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Remember the old PBS show called, "All About you"? Well, this is "All About Braille." On this page, I will tell you all about Braille. You will learn anything and everything, or a lot of things anyway, about Braille, and hopefully some things you might not have known before.
Braille is a system of raised dots that blind people use to read and communicate with. Braille is composed of six dots, that when put in various combinations and configurations, form the letters of the alphabet, numbers, punctuation marks, and other symbols. The dots are formed in the following fassion: dot 1 is in the top left, dot 2 in the middle left and dot 3 on the bottom left side of the rectangular shaped Braille cell. Dots 4, 5, and 6 are in the top right, middle right and bottom right positions of the Braille cell. There are several different kinds of Braille, in addition to literary Braille. There's Nemoth Code, for math and mathematical symbols; music Braille, for things having to do with music, such as the notes, the symbols, and more; and there are different Braille codes for different languages, such as Spanish, French, Chinese, and probably more that I haven't heard of. To the left, you will see a visual representation of what the Braille alphabet looks like.
Somewhere between 1985 and 1991, work began in trying to develop a paperless Braille display that a blind person could use with a computer, in order to "see" what was on the computer screen. Today, we have paperless Braille displays, called refreshable Braille displays, that have pins that pop up and down to form the different Braille characters. It is these displays that have allowed the blind to use the computer more effectively, or to have in a note taking device and to be able to read their Braille on the go, much like a print display would allow a sighted person to read a laptop's screen. These refreshable Braille displays come in several different lengths, such as 40, 65, and 82 Braille cells long. Today though, the blind can benefit from the portable note taking device with the Braille display included. These displays range in lengths from as small as 18 cells, to as many as 40 cells. The one drawback to just about any Braille display though is the cost, which can range anywhere from $3,300 (on the smaller note takers), to $10,000 for the 85-cell displays that attach to a PC.
Future Aids is a company that considers itself to be, "the Braille Superstore." They do indeed have a lot of products relating to learning, reading, and writing Braille. They have other products as well. Check them out.
National Braille Pres has published a Biography on Louis Braille: A touch of Genious. You can order a copy, in print, Braille, or site download. Read more about the book, sample chapters/letters/sdescriptions, and more on this page.
One of the best resources that I've come across is the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, May-June 1996 issue, which is totally devoted to this topic. The JVIB is produced by the American Foundation for the Blind. This issue does a great job of presenting the case for Braille, why the blind need it, how it will never be replaced by computer or speech synthesis, and more.
WinTrans Braille Translator is a freeware program that can be used by anyone to translate text files into Braille formatted files, or vice versa. On this site, you can read the manual, download the program, and listen to or download an audio review that was made about the program. The review first aired on Main Menu, the technology oriented program on ACB Radio's Mainstream channel. If you need to do some quick and dirty translation, or don't have an electronic note taker or other software or hardware that can translate electronic Braille files, then this program might be what you need.
Are you a blind student that needs material transcribed, a business that needs business related materials put into an alternative format, or do you have another need? If so, then Braille Plus may be able to help. Read more at their site.
Sensational Books is a new site that has multisensory books for blind and low vision kids or adults. I say adults since parents can read the books to their sighted or blind children. I've given a book to one of my nephews and he loved it. Though only one book is listed on the site, I'm sure others will be added as time goes by.
To order Braille books in many different categories, such as children (including a Book-of-the-Month Club for blind children), technology, life style, and more, go to the National Braille Press (NBP). Recently added to this site is the ability to order your books online through a secure shopping area, so no more calling the company each time you want to order your books! I've ordered many books from NBP before and they have a great selection, sure to please any Braille reader.
Seedlings Braille Books for Children is a resource I have newly discovered. They have over 500 Braille books for children from ages of infants to teens, and many adults may enjoy their books as well. Seedlings has many Print/Braille picture and nonpicture books that children of all ages would enjoy, such as a favorite in my family, "Alexander's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day," and, "Goodnight Moon," and who could forget many of the Dr. Seuss books. They also have poetry, novels, and nonfiction titles as well. Some of the books that NBP has had as books of the month, are available from Seedlings. Check their website for a complete listing, as well as the ability to order your books online.
The National Braille Factory is a Canadian company that offers a variety of products, including Braille raised line coloring books, Braille chocolates, and more. At this writing in mid November, 2003, they have not yet added online ordering, but it is coming soon.
So, there you have it. How's that for covering the Braille base? If you have questions on or about Braille, then please fill out my Feedback Form.
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