Definition & Meaning of "braille slate"

Braille slate

a tool used by individuals who are blind or visually impaired to manually create braille characters by embossing dots onto paper or other materials

What is a "braille slate"?

A braille slate is a tool used by blind or visually impaired individuals to write in Braille. It consists of two parts: a flat board with evenly spaced holes and a stylus, a pointed tool used to press dots into the board. The slate is used by placing paper inside, with the holes aligned, and then using the stylus to punch the raised dots onto the paper. This process allows the person to write Braille manually. Braille slates are commonly used for note-taking, labeling, or writing personal documents. They are compact, lightweight, and simple, making them an accessible writing tool for people who are blind or have low vision.

Example

The student used a braille slate and stylus to take notes in class, pressing the stylus through the holes in the slate to create braille characters on paper.

The braille teacher demonstrated how to use a braille slate to her student, guiding their fingers as they embossed their first words in braille.