RESEARCH ON COMPUTER PROGRAMMING EDUCATION IN BRAILLE

本项目计划在使用盲文的基础上，为盲人建立一个高效有效的计算机编程教育体系。在日本有一些针对视障人士的计算机编程教育课程。虽然这些学校不仅接受弱视学生，也接受盲人学生，但在盲人教育过程中仍有许多问题需要解决。问题如下：(i)在编程练习的早期阶段，盲人没有办法与计算机系统进行足够稳定和顺利的通信。（二）盲人学习和参考盲文资料不足，不易掌握足够的计算机编程知识和操作计算机系统的技能。造成这些问题的原因之一是盲文系统的不完善。为了改善这一现状，本研究采取了以下措施：点字码系统的澄清：点字码系统在逻辑上被重新定义，使诸如程序列表之类的文本能够在点字码和一般字符码之间正确转换。并建立了新的盲文符号规则，以便将计算机编程相关材料正确地誊写成盲文。软件开发：开发了一种软件系统，可以按照上文1. 3所述的定义在盲文码和普通字符码之间自动转换输入/输出文本（如程序列表）。盲文材料的开发：一本关于计算机编程的教科书按照第1节所述的规则被翻译成盲文。以上，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。下一个目标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.