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There are a growing number of adults with sight loss, and braille is a form of literacy equivolent to print. In response, Resolution 2020-3 was adopted at the 2020 General Assembly of the International Council on English Braille. Below, you will find a list of resources for adult English braille learners and for professionals who teach braille to adults. Please note that this is a living document that will continue to grow over time. If you are aware of additional resources for adult braille learners, please write to info@iceb.org. We thank all those who have provided information thus far and look forward to adding to this list over time.
Celebrating Braille, A Canadian APproach: A textbook available in hard copy braille for adult braille learners that includes four separate volumes (Vol. 2 - 5) for the student and a teacher???s guide purchased separately. It is meant to be used with the support of an instructor. It teaches braille in alphabetic order, beginning with uncontracted braille before introducing contracted braille. Includes drills, motivating readings and Canadian-relevant topics, names and geographic regions.
Vision Loss Rehabilitation Canada: Braille and other independent living skills training and related rehabilitation services for individuals in Canada who are blind, deafblind or partially sighted. Offices exist in different regions across the country.
Vancouver Community College, braille courses: In-person courses offered to eligible adults who are blind / partially sighted and who wish to learn braille. Offered through Vancouver Community College, in BC.
Braille Literacy Canada Braille Zoomers virtual peer-support program for adult braille learners: A virtual peer-support program held over zoom, hosted by Braille Literacy Canada, the Canadian Braille AUthority. Participants meet to share tips, resources and advice. Open to blind / low vision adults located in Canada.
Braille Literacy Canada Brailler Bounce program: This program repairs unused braillers and rehomes them to braille users across Canada who are blind, deafblind or who have low vision.
National Network of Equitable Library Services: Accessible library services with vast range of materials in braille available to braille readers in Canada. Includes titles of interest to adults.
Centre for Equitible Library Access: Accessible library services available to individuals across Canada, with a large catalog of braille books. In addition to other categories, CELA also includes a category of ???high interest, low vocabulary??? books that will be of interest to adult braille learners. These titles focus on themes of interest to adults while using simpler vocabulary to facilitate reading. Eligible patrons can also access the thousands of books available through Bookshare, Canadian collection: if they wish to read using their electronic braille display.
Braille Bites video series: This online video series, developed by the Provincial Resources Centre for the Visually Impaired (PRCVI) and Braille Literacy Canada is primarily geared towards teachers of blind children, but several of the videos will be equally relevant to adult braille learners (e.g.??creating tactile greeting cards, tactile indicators for the microwave, etc).
CNIB Braille Courses: Self-paced distance courses offered through CNIB for sighted and blind individuals located in Canada who wish to become certified transcribers and proofreaders in a number of braille codes, including contracted braille and music braille.
Directory of Vision rehabilitation services - American Printing House for the Blind: The Vision Aware website of the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) provides a searchable directory of vision rehabilitation services available in the United States. Adults with vision loss can search for services in their region for learning braille and other related independent living skills.
Hadley self-paced distance braille courses: Hadley offers a range of distance, self-paced braille courses both for sighted and blind adult braille learners. This list provides an overview of all their courses. Braille for EveryDay use (letter series) is a good place for blind and low vision learners to begin, as it teaches the braille alphabet, numbers and punctuation, before moving on to additional courses on contracted braille and reading fluency. Courses for blind learners include a workbook sent to your home and an accompanying audio based tutorial for each lesson.
Mangold Basic Braille Program: A curriculum for learning foundational braille skills (sometimes called prebraille) before introducing uncontracted and contracted braille. Meant to be used with an instructor; includes a teacher???s manual.
Illinois braille series: A curriculum available in hard copy braille for blind learners. Meant to be used with an instructor.
McDuffy Reader: A braille primer textbook for blind adults.
National Library Service: Accessible library services for qualified patrons in the United States; includes braille titles of interest to adults.
Bookshare: Collection of thousands of titles that can be downloaded in multiple digital formats, including electronic braille for braille display users. The specific number of titles available varies depending on country and eligibility.
