"Previous studies have explored the role of training in the use of haptic devices. For example, a study concerned with the acquisition of Braille by sighted lea

"Previous studies have explored the role of training in the use of haptic devices. For example, a study concerned with the acquisition of Braille by sighted learners has demonstrated that a corresponding visual display was beneficial for the acquisition of haptic Braille [13]. This result suggests the use of a visual display in the current study, corresponding to the activation of vibrators on the tactual display. In addition, the efficacy of correct-answer feedback for perceptual learning tasks is well-established [14], indicating that correct-answer feedback should be employed in the learning procedure. With the phonemic-based tactual display designed for conveying English words, we consider two training approaches to training: phoneme-based and word-based [15]. The phoneme-based approach, which operates on a “bottom-up” theory of learning, concentrates on maximizing the individual’s ability to discriminate between and identify the individual sound patterns of speech [15]. The word-based approach is based on a “topdown” theory of learning. It bypasses the training of basic phoneme patterns and starts with words directly [15]. Previous studies of speech training have employed single or combined approaches [16-18]; however, these studies have not led to definitive conclusions for choosing one approach over another."