14 Braille Basics

Importance of understanding braille

When evaluating a braille learner, it is important to have information about the braille writing system and to note the differences between braille and print. Recognizing discrepancies between braille and print allows an understanding of the complexity of the writing system and the orthographic knowledge required for fluent braille reading and writing. This understanding will help the evaluator interpret data and make appropriate recommendations.

Braille basics

Braille is a tactile writing system developed for people who are blind or have very low vision. A braille cell consists of an arrangement of raised dots. A full braille cell includes six raised dots arranged in two columns, each column having three dots. The number and amount of raised dots in a single cell can represent a letter, digit, punctuation mark, or a part- or whole word. For more details on braille as a writing system, review the Braille Literacy Canada website (n.d.).

Braille may be found on embossed illustrations and graphs, commonly referred to as tactile graphics. Tactile graphics are composed of raised lines, shapes, and textures that are specifically designed for haptic exploration. These graphics encode and display spatial data in a tactile medium (e.g., the relative proportion of sections of a pie chart). For more information, visit the introductory tactile graphics page on Paths to Literacy (Cushman, n.d.).

Unified English Braille (UEB) was developed by the International Council on English Braille to unify the braille writing system for literary and technical work (2022). It is the writing system used across many countries around the world including Canada and the United States.

Many students begin their braille programming with uncontracted braille, which is a letter-by-letter transcription used to develop basic literacy. However, the TVI may determine that is appropriate to begin concurrently with instruction in uncontracted and contracted braille. Contracted braille includes the addition of abbreviations and contractions and represents an important efficiency feature in UEB. The early introduction of contractions is associated with higher literacy performance later in students’ educational careers (Wall Emerson et al., 2009).

To better understand the distinction between uncontracted and contracted braille, it is important to note that unlike the print alphabet in which single letters are used to spell words, contracted braille relies upon several different functions for the alphabet. In some instances, the letters may be used singly to spell out words. In other instances, the letter may be used to refer to several letters that may be a prefix, suffix, an entire word, or a partial word. The braille reader must rely upon the meaning of the sentence and contextual clues based on where or how the character is used to determine what the character is referencing. As such, the process of braille reading requires a degree of inferential reasoning that is not seen in reading print.

Braille and reading speed

Reading braille is typically a more time-consuming task than reading print. The fastest braille reader will likely not read faster than the average student in upper grades of elementary school. Braille readers will typically need accommodations in time and/or amount of materials to be read.

Braille as one of many accommodations

Finally, many students who are braille readers use their vision to complete other academic tasks. It is not unusual to see a student reading braille and also using audio materials and magnifiers for other tasks. It is critical that the evaluator understand which accommodations and supports are used for each of the academic tasks.

Resources for learning braille

Beginning Braille is a free six-part webinar series designed to introduce parents, caregivers, and paraprofessionals to the Unified English Braille code (Herlich, 2020). Topics covered include alphabetic braille, numbers, basic punctuation, alphabetic word signs, and some of the most common short-form words and initial letter contractions. Each lesson includes a description, examples, and independent practices with answers.

The Braille Brain training project aims to support braille literacy and mathematics instruction (n.d.). The online training was created for TVIs, educators, paraprofessionals, and parents. The courses include UEB Foundation, UEB Foundation Assessments, and Nemeth. Each course includes various units and lessons. This training project is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Agency (H235E190002), and additional training is being developed, such as UEB Advanced.

References

Braille Brain. (n.d.) Introduction and index. https://braillebrain.aphtech.org/

Braille Literacy Canada. (n.d.). Learn about braille. https://www.brailleliteracycanada.ca/en/braille

Cushman, C. (n.d.). Tactile graphics. https://www.pathstoliteracy.org/tactile-graphics/

Herlich, S. [California School for the Blind]. (2020, August 24). Braille basics webinar – Beginning braille [YouTube playlist]. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYwqRS8JwdkoW7Kp5IVHoElBAEUz-OrQb

International Council on English Braille. (2022, November 10). Unified English Braille (UEB). https://www.iceb.org/ueb.html

Wall Emerson, R., Holbrook, M. C., & D’Andrea, F. M. (2009). Acquisition of literacy skills by young children who are blind: Results from the ABC braille study. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 103(10), 610-624. https://doi.org/10.1177/0145482X0910301005