Braille is a code that enables us to read with our fingertips using a system of six raised dots. It was created in 1824 by a French boy named Louis Braille who was born on January 4, 1809. Today, Braille is used all over the world in many languages.

Each year, we work to get Braille into the hands of more blind people. January 4 marks World Braille Day in celebration of its creator, Louis Braille. Every day, thousands of blind people use Braille for everything from shopping lists to labels for canned goods, from reading novels to solving math and scientific equations, from learning a piece of music to composing one. The increasing availability of Braille signs makes it easier for blind people to get around hotels, office buildings, government facilities, university campuses, and more. Braille is as flexible as print, can be learned in roughly the same amount of time, and can be read just as fluidly.

Braille Certification

Under a contract with the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, we offer courses in literary, mathematics, and music Braille transcribing. Each course teaches students how to transcribe print materials of their subject into Braille or proofread transcribed Braille materials. Upon completion of the course, students will receive a certificate in their discipline. To register for our Braille certification training program, please visit the Braille Certification webpage or call us at 410-659-8913, extension 2510.

Learning Braille At Any Age 

Braille is beneficial because it offers blind people independence, confidence, and flexibility in our daily lives. We offer resources to encourage blind people at every stage of their Braille journey, from learning to practicing to implementation. No matter the age, you are never too young or too old to learn Braille.
 
Jamie Crane, a blind parent of a blind child, joined the Braille Readers Are Leaders Contest in her thirties after years of uncertainty about how useful the code could be for her. The contest, sponsored by the American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults in partnership with the National Federation of Blind, promotes the joy of reading to develop Braille literacy skills. Learn more about Jamie's journey with Braille, read our blog, All Braille Readers Are Leaders: A Blind Parent’s Journey.