Learning Braille

Ohio Braille Professional Development / Learning Opportunities

Braille Excellence for Students and Teachers (BEST) Grant Professional Development Face to face, hybrid, and online opportunities from a statewide project of professional development and technical assistance dedicated to braille literacy, braille instruction, braille materials, and braille technology in Ohio schools.

Braille Tutorials and Resources / Learning Opportunities

NLS Literary Braille Transcribing Course Course administered by the National Federation of the Blind for the National Library Service designed for the Library of Congress certification of braille transcribers.
UEB Online Braille Training for Sighted Learners Self-paced braille training program suitable for classroom and specialist teachers, parents, teacher aides and other professionals supporting children and adults with vision impairment.
Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired Braille Course Listing Free distance education program for sighted professionals and family as well as people with visual impairments.
Scalar's Publishing: Ashcroft's Programmed Instruction: Unified English Braille Intended for instruction under the direction of a qualified instructor.
Just Enough to Know Better: A UEB Braille Primer A self-paced workbook designed for sighted parents to learn "just enoughâ€ braille to help their child learn to read.
Perky Duck Free program to use a computer for using 6-key input to create braille files. Excellent tool for use while learning the braille code.
APH Nemeth Tutorial Free, online, self-paced Nemeth braille training program from the American Printing House for the Blind. Program covers from simple to advanced math topics.
Braille Brain! Braille training project from the U.S. Department of Education for sighted professionals, staff, and family members to learn UEB and Nemeth Code braille.
Learning and Teaching the Nemeth Code within UEB Contexts: A Step-by-Step Guide from Project INSPIRE. Systematic lessons and teaching tips for both learning and teaching Nemeth Code from preschool through advanced mathematics.

Braille Rules and Guidelines

Braille Authority of North America (BANA) Website contains links to code books, formats, guidance, and policies for all braille codes, including braille and tactile graphics used for literary, music, foreign language, mathematics and science.
Rules of Unified English Braille, Second Edition, 2013 Includes updates and errata.
Braille Formats: Principles of Print-to-Braille Transcription, 2016 BANA guidelines for formatting braille materials, including rules for headings, exercises, and all print formats.
Scalar's Publishing: Braille Enthusiast's Dictionary: UEB Edition
The Nemeth Braille Code for Mathematics and Science Notation 2022 BANA rules for using Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science within the UEB context. Page includes link to Chemical Notation Using the Nemeth Braille Code 2023.
Guidelines for Braille Transcription of Languages Other Than English BANA guidelines for transcribing other languages in the UEB context.

Braille Charts

Utilize the following reference charts and databases to assist with lessons or transcribing.

Braille Apps

Acquire braille skills by sight by practicing on the following applications.

Braille Tutor ios app by iEnable Technology Solutions and Consultancy
Learn Braille Alphabet ios app by Yat Tat Lee
Brailliac: Braille Tutor android app by Brailliac
Braille Contraction Lookup android app by Jeff Bishop
Visual Brailler ios app by American Printing House for the Blind
Braille Academy: Play & Learn (ios iPad) app by Xiang Dong
Braille Academy: Play & Learn (Google Play) app by Xiang Dong
Braille android app by Mobile Safe Apps
Braille Trainer android app by Martin Gertz
Braille Pad Pro for iPad ios app