News

As we start 2026, I want to pause and reflect on how truly remarkable 2025 was for the Braillists Foundation and our wider community.

We started 2025 by holding our first ever face-to-face World Braille Day conference at New College Worcester. It was incredible to meet so many braille users, supporters, volunteers and partners in person — sharing insights, discovering braille technology, and reaffirming our collective commitment to our mission of More Braille.

Throughout 2025 we continued to bring braille stakeholders together with our range of online events and masterclasses, which offered both practical braille learning and community connection. Nearly every week we’ve witnessed folks from different parts of the world joining, sharing, learning and growing together — testament to the strength of this community.

The issue of personal transcription services was an ongoing focus during 2025. Thanks to the incredible campaigning of Connor Scott-Gardner, and following extensive consultation over the summer, RNIB has committed to the re-introduction of free, in-house transcription of braille music for personal use, and has also committed to underwriting the costs of all other personal transcription requests in full, subject to fair usage. Congratulations Connor on a hugely successful campaign, and thank you RNIB for responding to the needs of the braille reading community.

2025 marked the culmination of celebrations honouring 200 years since Louis Braille developed the six-dot system that makes touch reading viable. Organisations across the UK and globally marked this milestone. We at the Braillists Foundation played our part by highlighting braille’s transformational power and advocating for its continued relevance in education, employment, and everyday life.

Looking forward to World Braille Day 2026, we are excited about the joint ICEVI–WBU Global Braille Literacy Campaign “More Braille: More Empowerment”, which will launch officially on World Braille Day with a global online event and the first global braille survey. This ambitious multi-year effort aims to expand access to braille, boost advocacy and media, strengthen resources, and build the evidence base for inclusive education worldwide.

This is a vital moment for all of us who believe in braille literacy as a human right — and the Braillists will be at the heart of supporting this movement.

None of this would be possible without our dedicated Trustees, the generosity and expertise of our volunteers, the hard-working contractors who help keep our work running, and every member of this community who contributes their time, insight, encouragement, and enthusiasm.

A very special thanks to Megan Hastings, who stepped down from our Board of Trustees at Christmas following over four years’ service as our Secretary. Your contribution has made a lasting difference.

At the same time, earlier this year we were delighted to welcome Ami Turnbull as our new Treasurer — we look forward to her leadership and vision in the years to come.

To every braille reader, supporter, partner and friend of the Braillists Foundation: thank you. Thank you for your engagement this year, for sharing your experiences, for advocating loudly and kindly for accessible information and education, and for helping us bring More Braille to more people.

I wish you all a prosperous, empowering 2026 — full of learning, connection and opportunity.

With warmest regards,

Dave Williams

Chair, The Braillists Foundation

Join us for the official launch of the ICEVI–WBU Global Braille Literacy Campaign

On behalf of the International Council for the Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI) and the World Blind Union (WBU), we are pleased to invite you to a live virtual event on World Braille Day, marking the official launch of the ICEVI–WBU Global Braille Literacy Campaign: More Braille, More Empowerment.

The campaign champions braille as a foundation for literacy, learning, independence, and empowerment. The event will be hosted by the Braillists Foundation and live simultaneous translation will be available in French and Spanish.

The event will centre on a lively panel discussion with internationally recognised braille experts, exploring current and emerging topics in braille literacy across inclusive school, work, and community contexts.

The event is free and open to everyone worldwide who shares a commitment to inclusive literacy and empowerment including policy makers, educators, families, advocates, researchers, organisations committed to inclusive literacy and the right to braille … and, most importantly of all, braille users!

We warmly encourage you to register for the live virtual event and share this invitation with your networks.

Register for the Global Braille Campaign Launch Event

As part of the broader campaign launch, ICEVI and WBU will also release More Braille: More Empowerment – Voices Advancing Braille Worldwide, a campaign video featuring messages from members of the global campaign Steering Committee and campaign sponsors, highlighting their shared commitment to advancing the right to braille literacy worldwide.

Join the global movement: be part of a worldwide call to action to ensure braille remains a living, evolving, and empowering literacy medium for generations to come.

The National Federation of the Blind of India will be observing World Braille Day in-person in New Delhi. 500 blind people will gather together to celebrate the past successes of braille in India, look forward to overcoming future challenges, and witness the unveiling of a commemorative table calendar.

The calendar, which will be available in both  braille and ink print, will feature selected photographs including Louis Braille and the Braille Museum.

The event will also serve as the Indian launch of the joint ICEVI–WBU Global Braille Literacy Campaign, More Braille, More Empowerment, with the calendar including messages from the campaign.

Key speakers will include:

• Mr. Santosh Kumar (S.K.) Rungta, President, World Blind Union
• The Honourable Shri R. Venkataramani, Attorney General of India

In addition, video messages will be shown from:

• Dr. Vimal Kumar Dengla, Secretary General, Asian Blind Union
• Mr. Akhil Paul, Vice President, International Council for the Education of People with Visual Impairment
• MR. Pawan, Executive Member, Asian Blind Union (from Nepal)
• Ms. Shalika Karunaratne, Executive Member, Asian Blind Union (from Sri Lanka)
• Mr. Dipendra Minocha, Daizy Consortium

NFB India warmly invites everyone to watch this historic event live on Youtube:

Watch NFB India’s Celebration of World Braille Day

This session will cover:

• Reading with multiline braille, including how JAWS Wrapped and Cropped modes affect layout, structure, and comprehension.
• Proven strategies for reading long documents, technical material, and tabulated content more efficiently.
• Button assignments and navigation techniques so you can read with confidence and speed.

