Learning braille opens up a world of literacy, independence, and confidence. But for many families, one question often stands in the way: How do I know what my child is writing in braille? Or for adults new to vision loss, How do I practice and check my own work if I don’t yet read braille?
That’s where Paige Connect comes in, a new solution that updates the standard brailler for the digital age.
What is Paige Connect?
Paige Connect is a thin, easy-to-use device that replaces the bottom panel of your standard braille writer and transforms it into a modern tool for digital literacy. It connects wirelessly via Bluetooth to a computer, iPad, or smartphone. Using the Paige Braille website a user types in braille, the words are instantly translated into print in text box to the left. This gives real-time feedback for parents, teachers, or learners themselves.
This simple but powerful device brings the standard braille writer into the 21st century, allowing for assignments to be saved, exported, emailed, or printed. Whether your child is writing a school assignment or an adult is practicing their braille skills, Paige Connect offers a seamless way to share that work with others.
Why Families Love Paige Connect
For families raising children who are blind or low vision, Paige Connect is more than a tech tool, it’s an invaluable support tool that provides access to your child’s braille literacy journey. Parents can now follow along with their child’s writing, even if they don’t read braille themselves. You can support braille homework, help with spelling, and watch your child’s literacy blossom right in front of you.
For families and peers who are interested in learning braille there are many lessons that will help you start your own braille literacy journey. You can learn alphabet letters, punctuation, symbols, alphabet wordsigns, contractions, and groupsigns.
One feature we heard that may enjoyed was the audio and musical feedback for when individuals type the correct keys. This simple feedback further supports making learning fun which is always a plus when learning something new.
“This was a student who was typically very resistant to using a standard braille writer…but using it with the Paige Connect turned out to be very motivational for him. He really enjoyed the auditory feedback the device gave when reading him back the words he had typed. He also enjoyed the ‘music’ feature very much. This became a preferred activity for him to the point where he would actually request to use it which was AMAZING!!” – From a TVI using Paige Connect with their student.
Whether you’re an early learner learning the braille code or an adult navigating vision loss later in life, Paige Connect is flexible enough to support you. You don’t need to be a tech expert, just attach the device to your braille writer and connect it via Bluetooth to your chosen device.
- Works with standard braille writers
- Compatible with computers, tablets, and smartphones
- Easy to plug into a power source and just connect with Bluetooth
- Real-time braille-to-print translation via Paige Braille website
- Feedback through music when errors are made
- Output can be saved, printed, or emailed
While it does not currently allow for individual profiles, it’s simple enough for multiple family members to use with the same device.
Supporting Independence Through Technology
At APH, we believe in literacy access for all. Paige Connect builds on the foundational skills of a standard braille writer while bringing them into a digital environment. For students, that means homework can be checked at home, printed or submitted electronically. For adults, it means greater independence and support for learning braille. For families, it means finally being able to support braille literacy at home in a very digital world.
We know that learning braille can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re trying to support someone else without knowing it yourself. Paige Connect helps take the traditional way of learning on a standard braille writer into the digital world and gives families a shared literacy experience that builds support and connect on both sides.
“This older adult client is experiencing vision loss that is progressing quickly. He wanted to learn braille so that he would have a means to label a variety of items in his home. Our once/week lesson schedule was resulting in slow progress. Once he had access to the Paige Connect, it gave him the ability to practice his braille independently with immediate auditory feedback. It also gave his sighted family members the opportunity to read what he was brailling and support him when he got stuck without really having to know braille themselves. His progress using this device was nothing short of extraordinary!” – A service provider for adults shared:
Available Now
Paige Connect is now available. We’re also building a library of how-to videos, user stories, and support materials to make getting started easy for families, adults and professionals. Be sure to follow us on socials to stay informed.
Learn More
Want to know if Paige Connect is the right tool for your child, loved one, or even yourself?
Visit https://paigebraille.com/en-US to learn more and explore how Paige Connect can support your braille literacy journey.