News

The National Federation of the Blind has long championed the importance of Braille literacy. The ability of a student or adult to possess the reading and writing skills necessary to conducting education or business cannot be overstated.

January is Braille Literacy month, and in the spirit of this important time, the National Federation of the Blind, in partnership with the Maryland Department of Disabilities, is hosting a Technology Boutique which will briefly explore the refreshable Braille technologies which are driving today’s Braille displays. We will discuss:

• Three technologies used in today’s refreshable Braille hardware
• Pros and cons of each technology
• Examples of displays

Register for What’s Driving Today’s Refreshable Braille Displays on the NFB Website

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

From the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, US.

The topic for the January 27, 2026, That All May eRead online program will be Using Your eReader with Your iPhone. In the remaining time, we will answer any questions you have about the NLS Braille eReader.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. EST and will last for one hour. The meeting will be recorded. To access the meeting, go to https://loc.zoomgov.com/j/1603971745?pwd=AAyByFXmbZ94WHMCroPt1Iw28Se5mU.1

Meeting ID:        160 397 1745

Passcode:          471174

Remember that the meeting is recorded. Do not speak if you do not wish to be on the recording.

If you choose to dial in to the call, use the telephone numbers provided below. The Zoom.gov ID will not work with standard Zoom.us.

• +1 669 254 5252 US (San Jose)
• +1 646 964 1167 US (US Spanish Line)
• +1 646 828 7666 US (New York)
• +1 669 216 1590 US (San Jose)
• +1 415 449 4000 US (US Spanish Line)
• +1 551 285 1373 US (New Jersey)
• International numbers

You can find recordings and transcripts of previous That All May eRead programs on the NLS website at www.loc.gov/nls/news-and-updates/that-all-may-eread.

For more information, please contact:
Tamara Rorie
Head, Patron Engagement Section
[email protected] or [email protected]

do you use a Braille display? Do you still find some of its features daunting? Would you like to get in touch with some of the top-notch Braille display experts in order to get your questions answered?

Now you can.

The Braille Working Group of the European Blind Union invites you to a series of table talks on various aspects of using your Braille display. For each of these talks, we will be joined by members of the Braille Working Group, as well as other renowned experts in the field.

The series is built around four “C”s:

Connect – Untangling the web of possible connections between Braille displays and various devices, including computers, tablets, smartphones, and even smartwatches.

Control – Driving your device from the Braille display; adjusting commands to meet your personal preferences; building the workspace you need.

Consume – Making the most of your Braille display for reading; understanding multiple Braille codes; optimizing the output you receive on the Braille display.

Create – Using your Braille display to create new content; writing the way you prefer; working smartly and efficiently.

In this first session, we will explore connecting your Braille display to various types of devices. We will examine existing connection methods, discuss their pros and cons, and help you choose the best connection for your specific needs. And, of course, there will be time for questions and answers.

So come join us for our first expert table talk—and use your Braille display like a pro!

Register for Expert Table Talks: Using Your Braille Display Like a Pro

Recordings of the launch event for the joint ICEVI–WBU Global Braille Literacy Campaign, held on World Braille Day, are now available In English, French and Spanish on the ICEVI YouTube channel.

The recordings of the November 2025, December 2025 and January 2026 Blazie Technologies webinars are now available on their Web site’s Guides and Media page.

Focus 640 is a modern 40-cell Braille display engineered for professionals, students, and power users who rely on Braille all day, every day. Lighter, more durable, and easier to connect than previous generations, Focus 640 delivers dependable Braille performance with the flexibility today’s workflows demand.

Designed for high-volume daily use, Focus 640 combines proven Vispero Microcell technology with meaningful ergonomic and connectivity improvements. Stay productive wherever your work takes you.

Watch the product preview video.

From Adam Wilton, Provincial Resource Centre for the Visually Impaired, Canada

Dear colleagues,

Happy World Braille Month! I’m in touch today to share something that may be of interest to you or to educators in your networks.

Each year a group of organizations from across Canada get together to plan and deliver virtual activities to celebrate braille and what it represents to the learners that we serve. To mark this important month, for the past several years we’ve produced a set of fun activities that are free to download – they just need to be embossed and produced for learners like any other braille or tactile file.

Braille Boost 2026 is Winter Olympics-themed! There is a tactile graphics activity, a word search, and a word scramble. Materials are in UEB (contracted and uncontracted) and available in English and French. We produced a short video to promote this year’s Boost (YouTube short – I think it’s pretty great, but I may also be terribly biased).

Here is the link to Braille Boost 2026 via our World Braille Month page. Complete a very short request form and the link to the materials is automatically emailed to the address provided in the form. We have also included an archive of past years’ files!

Please feel free to share with anyone who may be interested and would find these activities useful.

I hope your 2026 is off to a great start!

All my best,

Adam P. Wilton, PhD, COMS

Program Manager – PRCVI and ARC-BC

prcvi.org | arc-bc.org

Orbit Research is pleased to announce the release of firmware version B1.xx.00.04r23 for the Orbit Reader 40.

Following are the new features and improvements.

1. Resolved an issue where the screen reader USB connection failed to resume after unplugging and reconnecting the USB cable.
2. Resolved an issue where after exiting Mass Storage mode the unit froze when switching emulation from “Off” to “Varioultra40” or “Varioultra40” to “Off”.

Notes:

Please note that if the device’s current firmware version is B1.xx.00.04r14 or an earlier version, following points must be considered:

1. The device settings will be reset to their defaults after the upgrade.
2. If localization has been applied, you will also need to re-apply it after the upgrade using the package available on our website.

The firmware package can be downloaded from our website’s Support menu.

To identify the proper firmware package for your unit, you will need to check the version number of the firmware currently loaded on your unit. If your unit does not turn on or if you are not able to read the version number from your device, please contact our technical support team.

To check the version number of your current firmware package please follow the following steps:

1. Power ON your unit.
2. Press the Select + Up key to open the menu.
3. Scroll down to the item “Version” by pressing down the arrow key.
4. It should display the firmware version number on your Braille display.

Check the first four digits of the version number and click on the respective link in the table on our website to download the appropriate firmware package.

Once downloaded, you can install it using the SD card method or using the Windows utility program.

The Orbit Reader 40 firmware package is available here.

The Orbit Reader 40 Localization package is available here.

For instructions on upgrading the Orbit Reader 40, please refer to Section 26 of the User Guide available on the website.

For our first Masterclass of 2026, we are delighted to be joined once again by James Bowden, RNIB’s Braille Technical Officer and the UK’s representative to the International Council on English Braille.

This time, James will be discussing accent signs in UEB: what are they, how do we write them, and why are they important?

Topics will include:

• An overview of common accents, and why braille readers should care about them
• How to read and write accents in UEB
• How accents affect capitals and contractions
• Accents in non-English braille codes and when we should use them

There will be lots of examples, plenty of time for questions, and possibly the opportunity to sneak in some general UEB topics at the end if there’s time.

Register for Accents in UEB

To join by phone, please use these details:

• Phone number: 0131 460 1196
• Meeting ID: 878 0869 6203
• Passcode: 123456