Latest News
- Get more from JAWS with the Dot Pad X, Monday 12 January at 5:00 PM
This session will cover:
- Reading with multiline braille, including how JAWS Wrapped and Cropped modes affect layout, structure, and comprehension.
- Proven strategies for reading long documents, technical material, and tabulated content more efficiently.
- Button assignments and navigation techniques so you can read with confidence and speed.
If you’re a JAWS user who wants to move beyond single-line braille and truly benefit from multi-line braille support, this is a session you won’t want to miss!
About our Host: Dave Williams, Customer Success Manager at Dot Inc.
For 25 years, Dave has worked to advance accessibility for blind people. His professional background spans audio production, community media, agile design, and digital product testing, informed by his lived experience as a blind parent, international marathon runner, and award-winning volunteer.
- Orbit Research Zoom Meeting, Tuesday 13 January at 5:00 PM
Your chance to catch up with the team at Orbit Research.
- Braille Brain 101: Introduction to Units, Lessons and Navigation, Tuesday 13 January at 8:00 PM
You can never have too many tools in your braille teaching toolkit and Braille Brain, APH’s free, interactive online curriculum, is one you’ll want to explore. Designed to support instruction in Unified English Braille (UEB) and Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science, Braille Brain offers structured units, lessons, embedded knowledge checks, and flexible learning paths.
In this introductory session, participants will take a guided tour of the platform, learning how to navigate its features and begin integrating lessons into instruction.
This session is designed for pre-service and in-service TSVIs, paraprofessionals, parents, and educational team members who support braille learners. Whether you are new to braille or supporting others who are just getting started, this webinar will help you move forward with confidence.
Register Here for Braille Brain 101: Introduction to Units, Lessons and Navigations
- Six Ways to Increase Productivity with Braille and JAWS, Thursday 15 January at 5:00 PM
Vispero Presenters: Elizabeth Whitaker and Rachel Buchanan
Are you looking for practical ways to get the most out of using Braille and JAWS? Want tips to help you work more efficiently? If so, this webinar is for you.
We’ll provide tips for editing documents, accessing math content, navigating web pages, and more. Learn how to:
- Use features like cursor routing, panning, and Split Braille to navigate and edit documents
- Use BrailleIn for typing in documents, writing emails, and filling out forms on web pages
- Access the Braille Math Editor and Select Nemeth or UEB Math when solving math equations
- And much more!
ACVREP credits will be available for those who attend the live webinar.
Learn practical ways to get the most out of using Braille and JAWS.
Register for Six Ways to Increase Productivity with Braille and JAWS
- Enrolment For January 2026 Braille Courses Now Open at Adult Learning Lewisham
Registration is now open for the spring term Braille And Tactile Skills courses, starting on 05 January2026.
Our Braille and Tactile Skills courses take place on Mondays either between 10AM/12PM or 1Pm/3PM.
Terms are eleven weeks long and are held at our Brockley Rise centre in South East London: 2 Brockley Rise, SE23 1PR
No previous knowledge of Braille is required, course fees are means tested and many of our applicants receive free or discounted places depending on their income.
We are a friendly and supportive group, and all learners work at their own pace towards their individual goals. We have lots of great group discussions about various topics related to visual impairment and use things like tactile games to make learning fun and to foster new friendships and connections.
To register, please call: 02083143300 Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm to make an appointment for a pre-course assessment with supported learning, or you can email: [email protected]
For a list of all courses that are offered by Adult Learning Lewisham, please see: https://lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/education/adult/find-a-course
- ICEVI and WBU Launch “More Braille: More Empowerment” Global Campaign
World Braille Day, 4 January 2026
ICEVI and WBU Launch “More Braille: More Empowerment” Global Campaign to put Braille Literacy back at the centre of Inclusive Education
The International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI) and the World Blind Union (WBU) today launched More Braille: More Empowerment, a new global campaign calling on governments, educators, disability organisations, families, and the private sector to treat braille literacy as a right, not a privilege.
World Braille Day — marked each year on 4 January, the birthday of Louis Braille — celebrates a system that has unlocked literacy, education, employment, and independence for generations of blind people. Yet in too many places, access to braille is still determined by geography, income, and whether trained teachers and appropriate materials happen to be available. This campaign is a global push to change that.
