CKEditor Braille

2024 - 2026

Rich text editor - currently CKEditor5 as the most common across web applications - plugin that provides an ability to write Braille. Key combos are mapped to equivalent Unicode values once the plugin is active via its own widget.

Early Braille education is crucial to literacy, education, and employment among the visually impaired. Despite the evolution of new technologies, including screen reader tech that reads information aloud, Braille provides access to spelling, punctuation, and other aspects of written language less accessible through audio alone. This app provides a way to learn and practice Braille in the desktop environment where only it is possible to use specific keyboard keys as Braille.

See the code on GitLab

Site user

Braille keys

Each of the following letters, and each of the combinations of them d f j k l s.
There are no additional requirements, such as special font, browser OS etc.

Challenge

Additionally, this plugin provides a framework for exercising braille typing, in both directions, from text to braille and vice versa. Includes SpeechSynthesis API implementation for certain audio helpers.

Advanced site user

Audio responses

As mentioned, there are some audio responses. The current "hot" keys for it are: Shift+[1-5] aka Shift+1, or Shift+5 Key-combos work when the cursor focus is in the editor and within Braille container.

API

Instead of setting the config for any Braille container, as seen in the previous video, the equivalent data may come from API. It gets encrypted and stored in the local storage.

Provides a framework for exercising Braille typing, in both directions, from text to braille and vice versa, in form of a challenge/exercise. Includes SpeechSynthesis API (Web API) implementation for certain audio helpers. Target audience: Schools, libraries, other education institutions, NGOs, foundations, local municipalities etc. This small open-source app/plugin is already rounded and functional, up to a certain level (of features). The next round of development should include more advanced concepts and functionalities, most of which would be AI implementation (the editor has it already) and automated true translations.

@todo:

Develop more on Accessibility in the browser, make the strictest current standards.
Document API usage, including "real-life" situation test on independent third party platform.
Create official npm package.
Create a plugin/module for more common CMS, such as WordPress. Such already exist for Drupal.
Do the first CKEditor AI implementation, including the first version of automatized translation.