If you’re a JAWS user who wants to move beyond single-line braille and truly benefit from multi-line braille support, this is a session you won’t want to miss!

RESERVE YOUR SPOT

About our Host: Dave Williams, Customer Success Manager at Dot Inc.

For 25 years, Dave has worked to advance accessibility for blind people.  His professional background spans audio production, community media, agile design, and digital product testing, informed by his lived experience as a blind parent, international marathon runner, and award-winning volunteer.

You can never have too many tools in your braille teaching toolkit and Braille Brain, APH’s free, interactive online curriculum, is one you’ll want to explore. Designed to support instruction in Unified English Braille (UEB) and Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science, Braille Brain offers structured units, lessons, embedded knowledge checks, and flexible learning paths.

In this introductory session, participants will take a guided tour of the platform, learning how to navigate its features and begin integrating lessons into instruction.

This session is designed for pre-service and in-service TSVIs, paraprofessionals, parents, and educational team members who support braille learners. Whether you are new to braille or supporting others who are just getting started, this webinar will help you move forward with confidence.

Register Here for Braille Brain 101: Introduction to Units, Lessons and Navigations

Software updates for Android and iOS devices have come a long way over the years, especially for braille readers. Whether you want to learn to type more quickly, or practice your braille writing skills, this workshop is for you! Our presenters will go in-depth into the braille features available on both iOS and Android mobile devices, including braille screen input.

Register for Braille Features on iOS and Android Mobile Devices

Webinar promoted by: The Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC), Alternate Education Resources Ontario (AERO), Braille Literacy Canada (BLC), the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB), the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA), the CNIB Beyond Print, CNIB Foundation, the National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS), and the Provincial Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired (PRCVI).

Hello from the International Council on English braille (ICEB)!

We are thrilled to announce our next virtual event: Introducing new IPA braille.

Join us for our upcoming presentation on this exciting new document! We will provide an overview of IPA braille, and we’ll discuss the reasons that an update was needed.

Whether you study or work in the field of linguistics, or you just want to learn about another way that braille contributes to literacy and independence, this event is for you.

Please register here to attend this session.

You can never have too many tools in your braille teaching toolkit and Braille Brain, APH’s free, interactive online curriculum, is one you’ll want to explore. Designed to support instruction in Unified English Braille (UEB) and Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science, Braille Brain offers structured units, lessons, embedded knowledge checks, and flexible learning paths.

Our second Braille Brain webinar builds on foundational knowledge and demonstrates how Braille Brain can be used as a dynamic instructional tool across real-world teaching scenarios. Participants will explore advanced features such as Nemeth Code integration, targeted learning paths, embedded assessments, and ways to track learner progress. Through case studies and user scenarios, attendees will learn practical strategies for implementing Braille Brain with diverse learners, including early braille readers, transition-age students, paraprofessionals, and adults new to vision loss.

Register Here for Supporting Braille Literacy with Braille Brain: Advanced, Technical, and Application

NextSense is pleased to announce the launch of a new Online Introductory Training Program in Braille Music Notation, designed to build foundational knowledge and confidence in reading and understanding braille music.

Braille music notation has a rich history. Louis Braille himself created the braille music code, recognising that access to music, like access to literacy, is a fundamental right for people who are blind.

In recognition of the ICEVI–WBU Global Braille Literacy Campaign, officially launched on World Braille Day, 4 January 2026, NextSense is offering free certificates of completion during January 2026 to all participants who successfully complete this introductory training program.

About the training program

The Braille Music Notation Introductory Training Program is designed for a wide audience, including sighted and blind educators, music teachers, braille transcribers, parents and caregivers, and anyone wishing to develop foundational knowledge of braille music notation.

The program comprises 11 sequential lessons, each introducing essential concepts of braille music notation. Lessons are carefully structured so that skills and knowledge build progressively, culminating in a final lesson that consolidates all concepts learned throughout the program.

As we believe this is one of the first online training programs in braille music notation, we have set the program in “Beta” mode and invite feedback.

Learning format and access

The training is delivered online via the NextSense-operated UEB Online learning platform.

The accompanying manual presents the full lesson content and exercises in a single, accessible reference document, allowing learners to revisit concepts and practise at their own pace.

To complete the exercises:

1. Register for an account at uebonline.org
2. Enrol in the Braille Music Notation Introductory Training Program

Existing UEB Online users will find the program listed among the available training options.

Further guidance on navigating the online course, completing exercises, and accessing additional tutorial resources is available on the UEB Online website.

Supporting global braille literacy

By offering free certificates of completion during January 2026, NextSense proudly supports the goals of the ICEVI–WBU Global Braille Literacy Campaign—strengthening access to braille, building skills, and promoting inclusive education and participation through braille worldwide.

Please be in touch if you have any questions or comments.

EMR have launched a special Miles Adventure through Railway Past Story book, to mark the 200th anniversary of the Railway. The book has been produced in Grade 2 UEB and is available for free. If you would like a copy please email [email protected] with your name and address.

Find out more information about the anniversary here.