Latest News
- Perspectives from CSUN, Tomorrow at 7:30 PM
Last week saw the 40th CSUN Assistive Technology Conference take place in Anaheim, California, bringing together manufacturers, distributors, educators, researchers and users from all over the world. As ever, a wide variety of braille products was on show at the exhibit hall, and the conference programme featured several braille-related presentations including research on how the length of a braille display affects reading speed, reflections on 200 years of tactile literacy, and the first public draft of the new EBraille specification.
In this session, we’re excited to be joined by the team from Double Tap, the popular technology show from Accessible Media Inc. Steven Scott and Shaun Preece both attended CSUN for the first time this year. They will tell us about the braille products they saw and share their perspectives on how CSUN compares with exhibitions like Sight Village in the UK.
We will also be joined by Australian assistive technology expert and braille enthusiast Scott Erichsen. Scott has been at the forefront of the development of braille technology for over twenty years as a user, a private beta tester and a distributor, and will tell us about the new and improved products in the exhibit hall. He will also share his insights into how the braille technology industry is evolving and the part that CSUN plays in driving innovation forwards.
Register for Perspectives from CSUN here.
To join by phone, please use these details:
- Phone number: 0131 460 1196
- Meeting ID: 898 9330 6464
- Passcode: 123456
- First Ever Silent Braille Described Film Screening in Bo’Ness, Scotland, Friday 21 March
After much user testing and discussions, the first ever silently described silent film screening will be taking place on Friday 21st March in the beautiful Scottish town of Bo’Ness (an easy 30 minute journey from Edinburgh or Glasgow). The newly restored 1917 feature film, ‘The Pride of the Clan’, stars Hollywood royalty, Mary Pickford as Marget MacTavish and encompasses clan politics, daring sea rescues, quaint island customs, a thwarted romance and a rag-to-riches storyline, along with, of course, some highland dancing.
The live music accompanying this film will be provided by the extraordinary duo of musicians and silent film accompanists Stephen Horne and Elizabeth-Jane Baldry who, between them (and often in the same performance) play harp, flute, piano and accordion.
Patrons can bring their own wifi-compatible refreshable braille device, or opt to request a headset to receive good old fashioned audio description (itself a rarity for silent film, and itself a unique experience combined with live music), which will also be available through the HippFest at Home online offering for 48 hours after the event.
Tickets (for both in-person and online) are on sale through the HippFest website.
Polly Goodwin says: “I would be so very grateful if you could share this invitation with anyone you think might be interested. My hope is that we get an audience excited to try out this new experience, and even more excited to give me frank and full feedback afterwards to further develop the process of opening up a unique part of cinema to people who are blind or have low vision.”
If you are interested in attending please contact Polly Goodwin.
- Monarch is flying towards a new update version 1.2: Wednesday 26 March at 3:00 PM
Join Peter and Andrew for an exclusive look at the first Monarch firmware update.
Discover the exciting new features in our first update, including KeyMail, Internet browsing, and a preview of the highly anticipated eBraille experience.
Don’t miss this opportunity to see how Monarch continues to evolve!
- Finger Braille Research Opportunity
My name is George Fence, and I am a second year PhD student at Birmingham City University. My research focuses on haptic technologies for accessibility, which are devices that use the sense of touch.
I am currently recruiting participants from the United Kingdom for and in-person test. If you have experience reading Grade 2 Braille and are familiar with the Perkins keyboard layout, this research might interest you.
The study will involve using a new Finger Braille reading device which uses six actuators worn on the fingers in the Perkins keyboard layout to show Braille characters. The goal of the study is to explore combining vibration and pressure to improve reading performance, and the findings could be used to improve haptic technologies such as Braille displays.
Participation in the study is completely voluntary, and the collected data will be anonymised. By taking part in this research, you will contribute to knowledge in the field of accessibility.
Testing will take place at Birmingham City University, or we can discuss meeting in a public space (e.g. public library) closer to you.
Participant Inclusion Criteria
- Must know how to read Grade 2 English Braille.
- Must have experience with a Perkins keyboard or finger Braille.
- Must be an adult. (over 18 years of age)
- Must identify as having a vision and/or hearing impairment or disability; or have professional experience working with disabled individuals. (e.g. vision impairment, hearing impairment, deafblindness)
- Must be able to communicate verbally in English with the researcher.
- Must be able to provide informed consent and agree for an interview to be recorded.
- Must be able to travel to Birmingham or to meet in a mutually agreed public location.
If you are interested in experiencing new Braille technologies and want to find out more about the study, please submit your interest on this Microsoft Form or contact me directly by email.
- Monarch update: KeyMail, browser stability, ebraille preview & more!
HumanWare is thrilled to announce Monarch Version 1.2, the first of many exciting updates! This release introduces KeyMail, our brand-new email application, along with groundbreaking first preview experience of the new anticipated eBraille advancements, improved web browsing, and a visual display on demand feature.
KeyMail – Stay connected with ease
Introducing KeyMail, the powerful new email application from KeySoft, supporting Office 365 and Google email accounts. With KeyMail, students, teachers, and professionals can effortlessly communicate, share documents, and exchange tactile graphics. Plus, a new multi-line email experience makes reviewing messages more convenient than ever.
Alongside KeyMail, we’re also introducing a Contacts application, making it easier to manage your connections and send emails efficiently.
eBraille – A new era of accessible reading
Monarch is pioneering support for the revolutionary eBraille file format, making it the first refreshable braille device to do so. In collaboration with Dolphin, the Victor Reader app powered by EasyReader now offers a preview experience of eBraille. With two of three core elements already integrated, this marks a significant step toward a more flexible and advanced digital braille future.
Smarter web browsing with Ecosia
Navigating the web just got better! The latest update to Ecosia now enables smoother navigation, allowing you to review more webpage content — perfect for a seamless browsing experience.
Visual display on demand – A game changer for sighted peers
Need to toggle between visual braille and text output? Now you can—instantly! Our new braille viewer shortcut (Press Enter + Backspace + V) makes it easier for sighted users to review braille on screen and print it when needed.
- The VICTA & CNIB Creative Braille Writing Contest is open for submissions!
Closing date: Saturday 31 May 2025
Since 1997, the CNIB has organised a Canada-wide Braille Creative Writing Contest for children and young people. This important competition celebrates braille literacy and encourages young people to flex their creative muscles while practicing their braille skills.
This year, the CNIB is especially allowing UK entries from VICTA students!
Put the power of literacy at your fingertips! Write a short story, essay, or poem on any topic or re-purpose something you’ve written for school this year.
Entry criteria
We can accept original stories, essays or poems written in:
- Contracted or uncontracted braille – use the braille you know!
- Perkins or computer (6-key entry)
- Computer braille is accepted – please contact [email protected] so that we can confirm the best format for you to send it in
- The contest is open to children and young people aged between 5-17 years old who are registered or are registrable as blind or partially sighted
- Entrants must be permanent residents of the UK
- The online entry form must be completed by a parent/carer
- By completing the online entry form, you agree to your child’s entry as well as your child’s name and age being used by VICTA, including being displayed on the VICTA website and on VICTA social media channels
- The 2025 VICTA Braille Art Gallery is Live!
The results of the recent VICTA Braille Art Competition are in, and the galary of entries is now live on the VICTA website. Read the full announcement here
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.