News

Braille access just got easier: text-to-speech is now built right into the Paige website. Whether you’re translating braille for school, home, or fun, you can now hear the translation read aloud without needing a screen reader.  This makes learning and using braille smoother for everyone, especially those new to assistive tech.

Perfect for:

• New learners exploring braille
• Teachers supporting classrooms
• Families helping braille users

This update is now live on both the Translate tool and Learn tool.

Watch it in action and share it with someone who could benefit from more accessible braille learning.

From our friends at Paige Braille:

From June 26–29, finalists from across the U.S. and Canada will gather in Los Angeles for the 2025 Braille Challenge Finals, hosted by the Braille Institute. This one-of-a-kind academic competition brings together the brightest young braille readers and writers, celebrating literacy, achievement, and connection.

More info at brailleinstitute.org/braille-challenge

The Third Tactile Reading and Graphics Conference recently concluded at the Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ, Amsterdam, bringing together over 400 participants from around the world to discuss braille, tactile graphics and much more.

In this special event, we will bring together an eclectic panel of attendees to relive the Conference and share their key takeaways.

Register here.

To join by phone, please use these details:

• Phone number: 0131 460 1196
• Meeting ID: 895 4517 7091
• Passcode: 123456

A message from Sense:

We’re excited to invite you to the launch of Helene Ryles’ new writing display at Sense TouchBase Pears, Birmingham!

Date & Time: Tuesday 24 June 2025 | 11 am–12 pm
Location: Sense TouchBase Pears, Birmingham

Come join us as we celebrate and explore the beautifully curated collection of Helene’s writing. This is a lovely opportunity to connect and support our creative community.

Refreshments will be provided, and there’ll be time to connect with Helene about the stories and creativity behind her work.

We’d love to see you there—please RSVP via the link to confirm you place and share with anyone else you would like to at attend.

Would you like to take part in an innovative project designed for the visually impaired community?

A Warwickshire-based software company is looking for members of the visually impaired and blind community to participate in an exciting new project that uses new technology to transform photographs into 3D tactile bas-reliefs.

What we’re looking for:

We’re seeking volunteers who rely on their sense of touch to submit images of cherished moments and people in their lives. These photographs will be turned into 3D reliefs for a tactile exhibition in London.

Images might include weddings, graduations, family members, or a memorable holiday, for example. We ask each volunteer to submit at least three images.

The exhibition will be held in London on 15th September 2025. If your image is selected, you’ll be invited to the event where you’ll be able to feel your 3D photo and have it displayed alongside the original photograph.

When submitting your images, please state whether or not you’ll be able to attend the exhibition.

If you’re interested, please email Brad Castle on [email protected] for a consent form. Once the form is signed, you’ll be invited to submit your images for consideration.

As Chair of the Braillists Foundation, I want to take a moment to offer my sincere thanks to every single one of our volunteers.

Whether you’re delivering events, sharing your expertise, or working quietly behind the scenes, your contribution is the heartbeat of everything we do. You help grow our community, inspire new braille users, and make sure our work stays rooted in lived experience.

This Foundation wouldn’t exist without you. Thank you for your time, your passion, and your belief in braille.

Dave Williams

From Mary Lea

Because of the good feedback we got from the Braille workshop for children event earlier this year Limavady Library have asked me to run a Braille introductory session for adults. It’s from 2.30pm to 4. 30 pm – largely because Irish people like to chat.

They’ve also agreed to me running an eight week introduction to Grade One Braille starting in September. I’ll get back with more details once it’s confirmed. And if the eight week course goes well they might be happy to have a regular reading group after.

Closing date: 10 June 2025

If you are interested in producing braille and tactile resources you may wish to apply for this vacancy.

Braille Literacy Canada looks forward to our 5th Annual Braille Symposium on Friday, June 13, 2025. We are pleased to be offering 5 different presentations;

• 1:00pm EDT: (in English)
  Using Tactile Images to Make Astronomy More Accessible to Blind and Visually Impaired Learners
  (Noreen Grice, Western Connecticut State University, President of the Middle Atlantic Planetarium Society)
• 1:00pm EDT: (en français, gratuit)
  Dans le sillage de trois personnages emblématiques mis à l’honneur au musée Valentin Haüy – Paris
  (Mireille Duhen, Bénévole au musée et à la bibliothèque patrimoniale Valentin Haüy Paris)
• 2:00pm EDT: (in English)
  Marrakesh and the Accessible Books Consortium: The Benefits and Access for Readers
  (panel moderated by Luc Maumet)
• 3:00 pm EDT: (in English)
  The Braille Challenge – Celebrating the Challenge of Braille
  (Adam Wilton, Ph.D, Provincial Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired)
• 4:00pm EDT: (in English)
  eBraille – A Reality for everyone across the World
  (Willow Free, American Printing House for the Blind)

For more information and to register go to 2025 Braille Symposium.

We would like to thank our sponsors: Canadian Assistive Technology, CNIB-Beyond Print, Crawford Technologies and Humanware. Plan to join us for a braille-centric afternoon!

This event is being put on my Berni Warren, our fabulous Book Club leader.

In 1824-25, Louis Braille invented a tactile system that transformed life for people with sight loss, enabling them to achieve unprecedented possibilities. Join us in a day of stalls, exhibitions, new braille technology, writing your name in braille, a braille quiz, talks and how to start learning braille! You can even get to grips with some new LEGO© Braille Bricks.

Suitable for ages 10+. Children up to 15 need to be accompanied by an adult. To register or ask any questions please email [email protected]

If you don’t have access to email, you can drop-in on the day.