iOS Lesson 12: VoiceOver with a Refreshable Braille

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Using a Refreshable Braille Display with iOS

iOS supports many international braille tables and refreshable braille displays. You can connect a Bluetooth wireless braille display to read VoiceOver output, including contracted and un-contracted braille and equations using Nemeth Code.

When you edit text, the braille display shows the text in context, and your edits are automatically converted between braille and printed text. You can also use a braille display with input keys to control your device when VoiceOver is turned on.

Connect a braille display and learn commands to control your device

Turn on the braille display.

Go to Settings/Bluetooth, turn on Bluetooth.

Go to Settings/Accessibility/VoiceOver/Braille, and choose the display at the bottom of the page.

Change the braille display settings

On your device, go to Settings/Accessibility/VoiceOver/Braille.

Set any of the following:

Setting

Description

Output: you can set the braille display output to un-contracted six-dot, un-contracted eight-dot, or contracted braille.

Input

Choose the input method for entering braille on the display - un-contracted six-dot, un-contracted eight-dot, or contracted braille. You can also turn on Automatic Translation.

Braille Screen Input

Choose the input method for entering braille using the screen.

Braille Tables

Add tables to the Braille Table rotor.

Status Cells

Turn on the general and text status cells and choose their location.

Equations using Nemeth Code

Turn on Nemeth Code for mathematical equations.

Show On-screen Keyboard

Display the keyboard on the screen.

Turn Pages when Panning

Automatically turn pages when panning.

Word Wrap

Wrap words to the next line.

Braille Alert Messages

When turned on, your braille display shows an alert message for the specified duration.

Ignore Chord Duration

Adjust the amount of time required before subsequent key presses are recognized as braille chords.

Auto Advance Duration

Adjust this setting to your preferred reading speed.

Output closed captions in braille during media playback

On iPhone, go to Settings/Accessibility/VoiceOver/Verbosity and choose Braille, or Speech and Braille.

Math