Abstract: A tactile communication tool for transforming a user input command into an audio output signal is provided. The tool presents a user with a housing, a plurality of buttons, a sound processing unit with a speaker, and an overlay set with a plurality of tactually discernable non-Braille characters or tactually discernable non-Braille images embossed upon it. The plurality of tactually discernable non-Braille images characters or tactually discernable non-Braille images can be positioned over the plurality of buttons such that when one of the buttons is pressed by a user, the user input command is processed, and an audio output signal is generated. The tool could also be used for providing input to a computer system. The overlay set could also be a plurality of individual tactile overlay keys.

Abstract: A tactile communication tool for transforming a user input command into an audio output signal is provided. The tool presents a user with a housing, a plurality of buttons, a sound processing unit with a speaker, and an overlay set with a plurality of tactually discernable non-Braille characters or tactually discernable non-Braille images embossed upon it. The plurality of tactually discernable non-Braille images characters or tactually discernable non-Braille images can be positioned over the plurality of buttons such that when one of the buttons is pressed by a user, the user input command is processed, and an audio output signal is generated. The tool could also be used for providing input to a computer system. The overlay set could also be a plurality of individual tactile overlay keys.