Braille Literacy Canada / Littératie braille Canada is delighted to invite you to our 6th Braille Symposium, Six Dots, No Limits – Six Points sans Limites, taking place on the afternoon of Friday, May 22, 2026.
Join us from 1:00–5:00 PM EDT (10:00 AM Pacific, 11:00 AM Mountain, 11:00 AM Saskatchewan/Central, 2:00 PM Atlantic, 2:30 PM Newfoundland) for a fun and informative event. Whether you’re a braille reader, educator, transcriber, parent, producer, or passionate about braille literacy, this symposium offers something for you.
This year’s program features engaging presentations from international speakers, exploring topics such as:
- Expanding library accessibility for braille readers
- Emerging innovations in braille technology
- Adult braille learning journeys
- Integrating 3D models with braille and tactile graphics
Following last year’s success, with over 100 participants from across Canada and around the world, we’re excited to bring together vibrant and diverse speakers and topics. All presentations will be recorded.
The event is free for BLC members (including members of corporate member organizations) and $20 for non-members. Not yet a member? Annual membership is just $20 and open to Canadians. Visit our membership section to learn more.
Please note:
- Registration closes on Thursday, May 21, 2026
- Live automatic captioning will be provided (for the English presentations)
- Written transcripts will be available after the event
- Once you register, your request will be reviewed and a Zoom link will be sent to you within a few days.
If you have any questions, we’d love to hear from you at [email protected].
We look forward to welcoming you to an afternoon of learning, connection, and inspiration!
Agenda
Registration
Please note if you are attending the French presentation at 1:00pm and wish to continue attending the remaining English presentations from 2:00 – 5:00pm, you will need to register for both events. There are separate registration links for the English and French presentations.
Veuillez noter que si vous assistez à la présentation en français à 13h00 (qui est gratuite) et que vous souhaitez continuer à assister aux autres présentations en anglais de 14h00 à 17h00, vous devrez vous inscrire à la fois aux événements en français et en anglais. Il existe des pages d’inscription et des liens Zoom distincts pour les présentations en anglais et en français.
Register for the Symposium
Register for the French presentation
Presentation Information and Speaker Bios
1:00pm (French): Intégrer le braille dans les programmes des bibliothèques et partout
Note: This presentation will take place in French.
Presentateurs: Ioana Gandrabur, Laetitia Mfamobani, avec Peter Field
Dans cette présentation, nous mettrons en lumière des ressources pour les bibliothèques mises en place par le comité de planification des Journées mondiales du braille 2026. Bien qu’initialement conçues pour marquer la Journée mondiale du braille dans les bibliothèques, plusieurs de ces idées peuvent être utilisées toute l’année par quiconque souhaite créer des programmes accessibles et inclusifs. Découvrez comment ces outils puissants peuvent promouvoir la littératie braille et sensibiliser à son importance.
Le Centre d’accès équitable aux bibliothèques, CAÉB, est une organisation nationale sans but lucratif qui offre des services de lecture accessible aux quelque cinq millions de personnes au Canada qui sont incapables de lire les imprimés. Le CAÉB donne accès à une collection de plus d’un million et demi de titres dans toute une variété de formats accessibles, notamment audio, braille, braille imprimé et texte. Les services de CAÉB permettent aux personnes incapables de lire les imprimés de partout au Canada de mieux participer aux activités d’apprentissage et à la vie professionnelle et communautaire. Ces services les aident à contribuer au développement social, culturel et économique de leur communauté et de la collectivité en général.
Le Réseau national pour l’accès équitable aux services de bibliothèque, également connu sous le nom de RNSEB, offre des services de lecture accessibles aux lecteurs ayant une déficience perceptuelle partout au Canada par l’intermédiaire des bibliothèques publiques. Sa collection d’ouvrages en formats alternatifs est détenue et gérée par les bibliothèques publiques canadiennes. Le RNSEB collabore également avec des partenaires internationaux, des bibliothèques, des lecteurs et des éditeurs, notamment au Canada, afin de rendre les livres disponibles dans des formats accessibles.
1:00pm (English): Unlocking lifelong literacy: What adult braille learners teach us about braille instruction, access and opportunity
Presenter: Natalie Martiniello, Ph.D.
