This spring marked a milestone for NHCC, as we were able to aquire state-of-the-art braille technology, namely, a Braille printing/embossing machine, and a smart-touch Braille display device for our campus – providing a new level of support for blind or low vision students. The purchase of this impactful equipment was made possible through generous donations to NHCC’s Creating Opportunities Fund, empowering the college to meet student’s needs and open new doors of opportunity for our students to thrive.
Previous requests for Braille materials were outsourced, which was costly and timely. This equipment enables us to provide accessible versions of class information, leading to student success, and independence from screen readers, or outside vendors.
NHCC’s Foundation Executive Director, Laura Brandt added, “This technology empowers our blind and low-vision students with greater choice in how they learn. Just like their peers, they now have the option to either listen or read, depending on what works best for them. It’s about equity, independence, and ensuring that every student has the tools they need to succeed. Thank you to all who donated! You are not only providing equipment, but you are also creating opportunities for students to thrive.”
For NHCC, this donation is more than the physical machinery; this $11,000 non-discretionary donation from the NHCC Foundation provides access to college for all NHCC students. Overall, this initiative aligns with the college’s commitment to student success, equity, and accessibility. On receiving the Braille equipment, NHCC Director of Access Services, Jessica Fraser, commented, “This is a huge step forward for NHCC, allowing equal access for all.”
Access Services currently supports 317 students and 40 of them (about 12%) have identified as being blind or having low vision. There are significant challenges that these students face when they do not have access to specialized resources and equipment. Thanks to this donation, our blind and low-vision students now have access to essential equipment that allows them equal access to written and digital information, same as our sighted students. With these new tools available for students, NHCC can help students to fully engage in their education, enhance their overall learning experience and promote independence in their daily schoolwork.
Meet May, a non-traditional, vision impaired student at NHCC, who is majoring in social work. May first learned braille when she was 14 years old, living in Laos. In 2008, she came to Minnesota and started at NHCC last semester. Since the new equipment arrived on-campus, May has noticed a night and day difference and overall improvement in her academic experience. She added, “This Braille embosser is really important to me. Having the embosser helps me finish my homework and learn how to spell. It helps my reading and pronunciation and that makes me more comfortable. First semester, I was frustrated, but now I feel happier and more confident. I'm so thankful to have staff like Jessica and Elianna here, who help print Braille books and documents for me. I am also thankful for the people who made the Braille machine donation possible for us.”
NHCC staff use the Braille embosser to emboss and create materials, such as tests, textbooks and assignments, in Braille for students. This machine allows students full access to written or digital class content. Now, students don’t need to rely solely on-screen readers or outside support, they can independently navigate the content and complete their work.
Our new Braille display device translates text into refreshable Braille, allowing our students to access course documents and websites. They can hook up the display to a computer (using Bluetooth or a provided USB-C cable) and it will read the screen to the student, while displaying Braille words on the device, giving them a chance to feel it as it navigates. The dots are raised up and down on the device, and students can input on the Braille keys as well. This new device can easily transfer files and is compatible with all major screen readers. The EsySuite Software works with the display device as a Braille notetaker to create, edit, and import documents.
This equipment donation allows all students a chance to dive in deeper to their courses; learning from and participating with written, or digital information in a way that is comfortable and accessible to them. Access Services is looking forward to also obtain a few portable handheld magnifier devices which would make it easier for students to bring into the classroom. Investments like this highlight NHCC’s commitment to equity, accessibility and student success, all students must have access to their course content in an accessible format. Thank you once again for making this generous donation possible!