The mission of the Braille Group is to promote the importance of Braille literacy and to communicate the need for Braille by speaking to service groups, school children, and by addressing the matter at Parents of Blind Children workshops. Our goal is to help make it possible for anyone who wants to learn Braille to do so. The Braille Group works towards accomplishing this goal as follows:

1. By holding Braille workshops at state conventions and other locations where attendees are exposed to the positive benefits of Braille and how Braille aids blind people in their education, employment and daily lives.
2. By serving as a strong presence in and promoting the Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) Academy and its importance to children aged four through twelve
3. By establishing and publicizing a Braille Mentoring Program where experienced Braille readers are matched up with blind persons who live in their geographical area who wish to learn to read and write it
4. By encouraging current Braille readers to participate in NFB-sponsored Braille-writing contests and other challenges which will help increase their fluency and reading speed
5. By putting materials such as convention agendas and documents used in employment and volunteer activities into Braille for our committee members or other people who request this service
6. By encouraging committee members to become aware of changes in the way Braille is read and written and to provide this knowledge to others e.g. the Unified English Braille Code (UEB),
7. By distributing literature such as the Braille Monitor, Future Reflections, Kernel Books, and literature from the Independence Market which emphasizes the importance of Braille in peoples’ lives.

The Braille Group conducts bimonthly conference call meetings via Zoom. To learn more about the Braille Group and to receive a schedule of meeting dates and times, please contact Chair Mary Jo Partyka at 609-888-5459.