The Braille Institute of America (BIA) is a nonprofit organization with headquarters in Los Angeles providing programs, seminars and one-on-one instruction for the visually impaired community in Southern California. Funded almost entirely by private donations, all of the institute's services are provided completely free of charge. The organization has seven regional centers: Anaheim, Coachella Valley, Laguna Hills, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego and Santa Barbara, as well as outreach programs at more than 200 locations throughout Southern California. It is a member of the Braille Authority of North America.
BIA serves children, youth and adults, with the goal of helping its clients adapt to life with low vision and achieving fulfilling, independent lives. The organization offers instruction in adaptive cooking, home skills, mobility training and staying connected through technology. BIA's publishing arm produces "The Braille Special Collection," several series of free children's books in Braille, designed to foster an early love of reading and promote Braille Literacy.
After losing his sight in 1912, J. Robert Atkinson, a cowboy from Montana, learned to read braille and transcribed 250 books dictated to him by his family.[1] Impressed by his efforts, philanthropists Mary and John Longyear donated $25,000 to help Atkinson found the Universal Braille Press in 1919 in Los Angeles. By 1924, Atkinson finished printing the 21 volumes of the braille King James Version of the Bible. The Braille Mirror, a braille magazine, was first published in 1926 by the Universal Braille Press.
Atkinson lobbied lawmakers and influenced the passage of the Pratt-Smoot Act in 1931. The legislation provided $100,000 for the printing and distribution of raised-print media through the Library of Congress Services for the Blind. The Universal Braille Press incorporated as the Braille Institute of America.
In 1934, BIA joined the National Library System. BIA printed the first braille Webster's Dictionary in 1938. In 1971, Braille Institute opened its first regional center in Anaheim, California. In 2000, the first Braille Challenge was held, an annual competition for visually impaired youth that celebrates braille literacy.
Activitiesedit
Library servicesedit
Braille Institute's Library Services is the Southern California branch of the National Library Service of the Library of Congress. The Library freely provides over 1.2 million Braille texts, periodicals, and audio recordings for the public. In 2009, Library Services received the National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Above: How Atkinson Hyperlegible appears normally.Below: A blur effect simulates how the same letters might appear to someone with a low-vision condition.
Most of the Braille Institute's clients are not fully blind and do not use braille to read.[3] In 2019, in collaboration with Applied Design Works, the Braille Institute released Atkinson Hyperlegible,[4] a free typeface built around a grotesque sans-serif core.[5] Named after J. Robert Atkinson,[6] the typeface is meant to be optimally legible for people with low vision, who may have difficulty distinguishing similar characters.[4]
^Perl, Erica S. A Report Three: Federal and State Legislation Regarding Accessible Instructional Materials. August 2, 2009, at the Wayback MachineCenter for Applied Special Technology.
^Best Practices: Braille Institute and the Braille Challenge. August 2, 2009, at the Wayback MachineAmerican Association on Health and Disability.
