Braille facts

Braille is a tactile reading and writing system. It opens up the written word to blind and visually impaired people.

Here are ten facts about braille to help you learn more about this 200-year-old code which is still a key to literacy and independence for thousands of blind and visually impaired people around the world today.

1. Braille was developed by Louis Braille in the 1820s when he was a pupil at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in Paris. Before he developed his revolutionary code, various systems mostly using raised print letters were used to help blind people read. For example, Valentin Haüy’s tactile books featured embossed versions of the Roman alphabet. Louis Braille’s code was designed for tactile recognition – not visual recognition – and finally enabled blind and visually impaired people to also write independently

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