Braille Pad Pro
Introducing Braille Pad Pro for the iPad
Braille Pad Pro (iTunes Link) is a word processor for the iPad that handles Grade 1 (uncontracted) and Grade 2 (contracted) Braille. If you are looking for Braille Software that handles UEBC, try Braille Pad Student. Braille Pad Pro comes complete with translation capability and was designed to be helpful for both visually impaired and sighted people in learning and working with Braille. The beauty of this iPad app is that the Braille needs no special software to appear in emails such as: ⠺⠑⠇⠉⠕⠍⠑ ⠞⠕ ⠠⠃⠗⠇ ⠠⠏⠁⠙
For those looking for a Grade 2 Brailler Word Processor for Apple’s Mac Platform, we just released Braille Writer Pro for the Mac.
Features & Benefits
- No special software to email braille – as in ⠠⠺⠑⠇⠉⠕⠍⠑ ⠞⠕ ⠠⠃⠗⠇ ⠠⠏⠁⠙. The braille simply appears right in the body of email.
- Handles Grade 1 and Grade 2 Braille – Contracted and Uncontracted.
- Load, edit, save, email, and print files.
- DXP Read and Write File Support: Natively supports files in the popular .DXB format so you can seamlessly import or export Perky Duck files in and out of Braille Pad Pro.
- Files can be opened in BraillePad Pro directly from web links or from your email.
- Several resources exist on the web that have complete Braille Books. Download them for free directly into the app and use the translation tool if you get stuck. To find them, search for “dxb contracted Braille book files” in Google.
- Braille & English Dictionary: In-app dictionary that allows you to look up the Braille letters, numbers, symbols, and contractions by English or by Braille. Important Note: This is NOT a dictionary of every word in English
converted to Braille, rather it is a complete listing of the symbols and combinations of symbols you may find in a Grade 2 Braille document. The dictionary shows each of the multiple meanings where applicable (see screen shot). - Braille to English: Includes translation functionality to convert Braille to English and identify the contractions used. Translation from Grade 2 Braille to English is not easy and this functionality in the app is about 98% correct and still evolving. If you find an error in a translation, PLEASE email it to us using the contact form on our website.
How are Grade 1 and Grade 2 Braille Braille different?
Grade 1 Braille is a literal 1 to 1 translation of printed letters to Braille symbols. Grade 2 Braille employs a very smart utilization of the symbols and combinations of symbols to represent multiple letters or words. There are only 64 possible configurations of a standard Braille cell so most symbols are reused in various contexts to have many meanings. This allows Grade 2 contracted Braille documents to be much shorter than the uncontracted Grade 1 equivalent. Learning to read contracted Braille requires some patience and practice. In the end, the effort is well rewarded.
Screenshots (click to Enlarge)
Brailler Word Processor Interface
Showing Translation with Construction on
Translation with Construction off
Dictionary Showing Braille for word and keys used to create it
$25 is quite an expensive purchase for an app that is still being developed. I realize yours is one of the more ingenious ones out there but is there any way to try a demo of this app before I purchase it? Perhaps a demo version where you cannot save files?
Kim – Thank you for your feedback and we hear your concern. We have a solution for you. Recently, we released Braille Pad Student. It has all the same functionality less the translation features. It is priced half that of Braille Pad Pro. Here is a link to Braille Pad Student on the iPad App Store.
I can’t believe I stumbled upon your app’s for the Braille Pad Student and Braille Pad Pro Brailler. For the past six years because of a Senior Project my visually impaired student did on Braille, we started a Braille class for sighted students. Since we have to raise our own funds to teach the class and we turn away over 90 students every quarter, Braille 1-4 and starting Nemeth now. Your two apps are very intreging since our students already have iPads. The cost per student, but I’m not sure since we have a program in place and if it is teacher student friendly.
Rose – Thank you for your feedback. We’d love to hear more about how you use the application and how it could be helpful for your students. I will reach out to you to learn more.
This app is amazing. I teach visually impaired adults and use this app to read along with my students. I’ve converted a number of documents to .dxb but now wish to delete them, and can’t seem to find a way to do that. Can you help?
