World Braille Day is held every year on January 4th to honor the creator, Louis Braille, who developed the tactile system for reading and writing to help blind and visually impaired people. It is also a time to bring attention to the challenges that Braille users face. 

Veronica Lewis, a Braille user with low vision from a Chiari malformation, discusses positive ways people of all sight levels can support Braille users and people who are blind, have low vision, or are otherwise visually impaired.*

Learn What Braille Is

Contrary to popular belief, Braille is not a language but a code. Braille allies should learn how it is actually used and avoid spreading misinformation that can become more difficult to correct later. Read Lewis’s article on ten fun facts about Braille to learn more. 

Prioritize Braille Literacy for Vision Loss

With advances in technology, such as screen readers, Braille literacy has declined over the years. Many young people, as well as their parents and teachers, believe Braille is old-fashioned and obsolete. However, it is still important to learn as technology may not always be around to read information. 

Parents and students can advocate for Braille education during IEP and 504 plan meetings, or they can ask the Teacher of the Visually Impaired for additional recommendations. 

Advocate for Braille and Accessible Menus in Restaurants

Lewis admits that she has encountered countless menus that were difficult to read due to poor contrast, an inability to magnify text, or lack of compatibility with screen readers. Braille menus at restaurants are also very rare. Allies can request that online menus are designed with screen-reader users in mind, such as displaying menus that are written out in text (not a screenshot or image of text). 

Learn More about Assistive Technology

Braille users commonly use assistive technology, which is defined as “any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities.”

While Braille is not assistive technology, computers, smartwatches, labels, and more are common items that can be used as assistive technology. To understand how Braille users and others with vision loss complete tasks, developing a general understanding of assistive technology is helpful. 

Add Alt Text and Image Descriptions to Media Content

Alt text and image descriptions are written descriptions of what is in an image that is read out lead by a screen reader or displayed on a Braille display. Braille allies can help by learning how to add alt text and image description to web content and social medial so that the internet can be more accessible to those with vision loss. 

Make Transcripts and Screenplays Available for Everyone

For people who have dual vision and hearing loss (also known as deafblindness), having written dialogue along with a visual description on a Braille display available for things like podcasts, movies, and TV shows is helpful. 

Listen to People who Use Braille 

The best way to be a Braille ally is to listen to concerns and issues Braille users face in their daily life. As you become more knowledgeable, you can help advocate and spread awareness on topics. Here are some more ways allies can help:

• Watch videos created by Braille users on video-sharing websites
• Sign petitions to help Braille access
• Amplify and share messages on social media related to Braille access 
• Involve people who use Braille in product testing processes

Making improvements for the vision-impaired community has not been easy. Therefore, it is very important to have more allies. The louder the cry for improvements, the more attention will be brought to this injustice where change can happen. 

*Lewis, V. (2021, October 26). How To Be An Ally For Braille Users: World Braille Day 2021. Veroniiiica. https://veroniiiica.com/2021/01/04/how-to-be-an-ally-for-braille-users/