As a vision impaired person, reading can be a challenge. But there are many ways to access text. If you are partially sighted, you may benefit from large print or a magnifier. Alternatively, for those with less vision, you could use a computer screen reader like Jaws, Supernova or VoiceOver. Another invaluable tool is Braille – the system of raised dots which has allowed blind people to read by touch for 200 years. Here is everything you need to know.
A brief history of Braille
Louis Braille often gets all the credit for inventing Braille. However, it was actually pioneered in the early 1800s by a French veteran called Charles Barbier. During his time in combat, Charles noticed a major barrier faced by himself and his fellow soldiers. They had to use lamps when reading military messages at night. And because of this, they were often caught and killed. It gave Charles an idea to develop a unique system that would allow the soldiers to read in the dark. Known as ‘night writing’, the code was based on a raised 12-dot cell in which each dot and combination of dots represented a different letter or phonetic sound.
Charles realised this method could also make reading accessible to people with sight impairments. The only problem was, having 12 dots in the cell meant each letter could not fit under a single fingertip. Fortunately, in 1820, Louis Braille – an 11-year-old blind boy from Paris – set out to solve this defect.
Whilst enrolled at a national school for the blind, Louis was introduced to Charles Barbier’s ‘night writing system’ and was instantly fascinated. He began making patterns of raised dots with an instrument in his father’s leather workshop at home. By 15, he had successfully adapted the 12-dot cell to just 6 dots, which could be felt under one fingertip.
Is Braille commonly used today?
Sadly, the use of Braille has declined over the years. In 2022, just seven percent of blind and partially sighted people in the UK read Braille, according to figures from the RNIB.
How has technology changed the face of Braille?
Braille may have been invented over 200 years ago. But that does not mean it is no longer relevant. Thanks to technological advances, people do not have to lug around Perkins typewriters or ridiculously thick Braille books anymore. They can instead use electronic Braille. In April 2000, blind tech company HumanWare released the first version of the BrailleNote. They have since continued to upgrade the model, and now have an impressive range of smart Braille devices, including the compact BrailleNote Touch which has a six-button keyboard and a Braille display. Like a normal computer, the BrailleNote also has access to a word processor, internet, email, games and numerous other apps.
What are the advantages of learning Braille?
Of course, Braille is not for everyone and in this digital age, it is important to learn how to touch type and use a screen reader. However, Braille is a really useful skill to have. For example, it can help with editing documents. While your screen reader can read out the text, you may not hear errors such as a missing full stop or capital letter. Certain words also sound exactly the same but may be spelt differently, like there, their and they’re. This means physically reading a document in Braille can make it easier to spot grammatical mistakes. If you prefer touch typing, you could type the piece of work on your laptop and then use your Braille device to edit it. This could be done in two ways. Either you could email your document to yourself and access it through emails on the BrailleNote. Alternatively, you could Bluetooth your device to the laptop and read text on your computer screen through the Braille display.
As well as editing, the BrailleNote can be great for notetaking. You may find it difficult in class to listen to both your teacher and screen reader at the same time. On a BrailleNote however, you can type and read back your notes without the distraction of Jaws or VoiceOver in your ear.
Information written by Charlotte Bateman,
March 2024
Celebrating Braille at VICTA!
VICTA Braille Art Competition
VICTA hosts an annual Braille Art competition to encourage children and young people to celebrate Braille through their creativity.
Visit the 2024 Braille Art gallery >
Braille stories
The VICTA Student Portal is the perfect platform for young people to share their passion for Braille and helpful resources.
Hannah’s campaign for Braille >
How Braille has changed throughout my life >
Life skills on the Student Portal >
Support for parents
The VICTA Parent Portal houses resources for early skills and tactile activities.
Pre-braille early years activities >
Braille game idea >
Where to source accessible books >
Other ways to get involved with VICTA!
Services & activities for 0 to 29 years
VICTA offers activities for children and young adults and their families, helping to build networks, confidence and personal independence.
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