| Perhaps he sat with one of his son's Lego blocks in | | | | by little his son actually did learn Grade 1 Braille. |
| hand, tossing it absentmindedly as he pondered his | | | | Fourteen years passed before Kevin could afford to |
| frustration with his son's inability to learn Braille. At age | | | | make Tack-Tiles, trademark name, available |
| 14, mastery still eluded his son despite the teachers' | | | | commercially in 1995. Now they are available in English, |
| best efforts and individual instruction. In fact, almost | | | | French, Spanish, Italian and German literary code as |
| everyone had given up on the son learning Braille. | | | | well as Nemeth (for math), music, and computer Braille |
| Though multiply impaired (including blindness), Kevin | | | | code...yes there are that many different codes the |
| Murphy just could not bring himself to give up on the | | | | Braille student must learn...each with their own rules. |
| intelligence he believed lurked in his son's mind. | | | | An added benefit for students who are blind and study |
| Maybe he stopped tossing it long enough to stare at | | | | in an inclusive setting, Tack-Tiles have print letters |
| the small building brick he held in his hand. Then he | | | | corresponding to the Braille configuration on the tile. |
| noticed it...that little brick had 6 circular pegs! AND their | | | | This enables sighted and blind students to interact. A |
| configuration was the same at the Braille cell...three | | | | good many sighted students are curious about Braille |
| vertical on the left; three vertical on the right!! Since his | | | | and will at least learn the alphabet. |
| son thoroughly enjoyed his Lego set, Kevin decided | | | | Printed Tack-Tiles also enable the classroom teacher |
| he'd risk it...turn them into Braille letters. | | | | to teach the blind student whatever she is teaching to |
| After he'd destroyed his son's Lego set, he | | | | her sighted students. |
| enthusiastically called, "Hey, son, come look what I've | | | | I used Tact-Tiles to teach addition, subtraction, |
| done with your Lego set!" His son came excitedly to | | | | multiplication, and division (especially long division) to my |
| discover his dad had placed some of the Braille letters | | | | blind students. |
| he'd made on the base that came with the set. Little | | | | And to think that it all began with Lego. |