Braille Teaching

Most of America's blind kids aren't learning to read Braille. This is particularly troubling because Braille is a major factor in the employment status of blind adults. According to the Braille Institute of America, the National Braille Press, the National Federation of the Blind and others, of the mere thirty percent of blind adults working, over ninety percent read Braille. Even among people who don't use Braille for reading books, its value in facilitating independent living is fiercely contended.
So, why isn't Braille taught? Naturally, with so few blind and severely visually impaired kids learning Braille (10 percent) excuses abound. Some arise from misunderstandings about braille teaching. Some represent misunderstandings about blindness. Others demonstrate a dimming appreciation for the role of literacy. Here is one of the most commonly reported excuses given to parents by educators. Many parents who hear this quit fighting for Braille education for their child. After all, the teacher is the expert, right?

"He doesn't want to learn Braille."
Where were these advocates when I didn't want to learn algebra? Nowhere in education is the desire of the student to study a subject so respected! It is the job of adults, however, to prepare children for the real world. Letting legally blind kids off the hook with regard to Braille education is evidence of the double standard whereby it is assumed that blind people can't be expected to keep up with their sighted peers.

Some blind children have gone on to become lawyers, engineers, chemists, journalists and successful professionals in many and varied fields. Blind kids should be expected to compete with others of their age and intellect without suffering chronic headaches and sacrificing extracurricular and social activities. If a child's vision is poor enough that the child cannot keep up with his or her grade level, or when keeping up requires far more time than that child's peers spend, Braille should be introduced.