Departments :: Education

Braille

Braille Instructor: Michelle Ruble
Teacher of the Visually Impaired

What is Braille? :: Alphabet Index of Braille Symbols :: Braille Services :: Braille Legislation

What is Braille?

Braille is a tactile way to read that is used by children and adults who are unable to read print. It all begins with a simple structure of six dots arranged in two columns and three rows. These six dots are the basis for all braille reading and writing code.

Those who read braille learn that different combinations of these six dots placements can be used to create alphabet letters and numbers. Because braille characters can take up a great deal of space, certain characters can represent parts of words and even whole words. This process uses less space on a paper, and helps to make reading faster for a braille reader.

You can learn more about braille by visiting the Braille Bug site at http://www.afb.org/braillebug/Braille.asp

Braille Services at NYSSB:

Individual Braille instruction is provided to students who have developed an understanding of the Pre Braille skills and Braille alphabet, and need advanced assistance with learning the contracted Braille code and associated rules, while reinforcing fundamental Braille reading techniques.

Pre-Braille skills consist of the basic concepts for texture, shape, and size.  Also included are the locational skills for finding the top, bottom, left and right of a page or book as well as tracking lines of Braille and use of two hands to read.  Contracted Braille, whereby a Braille symbol or group of symbols represents words and punctuation, can be thought of as a shorthand process to reading and writing. Literary Braille represents words and punctuation, while the Nemeth code is a system of Braille symbols that represent numbers and symbols used for mathematics, measurement and so on.

Services for Braille instruction is determined through the MDT referral process for assessment.  An evaluation is completed to determine whether the student is ready for individual instruction or whether pre-requisite skill training and objectives can be followed in the classroom through consultation.