Braille Keyboard for Android: A New Era of Accessibility
For those who are visually impaired or blind, navigating the digital world can present unique challenges. However, with the advent of advanced technology, accessibility has improved significantly. One such innovation is the Braille Keyboard for Android, a revolutionary Braille app for Android designed to make smartphones and tablets more accessible to individuals who rely on Braille. This app offers a seamless integration of Braille input with the Android operating system, providing a more intuitive and efficient way to interact with digital content. Add an Android Braille keyboard to your Android phone or tablet.
With the TalkBack braille keyboard for Android, you can use 6 fingers on your screen to enter 6-dot braille. Use the TalkBack braille keyboard for Android in place of the standard Samsung keyboard or the standard keyboard. Send messages or email in braille, and the receiver can use the braille keyboard to read your message or email.
**IMPORTANT** To use the TalkBack braille keyboard for Android, you must have TalkBack installed and enabled on your Android phone or tablet. (How to use TalkBack Screen Reader on Android?) Plus, be sure the Magnification app is turned off. (Use Magnification for Android)
If you have received a message or email in braille, you can download a braille to text app from Google Play store – Braille Recognition App
How to setup the TalkBack Braille Keyboard for Android?
- Open Settings, Scroll down and touch on Accessibility
- Touch to open TalkBack
- Touch to open Settings
- Scroll to the bottom of the screen and Touch to open Braille keyboard
- Touch on Typing languages to select a language for typing
- Touch on Preferred language to select a preferred language
- Touch on Review all gestures for documentation about what gestures you can use. (See below for details)
- Touch on Layout to select how you want to hold the Android device
- Hold device with screen away from you
- Place device flat on a table
- Include all pressed dots – Move the slider to the right to turn this on
- Reverse dots – if you want them in reverse order
How to use the screen away holding mode
Provided by Google documentation:
Screen-away mode lets you type with your device screen faced away from you.
To open the screen-away tutorial:
Hold your phone so the screen faces away from you.
Three-finger swipe up on your screen.
In the list of braille keyboard options, select Open tutorial.
To use screen-away mode:Turn your phone so the screen faces away from you.
Rotate the phone horizontally to landscape position.
Your left hand holds the top of the phone. Your right hand holds the bottom of the phone, where the USB port is.
Use your pinky and thumb to support the phone. On the screen, hover your 3 middle fingers.
Hover your left index finger in the position of dot 1.
Try these letters:
A: With your left index finger, tap dot 1.
B: With your left index and middle finger, tap dots 1 and 2.
C: With your left index and right index finger, tap dots 1 and 4.
D: With your left index, right index and right middle finger, tap dots 1, 4, and 5.Tabletop mode
In tabletop mode, you can type on flat surfaces. When your device detects a flat surface, it transitions out of screen-away mode and into tabletop mode. This mode might be useful if you’re familiar with or prefer to type with a Perkins Braillewriter.
- Put your device on a flat surface until it says, “Tabletop mode.”
- Place your device so the charging port is on the left.
- From left to right, dots are placed as 3, 2, 1, 4, 5, 6. Put your hands near the device so your 3 middle fingers hover on the screen.
- Hover your left index finger over dot 1.
- Try these letters:
- A: With your left index finger, tap dot 1.
- B: With your left index and middle finger, tap dots 1 and 2.
- C: With your left index and right index finger, tap dots 1 and 4.
- D: With your left index, right index and right middle finger, tap dots 1, 4, and 5.
