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How difficult is it to learn braille?Braille is to blind people what print is to sighted people. It is the method by which a blind person can become literate. Braille uses impressions on paper to create an alphabet, numbering system and punctuation. Each character in braille is comprised of a maximum of six dots, three dots long and two dots wide. Motivation, level of sensitivity in the finger tips, and the ability to learn and retain new material are the key factors of success in learning braille. Diseases such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis may cause nerve damage in the finger tips, making braille more challenging to learn. A wide dot form of braille may be useful in these situations. Wide dot braille uses slightly larger dots and has more spacing between the characters. Is braille used for anything other than reading and writing?Braille is a means by which individuals may become more independent. Grade One Braille, developed by Louis Braille, is comprised of the alphabet, numbering system and punctuation. By learning Grade One Braille, an individual may be able to mark the color of clothing and mark the contents of canned goods and frozen food items. Grade Two Braille is comprised of 189 contractions. Braille may be used for personal information, such as an address book or check register, and for leisure time activities such as playing cards or board games available in braille. Learning Grade Two Braille may help an individual access many types of mass produced books for leisure and educational purposes. For more information on learning braille or other services, contact the Society at 968-9000. History of BrailleThe system of braille was developed by a 15-year-old student at the School for the Blind in Paris. Louis Braille utilized a system developed by the French army officer Charles Barbier. It was a 12-dot system that was punched on cardboard for nighttime battlefield communications. Louis Braille developed the six-dot system in 1824 and published it in 1829. While students were quick to accept this system, some teachers were reluctant to use it. Braille's system was finally adopted in 1854, two years after his death. Between 1854 and 1874, several systems were developed and tried in the United States, when finally in 1916 Braille's original system was adopted in the United States as well. In 1932, the universal braille code for the English-speaking world was adopted, known as Standard English Braille Grade Two. | |||
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