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 with visual disabilities”, including those who are blind or have low vision. Unlike sign languages such as American Sign Language (ASL), braille is not a language. It is a code by which many languages, including English and Spanish, may be written and read. People with visual disabilities use their fingers to read braille, while teachers, parents, and others without visual disabilities read braille with their eyes.

The symbols used in Braille are formed with units of space known as braille cells, which consist of six raised dots arranged in two parallel rows. The dot positions are identified by numbers from one through six and there are sixty-four combinations possible using one or more of these six dots. Each cell may be used to represent a number, letter, punctuation mark, or even a whole word! The AFB’s braille alphabet and numbers page illustrates what a cell may look like and how each dot is numbered.

At the age of 15, Louis Braille invented this system while attending the National Institute for Blind Youth in Paris, France because he yearned for more books to read. He experimented with different ways to create an alphabet that was easy to read with the fingertips. Once he created the Braille system, Mr. Braille used it to read books, write music, and more. Learn more about the creation of the braille code by exploring the Louis Braille Online Museum.

NIDILRR funds various research and development projects which support the participation of people with visual disabilities. NARIC shared examples of these projects in a recent blog post.

To learn more about braille and other assistive technology and supports for people with visual disabilities, contact NARIC’s information specialists.