Latest News
- Final Copies of Brilliant Bombus Bumblebee Available
We have been asked to share the following message from Nan Eshelby. Please contact her on [email protected] or visit bombusthebee.com for further information:
I contacted you at the start of this year because I had done a print run of braille companion books to pair with my book, Brilliant Bombus Bumblebee.
I wondered if you might be willing to let the forum or anyone you think might be interested that I only have a few sets left and I am willing to to sell the pair of books at £5 and thought it might be nice for Xmas. The non braille version is suitable for age 3-
- The Braillists at Sight Village South East, Tuesday 5 November, 10:30 AM-5:30 PM
Kensington Town Hall, Hornton Street, London, W8 7NX
If you are coming to Sight Village South East this year, please drop by and say hi!
Matthew and friends will be located in the Great Hall, row 3, table 25.
- Braille Seminars at Sight Village South East, Tuesday 5 November
We are pleased to share information about two braille-related seminars taking place at Sight Village South East on Tuesday 5 November, each lasting half an hour.
Pre-register for Sight Village South East seminars
Getting Started with Braille Screen Input, 1:40 PM in Room 2
Presenter: Matthew Horspool
Entering text on an iPhone can be challenging. Many visually impaired people dictate text because they find the on-screen keyboard cumbersome, but dictation isn’t always accurate, and there’s always a risk that a private message will be overheard. In this session, we will introduce you to another option:
Braille Screen Input replaces the standard on-screen keyboard with a braille one, and it’s built directly into every iPhone. It’s also just had a major overhaul, making it easier than ever to get started.
So what are you waiting for? Join us and learn how to type quickly, quietly, with confidence.
Celebrating 200 Years Of Braille, 3:00 PM in Room 2
Presenters: Dave Williams and Claire Maxwell
#Braille200 Join RNIB for a celebration of all things braille. We will be looking at how far braille has come over the last 200 years, the significant difference it is making to people’s lives today and what is on the horizon for braille in the future.
- Notes and Recording of Sound Without Sight MuseScore Demo
Notes from James Bowden’s session on MuseScore Studio for Sound Without Sight have now been published.
You can find the recording on the Sound Without Sight Podcast.
- Braille Screen Input for Beginners Recording Now Available
A recording of Matthew Horspool’s Braille Screen Input for Beginners session for Accessible World Tek Talk is now available.
- Braille eMotion Webinar, Tuesday 12 November at 7:00 PM Central
A message from Selvas BLV:
We would like to invite you to attend our Braille eMotion Webinar to learn about what makes this 40-Cell Smart Braille Display top of the line!
This webinar will be followed by a live Q&A where you will have a chance to get your questions answered.
We are so excited to see you there, as we know how informative and impactful these webinars can be! There is so much to unpack with this new 40-Cell Smart Braille Display, the Braille eMotion, that we are certain you will be left blown away.
This announcement applies only to the English/ North American firmware. Those from other nations should contact their regional dealer for information on updates that apply to your language and region.
This webinar takes place at the following times:
- US Pacific: 5:00 PM
- US Central: 7:00 PM
- US Eastern: 8:00 PM
- UK: Wednesday 13 November at 1:00 AM
- New Zealand: Wednesday 13 November at 2:00 PM
- Introducing BUOC: Braille, User-Oriented Code, Tuesday 19 November at 7:30 PM
The latest in our occasional series showcasing historical braille shorthand codes which you might still find useful today:
Braille, User-Oriented Code (BUOC) was a code written by the late Australian, Rebecca Maxwell, with the support of Australian Braille Literacy Action (ABLA), formerly the Australian Guild of Business and Professional Blind. It was last revised in 1998 and includes a number of useful devices for making braille shorter.
In this session, we are delighted to be joined by Jordie Howell, a great proponent of BUOC and a contemporary of its author. Jordie will introduce us to the principals of BUOC, describe how some common words and phrases can be shortened and explain how we can find out more about this grass roots code.
Register for Introducing BUOC here.
To join by phone, please use these details:
- Phone number: 0131 460 1196
- Meeting ID: 857 0013 1529
- Passcode: 123456
- Live Demo of Braille Music Translation Using Sao Mai Braille (SMB), Thursday 21 November at 7:00 PM
As a follow-up to their MuseScore Studio demo last month, Sound Without Sight is excited to announce their next Monthly Meet-up, which will feature a live demo of Sao Mai Braille (SMB) and its ability to translate MusicXML files to braille! They will again welcome James Bowden, Braille Technical Officer at RNIB, whose feedback has been influential throughout the development of SMB so far.
The demo will cover a range of topics, including:
- Overview of the SMB app.