^Mangan, Tom (June 9, 2022) [8 November 2019]. "New Typeface Boosts Legibility for Low Vision Readers". All About Vision. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
^ abWilson, Mark (September 19, 2019). "This typeface hides a secret in plain sight. And that's the point". Innovation by Design. Fast Company. New York City. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
^Budrick, Callie (October 14, 2020). "The Hyperlegible Typeface Changing How We See Print". Design Inspiration. Print. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
^Crook, Lizzie (September 11, 2020). "Atkinson Hyperlegible typeface is designed for visually impaired readers". Dezeen. London. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
External linksedit
Braille Institute of America
October 27, 2023
braille, institute, america, nonprofit, organization, with, headquarters, angeles, providing, programs, seminars, instruction, visually, impaired, community, southern, california, funded, almost, entirely, private, donations, institute, services, provided, com. The Braille Institute of America BIA is a nonprofit organization with headquarters in Los Angeles providing programs seminars and one on one instruction for the visually impaired community in Southern California Funded almost entirely by private donations all of the institute s services are provided completely free of charge The organization has seven regional centers Anaheim Coachella Valley Laguna Hills Los Angeles Riverside San Diego and Santa Barbara as well as outreach programs at more than 200 locations throughout Southern California It is a member of the Braille Authority of North America Braille Institute of AmericaFormation1919 104 years ago 1919 FounderJ Robert AtkinsonType501 c 3 HeadquartersLos Angeles CaliforniaLocationUnited StatesArea servedSeven locations covering Southern California from Santa Barbara to San DiegoKey peopleMichael Corley Chair Peter Mindnich PresidentWebsitehttp brailleinstitute org Braille Institute Vermont Avenue Los AngelesBIA serves children youth and adults with the goal of helping its clients adapt to life with low vision and achieving fulfilling independent lives The organization offers instruction in adaptive cooking home skills mobility training and staying connected through technology BIA s publishing arm produces The Braille Special Collection several series of free children s books in Braille designed to foster an early love of reading and promote Braille Literacy Contents 1 History 2 Activities 2 1 Library services 2 2 The Braille Challenge 2 3 Atkinson Hyperlegible 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksHistory editAfter losing his sight in 1912 J Robert Atkinson a cowboy from Montana learned to read braille and transcribed 250 books dictated to him by his family 1 Impressed by his efforts philanthropists Mary and John Longyear donated 25 000 to help Atkinson found the Universal Braille Press in 1919 in Los Angeles By 1924 Atkinson finished printing the 21 volumes of the braille King James Version of the Bible The Braille Mirror a braille magazine was first published in 1926 by the Universal Braille Press Atkinson lobbied lawmakers and influenced the passage of the Pratt Smoot Act in 1931 The legislation provided 100 000 for the printing and distribution of raised print media through the Library of Congress Services for the Blind The Universal Braille Press incorporated as the Braille Institute of America In 1934 BIA joined the National Library System BIA printed the first braille Webster s Dictionary in 1938 In 1971 Braille Institute opened its first regional center in Anaheim California In 2000 the first Braille Challenge was held an annual competition for visually impaired youth that celebrates braille literacy Activities editLibrary services edit Braille Institute s Library Services is the Southern California branch of the National Library Service of the Library of Congress The Library freely provides over 1 2 million Braille texts periodicals and audio recordings for the public In 2009 Library Services received the National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services The Braille Challenge edit Main article Braille Challenge The Braille Challenge is the Braille Institute s annual braille literacy competition for youth 2 Atkinson Hyperlegible edit Main article Atkinson Hyperlegible nbsp Above How Atkinson Hyperlegible appears normally Below A blur effect simulates how the same letters might appear to someone with a low vision condition Most of the Braille Institute s clients are not fully blind and do not use braille to read 3 In 2019 in collaboration with Applied Design Works the Braille Institute released Atkinson Hyperlegible 4 a free typeface built around a grotesque sans serif core 5 Named after J Robert Atkinson 6 the typeface is meant to be optimally legible for people with low vision who may have difficulty distinguishing similar characters 4 See also editWill H Kindig helped establish the instituteReferences edit Perl Erica S A Report Three Federal and State Legislation Regarding Accessible Instructional Materials Archived August 2 2009 at the Wayback Machine Center for Applied Special Technology Best Practices Braille Institute and the Braille Challenge Archived August 2 2009 at the Wayback Machine American Association on Health and Disability Mangan Tom June 9 2022 8 November 2019 New Typeface Boosts Legibility for Low Vision Readers All About Vision Retrieved November 10 2022 a b Wilson Mark September 19 2019 This typeface hides a secret in plain sight And that s the point Innovation by Design Fast Company New York City Retrieved November 10 2022 Budrick Callie October 14 2020 The Hyperlegible Typeface Changing How We See Print Design Inspiration Print Retrieved November 10 2022 Crook Lizzie September 11 2020 Atkinson Hyperlegible typeface is designed for visually impaired readers Dezeen London Retrieved November 10 2022 External links editBraille Institute of America Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Braille Institute of America amp oldid 1121074314, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
