World Braille Day

Did you know that today is World Braille Day?

On the 4 January 1809 Louis Braille was born.

In 1821 he invented a code that would have a massive impact on millions of people worldwide and in in 1829 he published his Method of Writing Words, Music, and Plain Song by Means of Dots, for Use by the Blind and Arranged by Them.

As a child Louis was blinded in both eyes in an accident but he managed to develop a system during his studies when he was only 15 years old to enable blind people to read.

The Braille system works by representing numbers and the alphabet letters in a series of six dots paired up in three rows.

The Braille code was officially recognised in France in 1854.

Books are now published in a format that allows blind or partially sighted people to read by running their fingertips over the dots allowing them to study or read for pleasure.

‘Braille’ helps to provide equal opportunity for many blind people across the globe.

World Braille Day is the opportunity to raise awareness about the issues facing the blind.

Find out more about Louis Braille by visiting the Royal National Institute of Blind People. Visit their Twitter page too @RNIB.