- Download and installation.
- The transcription process, beginning with a MusicXML file and converting to a BRF file, ready for embossing to hardcopy braille or reading on a braille display.
- Important options and settings to be aware of, including music profiles.
- Considerations for common types of score (single line, keyboard, vocal, orchestral).
- Selecting an individual part from an ensemble score.
- Music navigation mode.
The demonstration will last around 60 minutes, with a further 30 minutes for questions. This will be a relaxed, informal discussion and audience participation is encouraged. They will be prioritising questions submitted in advance of the event, so please use the field on the registration page or contact Sound Without Sight in advance with any questions you may have so that they can ensure that they are included in the discussion.
Please note that this session will be recorded and published on podcasting platforms, so if you contribute during the session, you are consenting to appearing in the recording. This session is open to all ages, but they advise that children or young people wishing to attend the session should be accompanied by an adult.
We hope to see you there!
- Braille 200: Championing Tactile Literacy, Tuesday 26 November at 7:30 PM
A live stream from the British Library.
Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and partners celebrate the bicentenary of the invention of braille and explore its future.
With Lord David Blunkett, Betsy Griffin and Dave Williams.
More panellists to be announced.
Online viewers will be able to submit questions to the panel towards the end of the event.Leading sight loss charity the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and the British Library invite you to celebrate the bicentenary of the invention of braille, the system of raised dots that allows blind and partially sighted people to read with their fingers.
Our distinguished panel will delve into the rich history of braille and debate its promising future. Panellists include Lord David Blunkett and Betsy Griffin. The conversation will be hosted by Dave Williams, RNIB Inclusive Design Ambassador and chair of the Braillists Foundation.
Louis Braille was in his teens in the mid-1820s when he began developing the six-dot tactile reading system that enables millions of blind and partially sighted people around the world to access the power of literacy. From September 2024, RNIB is leading a year of celebrations across the UK to recognise the bicentenary of the braille code; braille continues to unlock access to countless opportunities in education, employment and independent living.
We are honoured to host a distinguished panel of special guests, who will celebrate the past, present and future of braille.
Panellist Biographies:
Lord David Blunkett needs little introduction. Blind since birth, the Labour Party politician served as the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough from 1987 to 2015 and is now a member of the House of Lords. He served as Education and Employment Secretary, Home Secretary and Work and Pensions Secretary in Tony Blair’s Cabinet following Labour’s victory in the 1997 general election. In 2001 he was promoted to Home Secretary, a position he held until 2004. He is Vice President of RNIB. Lord Blunkett will speak about the huge influence braille has had on his political and personal life and work.
Eleven-year-old Betsy Griffin lost her eyesight after being treated for a brain tumour. As she recovered from surgery, she began to discover braille was one of the tools she could use to continue her huge love of reading and writing. Her first book, Out of The Woods, was published in 2022 and in it, Betsy created a cast of friendly animal characters who explain how to live positively in the face of adversity. It was partly based on her popular YouTube videos which explore Betsy’s unique tips for living well.
For 25 years, Dave Williams has been championing inclusive design principles to ensure equal access and opportunities for blind and partially sighted people. His work has driven change, enhancing accessibility across a wide range of industries, including technology, product design, the built environment and public services. Blind since birth, Dave is a huge advocate for the use of braille to enable blind and partially sighted people to gain access to literacy, education and employment. He also uses it extensively in everyday life having proposed to his wife on a braille scrabble board. Dave hosts RNIB Tech Talk, the UK’s leading radio show and podcast for blind and partially sighted technology users, which airs on RNIB’s Connect Radio. He is Chair of the Braillists Foundation, a community passionate about promoting independence and opportunity through braille literacy and sits on the European Blind Union Braille Working Group. He is a UK delegate to the International Council on English Braille and has recently joined the board of the DAISY Consortium.
The RNIB would like to thank event sponsors Dot, Humanware and People’s Postcode Lottery, which support RNIB through funds awarded by Postcode Care Trust.
This is an online event streamed on the British Library platform. Bookers will be sent a viewing link shortly before the event and will be able to watch at any time for 48 hours after the start time.
- Braille for Beginners Drop-In Session
If you are registered for our Braille for Beginners On Demand course, our next Office Hours session will take place on Tuesday at 7:30 PM. Please look out for a reminder email containing your unique joining link. If you have not received it by Tuesday lunchtime, please write to [email protected] for assistance.
If you are new to braille and not registered for Braille for Beginners, please consider signning up at www.braillists.org/beginners.
For people not following Braille for Beginners, your next session will be next Tuesday. Please see next week’s Newsletter for more information.
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.