List of Braille keyboard gestures
Basic controls
Action Gesture Add space Swipe right with one finger Backspace Swipe left with one finger Delete word Swipe left with two fingers New line Swipe right with two fingers Move backward by selected granularity Swipe up with one finger Move forward by selected granularity Swipe down with one finger Hide keyboard Swipe down with two fingers Switch to next keyboard Swipe down with three fingers Submit text Swipe up with two fingers Help and other options Swipe up with three fingers Cursor movement
Action First gesture Second gesture Previous character Hold dot 3, then swipe up with another finger Hold dot 6, then swipe up with another finger Next character Hold dot 3, then swipe down with another finger Hold dot 6, then swipe down with another finger Previous word Hold dot 2, then swipe up with another finger Hold dot 5, then swipe up with another finger Next word Hold dot 2, then swipe down with another finger Hold dot 5, then swipe down with another finger Previous line Hold dot 1, then swipe up with another finger Hold dot 4, then swipe up with another finger Next line Hold dot 1, then swipe down with another finger Hold dot 4, then swipe down with another finger Move to beginning of text Hold dots 1 and 2, then swipe up with another finger Hold dots 4 and 5, then swipe up with another finger Move to end of text Hold dots 1 and 2, then swipe down with another finger Hold dots 4 and 5, then swipe down with another finger Previous granularity Swipe left with three fingers Next granularity Swipe right with three fingers Text selection
Action First gesture Second gesture Select previous character Hold dot 3, then swipe up with two fingers Hold dot 6, then swipe up with two fingers Select next character Hold dot 3, then swipe down with two fingers Hold dot 6, then swipe down with two fingers Select previous word Hold dot 2, then swipe up with two fingers Hold dot 5, then swipe up with two fingers Select next word Hold dot 2, then swipe down with two fingers Hold dot 5, then swipe down with two fingers Select all Hold dot 1, then swipe left with three fingers Hold dot 4, then swipe left with three fingers Copy Hold dot 1, then swipe down with three fingers Hold dot 4, then swipe down with three fingers Cut Hold dot 1, then swipe up with three fingers Hold dot 4, then swipe up with three fingers Paste Hold dot 1, then swipe right with three fingers Hold dot 4, then swipe right with three fingers
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) for using TalkBack braille keyboard for Android:
Getting Started:
- What devices support TalkBack braille keyboard?
TalkBack braille keyboard is available on most Android devices running Android 5.0 or later. However, it’s important to note that not all devices have physical braille keyboards. To use TalkBack braille keyboard, you’ll need a braille display that connects to your Android device via Bluetooth or USB.
TalkBack braille keyboard on Android device
- How do I enable TalkBack braille keyboard?
To enable TalkBack braille keyboard, go to Settings > Accessibility > TalkBack > Braille keyboard. From there, you can turn on TalkBack braille keyboard and select your braille table.
- What are the different braille tables?
There are many different braille tables, each with its own set of symbols and rules. The most common braille tables are Unified English Braille (UEB), Grade 1 Braille, and American Braille. You can choose the braille table that you’re most comfortable with.
Using TalkBack Braille Keyboard:
- How do I type with TalkBack braille keyboard?
TalkBack braille keyboard uses a six-key layout. To type a letter, press the dots that correspond to the letter on your braille display. For example, to type the letter “a”, you would press dots 1 and 2.
- How do I use punctuation and symbols?
To use punctuation and symbols, press the spacebar followed by the dots that correspond to the symbol you want to type. For example, to type a period, you would press the spacebar followed by dots 4 and 6.
- How do I edit my text?
You can use the navigation keys on your braille display to move around your text and make edits. For example, you can use the up and down arrows to move the cursor, and the backspace key to delete characters.
- How do I switch between typing modes?
TalkBack braille keyboard has different typing modes, such as word mode, character mode, and input mode. You can switch between typing modes by pressing the spacebar followed by the appropriate modifier key.
Troubleshooting:
- My braille display isn’t connecting to my Android device.
Make sure that your braille display is turned on and Bluetooth is enabled on your Android device. You may also need to pair your braille display with your Android device.
- I’m having trouble typing with TalkBack braille keyboard.
Make sure that you’re using the correct braille table and that you’re familiar with the layout of the keyboard. You can also try adjusting the typing sensitivity in the TalkBack braille keyboard settings.
- TalkBack braille keyboard isn’t working with some apps.
TalkBack braille keyboard may not work with all apps. This is because some apps don’t support braille input.
Description |
Accessibility Page Links |
| Android’s sound amplifier for the hard of hearing or hearing impaired | Sound Amplifier for the Hard of Hearing – Android |
| Use the voice access module to speak commands to Android | Voice Access Spoken Commands – Android |
| Magnify the text and images on the screen for users with low vision and visually impaired | Screen Magnification for Low Vision – Android |
| TalkBack screen reader to tell you about your actions for the blind and visually impaired | TalkBack Screen Reader for Android |
| TalkBack braille keyboard for your Android device | Talkback Braille Keyboard for Android |
| Change the font and image size displayed on all screens for the partially blind and visually impaired | Change Font and Image Size for Partially blind – Android |
| Google’s Live Transcribe and Notification app is very useful speech-to-text tool | Google Live Transcribe and Notification for Android |
