Today, the visually impaired children and adults are receiving education in regular, special schools and integrated/inclusive settings throughout the world through the medium of Braille (the touch script). Braille as a potential instrument has empowered the blind people to read and write freely, think critically and creatively and independently. It has enabled them to acquire useful and gainful knowledge and social communication skills to make their mark in the society. Higher education, acquired with the medium of Braille, has developed their all round personality, imbuing them with valuable qualities of self-awakening, self-confidence and self-reliance.

Riding high on the ladder of Braille, myriads of blind persons have managed to become administrators and professionals at various levels of human development and excellence as also have set up their families. Quite a few of them around the globe have even established voluntary organizations and conducted them resourcefully and professionally to inspire and empower their blind brothers and sisters through the active use of Braille medium in their day to day activities.

Invention of Braille System

Even before the Braille came to be invented by Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman, in 1829, sporadic efforts were made by several well-meaning persons to educate the blind people across Europe and elsewhere. Such efforts were concentrated mainly to Europe and to Iran in Asia, during the 16th and 17th centuries.

In Europe too, Germany was the torch bearing pioneer in the field. A German blind man devised a method for himself of pricking holes in the paper with a pin by keeping it on a cushion. He could decipher these symbols but at a staggeringly and phenomenally slow/low pace. Vizemburg, another German, used to emboss normal German letters on the cardboard in order to help blind decipher the German print letter. Maria Theresa Von Peradis, an Austrian pianist of international repute, had used both these methods for self-learning, just before Braille came to replace them.

In due course of time, Von Camplan, another German, invented a machine that could emboss German script, which could be configured by touch but woefully slowly. Close on the heels, France, England, Switzerland, Sweden and several other countries of Europe also followed suit. Gradually, the idea of providing a suitable medium of reading and writing and learning to the blind gained momentum in Europe as well as the other countries.

Towards the close of the 18th century, this movement spread thick and fast, involving all other continents and engulfing hundreds of countries around the globe, depending on their level of commitment and economic development.

Even though the Germans were the first people to think of some ways and means to afford some semblance of education to the blind, French snatched away the leading role from them and became the real pioneers in this field. Rousseau acted as a Linguafranca between Denis Diderot and Velintine Hauy to carry the idea of the former to start some institution for those who can