Braille 200 report: Benefits and opportunities for people in the UK
As part of the Braille 200 campaign, RNIB completed research on the impact of braille on the lives of blind and partially sighted braillists. Speaking to adults who know braille, the report looks at experiences of learning and using braille and braille technologies and revealed more about how braille improves independence, employment and education opportunities and enhances social relationships.
Key insights
Learning braille
- The majority (six in 10) of our respondents learnt braille at school or for educational goals.
- More than six in 10 (62 per cent) defined themselves as either advanced or expert at braille use.
- Up to four fifths (79 per cent) of participants reached their confidence level at braille within two years.
- Challenges to learning braille included the age at which someone started; with particular reference to braille tuition for adults. People also cited a lack of resources and a lack of free or affordable tuition.
Using braille
- Three quarters of the sample use braille at least several times a week, with more than half using braille daily.
- Braille use has remained similar or increased for most participants.
- The use of technology has changed the way people engage with braille, with many adopting audio and braille technology (such as braille displays) alongside their use of paper braille to make them more efficient.
- Braille is most used for reading medication packaging and for books and documents.
- Braille libraries are used by half of the participants and requesting information in braille from banks and the finance sector as well as local and national government was common.
- Analysis of comments left by blind and partially sighted people shows that braille helped people independently access written information.