ar size or enlarged by magnification devices.

The most common tool for the blind is the Braille. It is a method that is widely used by blind people to read and write. Each Braille character or cell is made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangle containing two columns of three dots each. Braille generally consists of cells of six raised dots arranged in a grid of two dots horizontally by three dots vertically. The dots are conventionally numbered 1, 2, and 3 from the top of the left column and 4, 5, and 6 from the top of the right column. The presence or absence of dots gives the coding for the symbol.

Some countries rely on talking books, readers and reading machines. They also use computers with scanners, refreshable Braille displays and software written specifically for the blind. Technology such as screen readers and screen magnifier enable the blind to use mainstream computer applications.

Innovation in technologies for the blind like closed-circuit televisions, equipment that enlarges and contrasts external items are more high-tech alternative to traditional magnification devices. Over 100 radios reading services throughout the world provides people with vision impairments with reading from periodicals over the radio.

Many tools and equipments for the blind were made and experts completed ways to educate them but unfortunately, in the Philippines in 1990, only 300 blind students nationwide were enrolled in school, primarily in three urban residential schools for the blind. All students are taught both Tagalog Braille and English Braille. These schools have small libraries for their students but the only reading materials are school textbooks, Braille Bible and bi-weekly Braille magazines for children.

Also in 1990 the Philippine Congress passed a legislation that mandated the creation of a division for the blind at the National Library. Currently the Library contains 922 Braille titles, 880 cassette tiles and 462 large print titles that are mostly in English language that are donated by overseas libraries or schools for the blind.

In 1992, a teacher-training program funded by Chris Toffel Blind Mission of Germany prepared public school teachers to educate blind children inside regular classrooms.

Libraries for the Blind provides recorded materials, talking news papers, software equipments, computer technology, books on tape or audio books and Braille books to enhance the learning of the students.

All the tools used for the blind in improving their capacity to learn despite of their disability is the product of pursuing the will of concerned citizens to relay knowledge and understanding to some unfortunate individual. All these tools, equipments and adaptive techniques prove the worth of every blind. Some of their devices flowed from the traditional media that envision spreading information and entertainment all over the world. All their tools improve as the mainstream media and technology improve. Some sorts of media are useful for the blind like the radio, talking news papers, books and other printed articles on Braille.

Media project a useful innovation not only for the normal way of living but also for the extraordinary attempts of surviving. Media also help the visually impaired realize the worth o their existence. The blind people serve as an inspiration and motivation of geniuses to create and produce technologies for the people who are in need. This came to be a manifestation of fairness and equality that every one in the world, regardless of their capacity and status must experience such progress in life. Visually impaired people grasp the idea that there is nothing impossible with great minds.

Blind persons make us normal people to realize the worth of our sight. We must not merely depend on the person’s capability in doing or achieving a certain goal. We must admit that we are still blessed for having all the senses. These blind individuals are striving to live normally and independently, then maybe its time for us to justify our normal selves. Let us bite on the bright side; living is not a complex issue because there is more to life that meets the eye.

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