How to Learn Braille
January is Braille Awareness Month in honor of Louis Braille, born January 4, 1809.
If you have a school-age child, braille can be taught in school with a Teacher for the Visually Impaired (TVI) coordinated through the school district. As an adult learner you may have several options.
One of the easiest ways to get started is to contact Hadley, a non-profit that’s been providing braille training for over 100 years. They offer a wide variety of workshops for individuals with a vision loss, including many on Braille by Sight and Braille by Touch. There is no cost for these workshops, and they are available online or through the postal mail. Call Hadley toll free at 800-323-4238 to get started. Don’t think you can do it? William Hadley, who founded Hadley in 1020 was a retired school teacher, who lost his vision later in life. After learning braille himself, he resolved to teach others, starting with his first correspondence student in 1921. Today, William Hadley’s dream serves thousands of members a year from all over the world!
To find braille instruction locally, look in the APH Connect Center Directory of Services for a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist through your states vocational rehabilitation agency or Unit on Aging. Search under “Braille and Reading Instruction.” You can also call the APH Connect Center at 800-232-5463. Many of the services in the directory are provided through your state, or a local non-profit, and there may be no out-of-pocket charge to get started!
Learn braille yourself: Hadley has several ways to learn braille—the Braille by Touch workshop series, and the Braille by Sight series. Registration is free. Call Hadley Help Desk at 800-323-4238 for more info.
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