New opportunities at their fingertips

In his “Literature and Disability” class held last spring, Professor Marc Shell observed Katie Sevier ’25 diligently jotting down notes using her HIMS QBraille XL device, which pairs with her laptop and facilitates typing in braille.

A conversation between Shell and Sevier regarding the significance of the history, theory, and application of tactile writing systems for the visually impaired inspired them to develop a course not found in comparable educational institutions. Currently, both the professor and student take on teaching duties. Their course is titled “Why Braille Matters.”

“To me, braille symbolizes accessibility, liberation, and autonomy,” Sevier expressed. “Bringing this course to life means so much. It validates a facet of the blind experience — braille — which is essential to the lives of many individuals who are visually impaired.”

On Thursday afternoons, Sevier can be seen preparing for a session as fellow classmates and two trained guide dogs gather in a cozy room at Dana Palmer House on Harvard’s campus. Throughout the semester, Sevier and Shell have focused on showcasing diverse experiences by inviting guest speakers from the blind community or those involved with the blind community.

“This course is and isn’t centered on disability,” stated Shell. “It is primarily about reading and writing systems, which serves as the main connection to Comparative Literature.

“The chronicle of reading and writing extends back thousands of years to tactile representations. These representations could be referred to as ‘pre-braille.’ Our current research is uncovering that blind individuals utilized various methods for reading and writing,” he elaborated.

Sevier and Shell adopt an integrative dual methodology in their instruction of “Why Braille Matters.” She educates students on braille code and blindness awareness, while he facilitates dialogues about the literary, philosophical, and neurological dimensions of the raised-dot writing system. For Sevier, the course holds profound personal significance. Having lost her sight at the age of 6 due to intracranial hypertension, she began learning braille the summer after completing kindergarten.

During a recent session, students — representing various parts of the University — conversed about the 1980 film “To Race the Wind,” depicting the life of blind lawyer, advocate, and author Harold Krents ’67, J.D. ’70. The film chronicles Krents’ journey through Harvard’s intricate campus as an undergraduate. Sevier and other visually impaired students also shared their narratives about navigating the Yard.

“What was incredibly validating and empowering to witness was the manner in which Katie documented the directions she used to teach another blind student to navigate a specific path to the Yard,” stated Emma Vrabel ’25, a former white-cane user who now has a guide dog. From this experience, she remarked that sighted students were more adept…

capable of comprehending “how tiring” it can be to memorize various paths across campus.

“Harvard presents a challenging environment to navigate,” remarked Vrabel, who can still perceive faces, movements, and large text. “At the onset of each semester, I instruct my guide dog, Holly, on how to locate our various classroom buildings and notable sites. Holly has been incredibly supportive in streamlining that process, yet it remains quite demanding.”

After class discussions, students separate into smaller groups to decipher different film and literature titles in braille.

“The course began with tactile sensitivity training, where you enhance your capacity to feel minute differences,” explained Sevier, who clarified that braille symbols consist of six dots arranged in two columns of three dots each. The letters of the alphabet, referred to as “Grade One Braille,” are identified by the number and configuration of the dots. “Grade Two Braille,” or contractions, encompass symbols that represent parts of words or even entire words.

Alex Waysand ’27, an international student from France with a passion for languages, mentioned the difficulties in mastering braille reading.

“This is a commonly shared experience among the students in the course, but I was surprised to find how unresponsive the tips of my fingers were and how challenging it was to interpret braille symbols,” he shared.

Apart from lively philosophical discussions in the classroom regarding the writing system and Sevier’s lessons on braille reading, students visited Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown. They enjoyed a tour of the library and museum and had the chance to interact with a large tactile globe that was cherished by Helen Keller, Radcliffe College Class of 1904. The globe, constructed in 1837 and measuring 13 feet in circumference, was the first item that Keller touched upon her arrival at Perkins as a student at the age of 8.

Vrabel, who is composing her thesis on Perkins’ outreach initiative and spent last summer there, was thrilled that her Harvard peers had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the remarkable environment at Perkins. “It was truly exciting to return with the class and enjoy all the exhibits while seeing individuals who likely wouldn’t have been in that space otherwise,” she stated.

Now, well past the midway point of the semester, Sevier expressed satisfaction with the course’s progression. “I am very impressed with everyone’s willingness to step beyond their comfort zones to deepen their understanding of the braille code,” she remarked, adding that she hopes the students will carry with them “the pride and joy that blind individuals hold within their community … and that they will recognize this in various contexts.”

Shell and Sevier intend to offer another version of this course in the upcoming academic year.