January is National Braille Literacy Month. As longtime supporters of the blind and visually impaired community, GameTime wanted to use this opportunity to promote the benefits of being Braille literate.
Here are some (actually) fun facts about Braille:
- After becoming blind at age three, Louis Braille created this reading system when he was 12 YEARS OLD!
- Despite common belief, Braille is not a language. Most languages have their own Braille system.
- Many blind people use Braille keyboards and displays so they can work on their phones or computers.
- When books are published in Braille, they are significantly longer.
Braille Literacy Is At An All-Time Low
A (not so) fun fact about Braille: Despite there being more than 1 million Americans that are blind or severely visually impaired, fewer than 10 percent of them read Braille, according to the National Federation of the Blind. This highlights the low Braille literacy rate nationwide, but why is this important?
Braille provides a pathway to employment and education for many blind individuals. The lack of Braille literacy has led to 70 percent of blind adults being unemployed and close to 50 percent of them dropping out of high school.
Raising Awareness Among Children on the Playground
Braille literacy is a crucial factor for independence and financial security for blind individuals. We encourage everyone to promote Braille literacy in daily life. That’s why GameTime offers Braille panels for commercial playground equipment.
This helps communities turn a playground into an inclusive space for the visually impaired. These panels not only provide recreation for the blind community, but they also raise awareness and appreciation for Braille for those who are not visually impaired.
Make Inclusion a Priority
One of the most important aspects of inclusive play is helping people understand disabilities and embrace people of all abilities. By adding braille panels to your playground, you help children accept their peers and create an atmosphere of inclusion. If you would like to promote Braille literacy and inclusion in your community, contact your local GameTime representative today.