Super Short Stories in Uncontracted Braille: National Braille Press: National Braille Press produces and sells a wide variety of titles in hardcopy and e-braille format. Many titles of interest to adults, including Super Short Stories in Uncontracted Braille: A collection of short stories focusing on themes of interest to adults, all produced in uncontracted braille. Search through the catalog for additional titles to build reading fluency, including recipe books and technology guides.
Braille book resources - American Foundation for the Blind: The American Foundation for the Blind provides this list of resources for obtaining braille books and magazines in the United States.
Learning braille as a mature adult, the Braille Monitor: An online article from the National Federation of the Blind Braille Monitor written by an older adult braille learner. Skim through other issues of the Braille Monitor for some other great resources and perspectives on braille.
Teaching braille to adults - National Research and Training Center for the Blind: An online professional development continuing education course for instructors who teach braille to adults.
Paths to Literacy: A website that provides access to many resources of interest to braille literacy instructors, including activity ideas, lesson plans and instructional strategies. While focused on children, many of the resources can be adapted for adult braille learners.
Introduction to braille workshop - National Research and Training Center for the Blind: NRTCB offers a wide range of professional development courses for individuals who teach braille and other independent living skills to adults. This link leads to a workshop that provides an introduction to braille.
Braille Brain - American Printing House for the Blind: a self-paced online course for learning braille visually (for sighted learners). Does not replace university training, but provides a helpful resource for learning braille by sight.
List of university programs - Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired: AER maintains a list of AER accredited programs in Vision Rehabilitation Therapy that train professionals who teach braille and other independent living skills to blind and low vision adults. Updated on an ongoing basis.
This RNIB braille learning resources document provides a detailed list of courses for both blind and sighted adult braille learners. Review this document for a comprehensive list of courses, textbooks and other resources available in the U.K.
Braillists Foundation: The Braillists Foundation is run by braille readers in the U.K. Projets include braille Master classes (available online) which focus on many topics of interest to adult braille learners, including using a braille display, notetaking strategies and labeling methods.
Braille for Beginners - Braillists Foundation: Available to blind people in the U.K., this course will introduce you to the braille alphabet, numbers, punctuation and common conventions such as email and website addresses. It is designed to be studied in your own time and at your own pace. Audio recorded lessons and hard copy material mailed to registered participants. Focuses on uncontracted braille.
Braille resources in Ireland - Irish National Braille and Alternative Formats Association: INBAF provides a list of braille resources of interest to adult braille readers, including organizations that produce and teach braille to adults in Ireland. Visit this Frequently Asked Questions page for a summary of several available services.
Vision Ireland: Vision Ireland provides braille and related independent living skills training to qualified adults with sight loss in Ireland.
Vision Australia - Braille training for adults: Information about braille training provided to blind and low vision adults in Australia.
NextSense UEB Online courses: Online self-paced distance courses for learning Unified English Braille (literary and mathematics) available for both blind and sighted individuals. The online training programs are offered free of charge, with a fee of AU$50.00 for those who request certificates of completion for each training program. Program completion requires a computer and internet connection, and each subscriber is required to register on the UEB Online website and create a personalised password. Registration enables each subscriber to work through the lessons at their own pace, saving completed lessons and returning to the next lesson at a later date or on a different computer. Blind learners would need access to a braille display.
Queensland Braille Learning Progression and Related Assessment Tool: The Queensland Statewide Vision Impairment Services team are pleased to announce that the Queensland Braille Learning Progression (QBLP) and related assessment tool, is now available for professionals who teach braille to download.
Braille training - Blind Low Vision NZ: Information about braille training available for blind people through Blind Low Vision NZ services.
UEB braille profficiency examination in Australia and New Zealand: Information about profficiency examination available to individuals in Australia and New Zealand who wish to transcribe or proofread braille.
Blind SA: Information about braille production and services available through Blind SA.
Enjoy podcasts? Podcasts are an excellent way to hear and learn from other braille readers from around the world. Here are a few podcasts to stay up-to-date on braille topics. To find more, search ???braille??? on your favourite podcast app.
Braillecast - Braillists Foundation
Seminars at Hadley - Braille Literacy