In addition to deleting files, I would appreciate the ability to create bookmarks, go to particular pages, change font size, view the simbraille (dotted cells), and hide/minimize the braille keypad to have full view of the screen.
I have to say, this is the only app I’ve found that gives me the ability to copy and paste braille into a document or an email as text (not a screenshot!) so I can write my own notes on sections of text as I work with my students. Love it!!!
Hi Shona,
Thank you for your feedback. We’re glad that is app is helpful to you. I am adding your wishlist to our mast list now. It you could please take a moment and review the app on the app store, we would greatly appreciate it.
I discovered how to delete files. Thank you.
Does the app say the letter and/or word out loud for learning capabilities?
Thanks!
It does not at this time. However, we will add that to our list of features in the future if you think it is important.
As a TVI this would make me more likely to purchase such an expensive app.
I have a Logitech keyboard that I use with my iPad3. Can I use this to do 6-key entry? My touch typing skills on the glass keyboard are not awesome.
I am looking for a way to create Braille music using 6-key entry on my ipad. Will your program let me do this?
Thanks!
Janice. We have not tried this but we don’t think it will work. We recommend using the Mac version of Braille
I wonder if we can use a refresh able Braille display with this app? Also, I wonder if the Braille Pen would work with it for keyboarding? Also, can we emboss the material we create using a Romeo or other embosser?
Thanks
DLH
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I have been looking at descriptions for Braille Pad Pro and Braille Pad student. The screen shots for pro show screens where you can see the Braille as you write it(not translated or translated). With Braille Pad student can you see the Braille as you write?(That is the visual braille display, as opposed to print) I know it doesn’t have a translator, and that is fine.
I just signed up for an online Braille music course through Hadley school for the blind and tried to access the course work and it says it requires that I have a Braille font program so I can see the simulated Braille in lessons as well as produce it for my assignments. Will this program work for this purpose?
It should. Checking with lead developer…
Does it work when refreshable braille displays are connected to ipad? some one asked this question in comments but I did not see an answer. Also, does voiceover work while running this app?
No voiceover support.
Can a refreshable braille display be used with this app? Someone has already asked this question but I did not see the reply to this question. Is this app for a sighted person or can it be used by a blind person using a refreshable braille display with Voiceover?
It is more for a sighted person who is learning braille. I do not think it can use refreshable display.
What an awesome app! Is there a way to set the paper size for when I want to emboss it? When I email it to myself it changes the layout of my document because there are no margins.
Currently, no. Sorry.
I am sighted working with the blind in Africa. I do not know Braille and am just learning how to help the blind students. How and who does this help? How can it help the blind? So if I have Braille on my IPad, how does that help a blind person read. Is there a special printer that I do not know about. I have much to learn. Looking for apps to help my blind students in Africa. I have several IPads but no apps that are useful yet. Sorry to be so dense but I do not understand how one uses this app.
Is there a printer interface to create documents in Braille? I have a blind student in my class and I would like to print my notes for him in Braille.
I purchased Braille Pad Student for my iPad in order to complete and submit work for an online class. I have not figured out how to email a file. I have used the Email buttons on the main screen and the files screen, but every time it just takes me to the page on my iPad that I was on when I opened the program. (Braille Pad Student is still open, just in the background,) It does not open up a window to email.
I purchased this app few years ago when it’s first launched. It has been working great until recently when I tried to open .dxb files I created with Duxbury it wouldn’t open the files. I am getting quite frustrated as I cannot edit my document with a supposedly convenient and working app. Please help and fix the problem. Thanks.
Send me the dxb file and we’ll take a look.
info [at] ethervision.net
HELP! I hope you are still out there are responding.
Need an iPad-driven Braille printer for prison ministry. You know, orders of worship, song lyrics and musical chording for guitars, prayrs, material for the sightless inmates to use.
Recommendations? Suggestions??
Thanx,
And Semper Fi
Why can’t I buy the Braille Pad Pro?? It was available on the App Store but is no longer showing up for purchase. I only have the student version which is amazing but I would like the Braille Pad pro. Please help!
After long consideration, we took off the market due to insufficient demand.