Overview of Mountbatten Brailler Tutor
Introduction
The Mountbatten Brailler Tutor has features that make it a braille writer, braille printer,
braille notetaker, braille-print interface, and a student-teacher or child-parent
communication tool; but the essential function of this unique device is that Mountbatten
Brailler Tutor helps with learning braille and that it is the first valuable IT experience for
kids. It does teach new concepts about layout (word, lines, paragraphs and pages) the
relationship of braille to print, and phonetics to spelling. It also introduces the concept of
saving digital copies and transferring text files between devices.
This new version of the Mountbatten Brailler, called the Tutor, focuses on student-teacher
and child-parent interaction, giving many opportunities to share tasks, assignments, text
files, and engage in fun learning activities.
Using the unit you will discover that it has lots of extra features like erase and correct,
formatting, and more. For more details see the section "Embossing".
The speech output gives immediate feedback, helps you remember each character
learned and lets a beginner braille user discover new characters. The synthetic speech
reads words and sentences too, even if entered with braille contractions.
The embedded display shows either the internal menu system or alternatively what the
user is brailling. The display helps sighted people (such as teachers, parents) to operate
the unit even if they don't know braille. The braille can be entered in any Grade (Grade
Zero computer braille, Grade 1 uncontracted braille, or Grade 2 contracted braille) – and
the resulting embossed braille will be spoken back by the Mountbatten Tutor, as well as
displayed in back-translated form as normal print on the display.
The Mountbatten Wireless Keyboard makes the use of the braille machine convenient
for everyone, including small children, or persons with multiple disabilities (even while
using it on a wheelchair). Another feature designed for people with disabilities is the one-
handed keyboard mode. You don’t need another, extra device to use your unit with one
hand - the keyboard can be switched to one-hand mode easily - with a single command or
a menu option.
Inside the device, there is a Li-Ion rechargeable battery that lasts for up to 30 pages of
embossing or a few days of work when embossing only a smaller number of pages. The
battery charges whenever you are connected to mains through Power Supply; and you
may continue working while the battery charges.
If you're working your way through Grade 2 braille in English, you can use the APH
Patterns Series; this gives teachers flexibility in introducing braille contractions at
appropriate learning stages. See the section Using the APH Patterns Series for
information on how to turn the different Patterns levels on and off.
You can use the MB Tutor in Graphic Mode to make dot patterns and pictures.