What is it like to learn braille as an adult, and what can we learn from those who do? In this fire-side style conversation, we will highlight key take aways from research and practice on adult braille learning and literacy. We will explore the characteristics and experiences of adult braille learners today, the barriers and facilitators that shape their journeys, and the evolving role of technology in supporting braille access and learning in adulthood. Participants will leave with practical insights to strengthen adult braille instruction, policy, and access. This presentation will be of interest to adult braille learners, rehabilitation professionals who teach braille to adults, and anyone from the braille community who is passionate about supporting adult braille literacy. Join us as we take a brief dive into the world of adult braille learning research and celebrate the joy of lifelong braille literacy!
Natalie Martiniello is an Assistant Professor in the blindness and low vision rehabilitation program at the Université de Montreal, a lifelong braille reader, and a Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapist who has taught braille and access technologies to adults of all ages. She leads a research program that enhances adult braille learning and literacy, non-visual accessibility and participation for people who are blind or who have low vision. She is the Past-President of Braille Literacy Canada, the Chair of Research for the International Council on English Braille, and a Subject Matter Expert for the Academy for the Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Educational Professionals.
2:00pm: Crossing the Lines, Innovations in Digital Braille Technology
Presenter: Dave Williams
How do recent developments in multiline tactile displays, generative AI tools, and gamification of learning, support braille literacy, fluency and independence for blind readers around the world? In this presentation Dave Williams will connect you with the people, ideas and technology reshaping the future of braille and tactile literacy. We will explore how we can harness this progress to make braille more useful, more available, and more normal in everyday life.
Dave Williams (Chair, Braillists foundation, Customer Experience Manager, Dot Inc) is an experienced specialist in accessible technology, media relations, and inclusive design. His professional background spans audio production, community media and digital product testing, informed by his lived experience as a blind parent, international marathon runner, and award-winning volunteer. During his tenure as RNIB’s Inclusive Design Ambassador, Dave championed braille and tactile literacy, independence, and inclusion. Highlights included leading the Braille 200 celebrations across the UK, collaborating with Canon on the World Unseen tactile photography exhibition and with Sony Europe to spread accessibility initiatives such as tactile cues on product packaging. Dave has represented the UK on the Board of the DAISY Consortium and has been an active member of the European Blind Union Braille Working Group. In 2023 Dave received a Point of Light award from the UK Prime Minister for spreading braille and tactile literacy via the Braillists Foundation, a UK non-profit organisation he helped to establish and chair.
3:00pm: Infusing braille into library programming and beyond
Presenters: Ioana Gandrabur, Laetitia Mfamobani, with Peter Field (Centre for Equitable Library Access and National Network of Equitable Library Service)
In this presentation we will highlight resources for libraries put together by the World Braille Days 2026 planning committee. While initially conceived to mark World Braille Day in libraries, many of these ideas can be used all year long by anyone interested in creating accessible, inclusive programming. Find out how these powerful tools can promote braille literacy and raise awareness about the importance of braille.
The Centre for Equitable Library Access, CELA, is a national not-for-profit organization that provides accessible reading services to the approximately 5 million people across Canada with print disabilities. CELA provides access to a collection of over 1.5 million titles in multiple accessible formats, including audio, braille, printbraille and text. CELA’s services ensure that people with print disabilities across Canada are more able to fully participate in learning, work and community life and contribute to the social, cultural, and economic development and success of their local and broader communities.
The National Network for Equitable Library Service, also known as NNELS, provides accessible reading services to people with print disabilities across Canada through public libraries. Its collection of titles in alternate formats is owned and sustained by Canadian public libraries. NNELS also collaborates with international partners, libraries, readers, and publishers, particularly in Canada, to make books available in accessible formats.
4:00pm: 3D Printing for Tactile Mapping and Icons
Presenter: Leona Holloway
This presentation will look at the advantages of 3D printing over 2.5D tactile graphics for tactile mapping and explore some best practice examples, based on research using controlled comparative experiments, co-design and real-world usage. We will then focus on Tactions (small 3D icons for use on maps): how they were developed, guidelines and processes for designing your own, and their potential uses from professional public maps to marking landmarks on your own self-constructed maps.
Leona Holloway is a Research Fellow with the Monash Assistive Technology & Society (MATS) Centre in Melbourne, Australia. As an early adopter of 3D printing, she worked with the blindness community to explore the potential uses of 3D printing, provide evidence for its advantages, develop guidelines for its design and production, and support its adoption by education departments and blindness agencies across Australia. She is a recipient of the 2025 ACM SIGCHI Outstanding Dissertation Award for her work on 3D printing for accessibility. Leona is the Chair of the Australia and New Zealand Accessible Graphics Group (ANZAGG) and its international 3D printing group, and author of the Round Table Guidelines on Producing Accessible 3D Prints.