001 and 2002, a screen reader software for Windows was used to set up the environment in which Java is accessible in terms of Braille output and speech output. In 2003, another screen reader was also used to examine whether its script function could expand the possibility of non-visual access to Java. As a result, it became possible for the blind to develop fundamental software relating to Internet by the assistance of Braille output and speech output.(2)Tool for Software DevelopmentIn 2001 and 2002, a text editor software was developed. The editor was designed to output the currently focused portion of text onto the Braille display terminal in terms of selected code. An experiment showed that the Braille output capability was useful enough for the improvement in efficiency of input and edit of text data such as program source code and so on. In 2003, the field test of the text editor was performed with aiming at strengthening of the Braille output capability and improvement in operativity. As a result, an useful text editor was completed for the blind.(3)Learning MaterialsBraille materials were produced for the blind to learn about the Internet and Java language. The production was performed in consideration about the characteristics of tactile reading and so on. Visually impaired students used those materials for actual learning. The materials were proved to be useful to get the knowledge about the Internet and the basic skills of Java programming.