Attitudinal
Teachers of VI children have correctly been taught that the process of writing is what’s important, and it doesn’t matter which writing tool is being used. But when this is combined with the prevailing ‘attitude of scarcity’ where VI teachers are “grateful for what we have” and are not demanding what is best, (thereby driving innovation through consumer demand), stagnation has resulted.

Isolation
VI teachers are a small, geographically isolated community, and it is often hard to know what is happening in the next state, let alone in other countries around the world.

Funding
Best practice is most frequently being defined within a personnel preparation system that is chronically under-funded and simply not able to afford the best technology available. A recent survey of 600 VI teachers in the US revealed that only 5% of respondents were made aware of alternatives to the Perkins Brailler as part of their teacher preparation program.

Lack of professional development
As new technology options arise, it is often left to VI teachers to train themselves on how to use them and to understand where and why a new technology should be used. A current example of this is the confusion and lack of research data on the role of braille writing versus braille note-taking.

Subsidies
The Perkins is subsidised within education in many countries around the world. People need to recognize what the real cost is of so-called “free” technology. In the USA for example, the Federal Quota system has been a source of materials and products which have made a tremendous difference to millions of young blind Americans. However, when it comes to braille writing technology, it has had a profoundly negative effect. There are simply many new braille writing options available that never get sold in the US because they cannot compete with the “free” Perkins. Competition and innovation have effectively been stifled.

Policy
Overwhelmingly we see policy development based on tradition and comfort zones rather than the best possible solution for the blind student or solid research data. Policies covering the availability of technology for students need to be aligned to the literacy outcomes expected and not on tradition and “local knowledge”. We need to define outcomes in terms of basic literacy skills but also in terms of the functional skills needed in a digital world, such as computer and other technical skills, as well as vocational skills.