Easterseals PORT Health (ESPH) is proud to celebrate Braille Literacy Month this January by highlighting Noah, one of our amazing team members! Noah is legally blind and works for ESPH as a Supported Employment Specialist. In his job, he works with Welligent, our electronic health record (EHR) platform. He performs his job as independently as possible with the help of assistive technology and support from his ESPH aide.
Noah uses several innovative braille tools to navigate his work and daily tasks. One tool is JAWS (Job Access With Speech), a screen reader that converts digital text into spoken words, which makes online content accessible to the visually impaired. He also uses a braille tablet, called BrailleNote Touch Plus by HumanWare. The device features a braille keyboard for typing and a refreshable braille display that translates digital text into raised dots. Combining a braille keyboard with a touchscreen allows Noah to efficiently perform tasks like note-taking, email and other digital activities in braille.
Noah began learning braille at age 5 but didn’t fully master it until he was 16. “Braille is a complex system,” Noah explains. “It uses raised bumps to represent letters, numbers and punctuation. Each braille cell has six dots that can be combined in different ways to create symbols.” Growing up, Noah attended many schools, searching for places that could meet his needs. He often found schools weren’t equipped or inclusive enough. Reflecting on his experiences, Noah says, “I think schools should have more teachers who understand disabilities and are trained to accommodate unique needs.”
“I’m also a strong advocate for employers to be more inclusive and considerate of the needs of blind and visually impaired individuals. It would be helpful for workplaces to have braille signage throughout the building so we know where things are.” he says. “I also believe there should also be a braille employer’s guide readily available.” Noah is grateful for the support he receives at work, saying, “Easterseals PORT Health is very accommodating and provides me with the technology I need. I can count on them to get whatever isn’t already available.”
Easterseals PORT Health leverages its IDEAL principles of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Authenticity and Learning to ensure its supportive of its team members. The principle of Learning is especially meaningful to Noah as he enjoys teaching others about blindness and the tools that help him succeed. “I recently shared the technology I use for work and how it helps me to do my job with another blind person. I believe it’s very important to share information, understandings and the available resources to help others.”
Noah’s story highlights the power of braille literacy, assistive technology and inclusive environments in empowering individuals to thrive! Learn more about ESPH’s Supported Employment services at eastersealsport.com/supported-employment.
ABOUT US
Easterseals PORT Health is a trustworthy, compassionate partner providing exceptional disability, behavioral health and addiction treatment services to help our neighbors live their best lives. Purpose, dedication and empathy drive our in-person and telehealth service delivery. Our diverse and inclusive 2,600 member team provides more than 10.2 million hours of meaningful support to 40,200 kids, adults and families in 11,000 home, facility and community locations across North Carolina and Virginia. Learn more at eastersealsPORT.com.