“Braille isn’t a ‘nice-to-have.’ It is literacy, full stop,” said Santosh Kumar Rungta, President of the World Blind Union. “I know from personal experience that braille can be the difference between dependence and freedom. This campaign is about ensuring that every blind learner — child, youth, or adult — has the tools and teaching to read, write, and participate on equal terms.”
“Families should not have to fight alone to secure their children’s right to literacy,” said Ms Susan LaVenture, President of ICEVI. “As a mother of a son who faced a serious eye condition, I know how quickly doors can close when accessible learning supports aren’t available. This campaign is about reopening those doors — through teacher support, practical resources, and stronger national commitment.”
Campaign resources
As part of the launch, ICEVI and WBU are releasing and sharing the following campaign resources:
- ICEVI E-News World Braille Day issue, 4 January 2026 (in English, French and Spanish) – featuring messages from campaign leaders and partners, and updates from the ICEVI regions
- Video montage: “More Braille: More Empowerment — Voices Advancing Braille Worldwide” – a short film bringing together voices from around the world who are working to strengthen access to braille
What the campaign will do
From 4 January 2026 to 4 January 2028, the campaign will deliver coordinated action in three areas:
- Advocacy and media that are culturally and linguistically relevant across regions
- Information resources for teachers, families, organisations, and policymakers, covering topics such as braille teaching strategies, braille codes, national braille authorities, and device options
- Research to generate global evidence on braille access, use, barriers, and impact
The campaign is being advanced in collaboration with a growing group of partners, including organisations working on accessible publishing and braille innovation.
Call to action
WBU and ICEVI invite partners and allies worldwide to:
- Champion braille as a foundation of inclusive education and lifelong learning
- Invest in teacher preparation and braille instruction
- Expand access to braille materials and affordable braille technology
- Use evidence to drive policy change, so braille access is systematic, not accidental
Individuals and organisations are also invited to support the campaign by making a small donation to light a virtual candle on Louis Braille’s 217th birthday cake, symbolising their commitment to the right to braille literacy worldwide. All donations support the campaign’s work at global and regional levels.
To light a candle, visit the ICEVI’s dedicated braille campaign webpage.
About WBU
The World Blind Union (WBU) is an internationally recognized organization representing 338 million blind and partially sighted persons in 190 member countries.
We are the voice of the blind, speaking to governments and international bodies on issues concerning blindness and low vision in cooperation with our members.
About ICEVI
ICEVI is a global non-governmental membership organisation that promotes equitable access to quality education for children and young people who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision. It works through advocacy and policy influence at international, regional, and national levels; knowledge sharing and publications; and collaborative partnerships across its seven world regions.
For media inquiries
World Blind Union
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.wbu.ngo
International Council for Education of People with Visual Impairment
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.icevi.org
- Video Montage from the Joint ICEVI–WBU Global Braille Literacy Campaign
As we begin 2026, and following the immensely successful launch on World Braille Day of the joint ICEVI–WBU Global Braille Literacy Campaign, More Braille: More Empowerment, we would like to share with you the link to the campaign launch video montage:
More Braille: More Empowerment – Voices Advancing Braille Worldwide
This montage is 35 minutes in length and brings together 23 voices and reflections of members of the Steering Committee and Working Groups for the three campaign focus areas, campaign partner organisations and campaign sponsors.
We hope you enjoy the many voices and perspectives represented in the video montage. We look forward to strengthening advocacy, expanding access to braille, and advancing the right to braille literacy for learners and adults worldwide in 2026 and beyond.
- The 2026 VICTA Braille Art competition is open! Closing Date Saturday 31 January
Celebrate the wonder of Braille through creativity with the VICTA Braille Art Competition!
The competition is open to visually impaired children and young adults from 0 to 29 years. There are different age categories to enter into with different themes, a category for school entries, and amazing prizes up-for-grabs, so it’s time to go dotty for Braille.
- Braille literacy and Life Satisfaction Survey by Aasha Rose
This survey forms the final study of a PhD being conducted by Aasha Rose.
The aim of her research is to understand how braille literacy influences key aspects of life, such as independence, social engagement, and personal well-being, for people who learned braille. Your insights will help her better understand the real-world impact of braille on daily living, identify areas where support can be improved, and contribute to developing strategies that promote accessibility and inclusion for people with vision loss.
