About Us

NC Braille Literacy Council

The North Carolina Braille Literacy Council is a group of volunteer members who are committed toward enhancing the lives of people who are visually impaired through learning and reading Braille and by educating the general public of the importance of Braille. The membership of this Council is comprised of teachers, advocates, administrators, Braille technology instructors, technology researcher, and individuals who enjoy reading and using Braille for pleasure and work.

The North Carolina Braille Literacy Council began three years ago as a grassroots effort by a Braille Teacher and the Assistant Director of a state agency, who is visually impaired and reads Braille. While doing research to write a proclamation related to Braille literacy, it became clear that access to learning Braille for visually impaired children and adults in North Carolina was often difficult or non-existent, that obtaining materials in Braille was frequently not possible and that the general public did not understand its importance.

The North Carolina Braille Literacy Council is presently involved in a variety of activities and events to promote their mission. Two main events the Council helps to sponsor are the NC Braille Challenge and the NC Braille Read-In. The Braille Challenge, promotes the learning of Braille by school age children through competition of a day-long series of tests. The students match their reading skills with other students across the state for the opportunity to win prizes and the exciting opportunity of competing in the national event at the Braille Institute in Los Angeles California. The Braille Read-in is a statewide event where demonstration of Braille takes place at various public locations such as libraries, bookstores, non-profit organizations, etc. to educate the public about Braille and its importance. The Council helps individuals who wish to learn Braille by finding a teacher and/or mentor who will encourage and guide them through the learning process. For more information about the Council, Contact Us.