Latest News
- Braille Bar on Tuesday
Our popular Braille Bar returns this Tuesday at 7:30 PM. No question is too small, from kit to code – just ask and our experts will assist you!
Or, to join by phone, use these details:
- Phone number: 0131 460 1196
- Meeting ID: 880 3508 8878
- Passcode: 123456
- The Tactile Times advent calendar is back
The Tactile Times advent calendar is back once again for 2024.
This year we’ll have 24 hidden Christmas-themed surprises, from a selection of Christmas jokes to some clips of Christmas music from our contributors.
It can be accessed at: https://games.tactiletimes.org/advent.html
- Nominate the Braillists for £1000: 12 Days of Giving from the Benefact Group
Every year, the Benefact Group awards donations to UK-based charities through their Movement for Good initiative. During December, they will award £120,000 to 120 nominated charities during their 12 Days of Giving celebrations.
If you like what we do and want to support us, please nominate the Braillists Foundation before 19 December. The more nominations we get, the greater the chances of receiving an award. There is only one nomination per charity per person, so please share far and wide!
Thank you for your support.
- BrailleSense 6 Patch Release, V2.5
Selvas BLV wishes to announce this upgrade patch for BrailleSense 6, V2.5.
This patch release fixes several issues discovered since the release of the major 2.5 upgrade. It also adds the ability to OCR image-basedPDF files, just by pressing “Enter” on them in the File Manager.
We would also like to announce that the issues signing in to new Google mail and Google Drive accounts have been remedied. This fix does not depend on the firmware upgrade, but applies universally, as it is implemented via the Google sign in portal.
Please find the complete list of fixes and improvements in the attached release note here.
View the full release announcement
Links to offline installation files:
- Joining the dots: braille music in the 21st Century, Wednesday 18 December at 7:00 PM
As the third and final part of their mini series on braille music, Sound Without Sight are excited to announce their next Monthly Meet-up, featuring a presentation and Q&A with James Risdon!
As part of the celebration of 200 years of braille, James will take a holistic look at how braille music fits into the practices of a modern-day classical musician.
The session will cover a range of topics, including:
- Sources of braille music and how to access them, including libraries, collections around the world, and helpful email lists.
- Ways of getting music transcribed, including using transcription services, dictation, or a support worker.
- How James uses automated transcription tools himself.
- Tips for making braille music files as useful as possible.
- How and when James uses braille as a tool alongside audio and other approaches to learn music.
- Rare Braille Book in Oxford: Read it for Yourself! Tuesday 21 January, 2:00 PM-3:00 PM
Robert Bolick has been collecting artists’ books since 2012. His collection ‘Books on Books’ contains over 1200 items, and a selection of over 150 works featured in an exhibition curated by Robert, Alphabets Alive! which toured from July 2023 to January 2024.
He has recently procured a new book from artist Masoumeh Mohtadi, which modifies and transcribes into braille the Persian fable called “The Little Black Fish” to teach the reader how to make an origami fish. He is working with MyVision Oxfordshire and Oxford University to run a workshop to enable blind people to handle and explore the book for themselves.
The workshop will be taking place on Tuesday 21 January, 2:00 PM-3:00 PM at:
Weston Library, Broad Street, Oxford, OX1 3BG
Attendance is free and lunch will be provided beforehand.
Please register your attendance in advance by emailing Nathan Tree, Community Engagement Lead for MyVision Oxfordshire, on [email protected]
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.