SOAS Research Online

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analyse and assess Chinese writing systems for visually impaired persons. The study provides a general description of the Chinese character script, the reform of Chinese language and the reform of Chinese character script. It reviews past and contemporary Chinese writing systems for visually impaired persons and gives a general description of the currently used Chinese writing systems for visually impaired persons. The different Chinese writing systems for visually impaired persons are discussed and the nature of the relationship between speech and writing in Chinese is taken into account. The discussion concludes that change to the existing writing systems for visually impaired persons is essential in order to provide for the full and equal participation of visually impaired persons in Chinese society and culture. The theoretical possibilities for achievable and worthwhile improvements to the systems are assessed. The assessment is set in a wider context by taking into account developments in other societies, notably Japan and Korea, where there are similarities in problems associated with non-alphabetic scripts. Developments in communications and computer technology and their relationship to visually impaired users are also considered. The results of field research conducted in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Britain are used to put these assessments into perspective. The field research constituted a pilot study since no previous such studies had been made. It was concerned with visually impaired users' perceptions of Chinese script and Chinese writing systems for visually impaired persons. The thesis of this work is that significant improvements could be brought about by changing Chinese writing systems for visually impaired persons. Key issues for such improvements are identified and a framework for change is established. To illustrate the framework and the issues which might arise in its implementation 1000 Chinese characters have been encoded with Braille symbols but no attempt has been made to achieve a comprehensive encoding. This could and should be left to bodies in China, entrusted with the detailed elaboration and practical implementation of the changes.