- Jim McCafferty
A message from UKAAF:
Dear All
I am writing to let you know about the news that we received recently that Jim McCafferty sadly passed away over Christmas. Jim was a huge supporter of UKAAF and Braille. I have written the tribute below to him.
We pass our condolences to Jim’s family and friends from all at UKAAF.
In Memory of Jim McCafferty
(1953–2025)
A tribute from Susan Day Chair of the UK Association for Accessible Formats (UKAAF)
It is with great sadness that I write, on behalf of UKAAF, to remember Jim McCafferty, who died on Christmas Day. Jim was a much-respected colleague, trustee, editor, and friend, and his contribution to accessible formats — and to UKAAF in particular — was both profound and enduring.
Registered blind from the age of three, Jim learned braille at the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh, and it remained central to his life ever since. As Jim himself so powerfully expressed: “Braille has had a massive and very positive impact on my life, and to be perfectly honest, I really do not know how I could do without it.” Braille enabled Jim to live an independent, informed and fulfilling life, both personally and professionally, and he was a passionate advocate for ensuring others could do the same.
Jim devoted more than 40 years of his career to braille production and proofreading, including many years with the Scottish Braille Press. His expertise, attention to detail, and deep understanding of braille were widely respected across the sector. Even following his retirement, Jim continued to support Sight Scotland as a supply braille proofreader — a reflection of his lifelong commitment to quality and access.
Within UKAAF, Jim served with distinction as both a trustee and, for nearly 11 years, as editor of Format Matters. In this role, he played a vital part in shaping discussion, sharing best practice, and strengthening collaboration across the accessible formats community. His editorial leadership was thoughtful, rigorous and generous, always grounded in the belief that accessible information changes lives.
Jim spoke openly about the practical value of braille in everyday life — from managing personal records to ensuring privacy and confidentiality — but he was equally passionate about encouraging new learners. His advice was always clear and heartfelt: “Give learning braille all you’ve got. You don’t need to know the system intricately, but learning the alphabet and numbers will allow you to communicate and keep track of important information. It will help you maintain your independence and improve your life skills.”
Jim’s legacy lives on through the many people who benefited from his work, his guidance, and his advocacy. On behalf of UKAAF, I extend our deepest condolences to Jim’s family, friends and colleagues. He will be remembered with great respect, gratitude, and affection, and he will be greatly missed by all of us who had the privilege of working alongside him.
Susan Day
UKAAF Chair
The Braillists is a grass-roots community group offering high quality training and support to emerging and established braille users. We also work with family members, friends, colleagues and teachers of braille users, and connect braille users with braille technology developers and funders.
What Is Braille?
Braille is a simple code for representing written language. We believe braille has the potential to transform the life of any blind person who has the opportunity to learn it.
Discover more about braille on this page.
Learn Braille
We support hundreds of adults to read braille by touch in a few short weeks through our innovative and approachable Braille for Beginners course. Free of charge, it comprises hard copy resources through the post and a series of short pre-recorded lessons, supplemented by email and Zoom support from highly qualified and experienced tutors.
Find out more about Braille for Beginners and register here.
There are plenty of other courses available too, for both children and adults, reading by touch or by sight. We have made a list of these on our Learn Braille page.
Perkins Repairs and Other Braille Equipment
The Perkins Brailler is the most established braille writer in use today, and even machines from the 1950s can still be serviced and repaired. We have compiled information about Perkins repairs, places to purchase Perkins Braillers, and other types of braille equipment on our Braille Equipment page.
If you are looking for braille paper, you can find it on our Braille Consumables page.
Our Aims
- Promote the value of braille as a proven literacy tool that enriches the lives of blind people.
- Support efforts to make affordable braille and tactile reading technologies available to all blind people irrespective of education and employment status.
- Provide an open forum for the exchange of ideas about the development of future braille technology.
Find Out More
Join our announcements only mailing list to receive our weekly newsletter.
Join the conversation and meet other Braillists on our discussion forum.
Connect with us on Twitter (@Braillists) or like us on Facebook for up to the minute Braillists news.
Listen to some braille-related audio on Soundcloud (braillists).
Please see our Sponsors and Partners for information on organisations who are supporting us.
Get In Touch
Email [email protected] or call 020 3893 3392. Further details on our Contact Us page.