In the US, January is Braille Literacy Month, which helps to raise awareness about braille, its history, and how people with visual disabilities use it to read and write. According to the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), braille is “a system of raised dots that can be read with the fingers” by people who have visual disabilities such as blindness or low vision. Unlike sign language, braille is not a language – rather it is a code by which many languages, such as English, Spanish, and Arabic, may be written and read. January 4^th is the anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille, who invented the code at the age of 15, and is celebrated as World Braille Day. Today, braille provides a means of literacy for all and is used by people all over the world in their native languages.

NIDILRR supports people with visual disabilities, including their literacy and education, by funding various research and development projects at universities, institutions, and organizations across the US. Below, are a few examples:

• The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC on Employment of People Who are Blind or Have Low Vision aids in improving employment opportunities and outcomes for people who are blind or have low vision. As part of its work, this RRTC developed a course, Braille: What It Is, and Why It Is Important. The course addresses the relevance of braille in today’s world, how it makes a difference for the people who use it, and the barriers faced by those who want to learn and use braille, among other topics.
• The project, New High Density Magnetic Braille Actuators: The Path to a Consumer Full-Page Digital Braille Display, builds on a previously developed low-cost braille/tactile display based on magnetic braille cell actuator technology. This project conducts research to develop low-cost braille/tactile displays of various shapes and sizes to increase braille literacy and reduce the digital disparity gap experienced by people with visual disabilities.

Are you a student with visual disabilities who would like to practice and hone your braille literacy skills? Or are you a parent or teacher who would like to encourage your student with visual disabilities to hone their braille literacy skills? The Braille Institute is currently holding the 23^rd Annual Braille Challenge – an academic competition that is held each January through March for students with visual disabilities. The challenge empowers students with visual disabilities in the 1^st to 12^th grades who can read and write braille to improve their fundamental braille skills such as reading comprehension, spelling, proofreading, and speed and accuracy, among other skills.

Contact NARIC’s information specialists to learn more about braille, literacy, and visual disabilities.