What is Braille?

Designed for parents, teachers, and children who are sighted, these resources provide basic information about braille and its importance. Several games and activities for children are included.

Braille Awareness Kit, Perkins School for the Blind
Learn about Perkins' Braille Awareness Kit, designed to provide an understanding of the braille system and how braille makes a difference in the lives of people who are blind; available on loan.

Braille Facts, Perkins School for the Blind (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
A 4-page fact sheet from the Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library provides basic information about the braille system and its history.

Braille, Perkins School for the Blind
This article provides an overview of the history of braille and its current use as the standard reading and writing system for people who are blind.

Braille Games, Perkins School for the Blind
Judi Cannon prepared four pages of games to make learning braille fun for elementary school-aged children who are sighted.

Overview of Braille, Paths to Literacy
This page of the Paths to Literacy site provides a brief introduction to braille, including how it was invented, what the difference is between contracted and uncontracted braille, and additional resources for learning more about braille.

About Braille, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
This NLS Factsheet describes the braille system and its history, introduces the alphabet, and includes a brief biography of Louis Braille.

What is Braille? American Federation for the Blind
AFB's short introduction describes what braille looks like, how it was invented, and how it is written.

Web-Based Organizations and Internet Resources

Braille Bug, American Federation for the Blind
At AFB's Braille Bug site, students who are sighted can learn about braille and its history, play games, and practice their new skills with games and riddles; a section for parents and teachers includes classroom activities and a reading club.

Dotless Braille
This site is "dedicated to demystifying braille and to presenting new ideas for learning and presenting braille."  It includes an introduction to braille, tips for teachers, and a special section for parents.

More about Braille on the Net, Enabling Technologies
This selection of electronic resources includes information on all aspects of braille, from the alphabet and history to commercial sites with chocolate bars and jewelry.