Help Page: What is Braille? (3:25)

Transcript: What is Braille?
Presenter: Braille is a tactile writing system that allows blind and partially sighted people to read and write through touch. Created by Louis Braille in the 19th century, it uses raised dots arranged in patterns to represent letters, numbers, and punctuation.

Although Braille is a powerful tool, only under 9% of blind individuals read it. Many now prefer audio options or text-to-speech technologies, which are easier to access and don’t require learning the Braille system. Schools and educational programs may focus more on these new tools, reducing the emphasis on Braille literacy for blind students. Therefore, fewer people use Braille today due to the rise of audiobooks, screen readers, and other assistive technologies.
Braille is available in two main forms: hardcopy Braille and electronic Braille.

Hardcopy Braille: This is traditional Braille printed on thick paper. While hardcopy Braille books offer a tactile reading experience, they are large and bulky. A single book in Braille often takes up several volumes, making it less portable and harder to store.

Electronic Braille: With the rise of technology, many blind people use refreshable Braille displays. These devices create Braille characters on a row of small pins that rise and fall, allowing users to read digital content, like emails and e-books, in Braille. Electronic Braille is more convenient and portable, but devices can be expensive, limiting access for some users.
Braille is divided into different levels of complexity, known as grades:

Grade 1 Uncontracted Braille: Each letter, number, and punctuation mark has its own unique symbol. It’s a basic form of Braille, ideal for beginners but inefficient for longer texts.

Grade 2 Contracted Braille: The most commonly used form, it includes contractions and abbreviations that represent groups of letters or entire words. This allows for faster reading and writing and saves space in Braille documents.
Grade 3 Braille: An advanced form of Braille that uses even more contractions and abbreviations. It’s typically used for personal writing but is not standardized for formal use.
UEB stands for Unified English Braille. It is a braille code standard used by many English-speaking countries.

While Braille remains essential for those who use it, providing literacy and independence through tactile reading, most blind people today opt for audio-based solutions. Balancing the importance of Braille with the convenience of newer technologies is key to supporting the diverse needs of the blind community. Therefore, it is important never to assume that all blind people choose to read Braille.