2023-01-04T12:14:30+05:30
Braille is a form of written language where alphabets can be felt with fingertips. Image used for representation. (Photo credit: Creative commons)
New Delhi: The New National Education Policy 2020 has recognized “Inclusion & Equity” as a cornerstone to achieve its goal around “Education for all”. Inclusion & Equity is best seen within education programme delivery when accessibility and inclusivity are practised well in the classroom. World Braille Day is an important reminder for all stakeholders working in education to ensure that the print disabled persons and more specifically the visually impaired students attend to their right to read, write and learn using the opportunity of braille code.
In the era of coding and programming, “Braille” is the oldest version of language code available to mankind developed by its prolific inventor Louis Braille borne on January 4, 1809. Having lost his eyesight at an early age due to an accident, he was sent to a school for the blind in Paris where he developed a curiosity for a writing system using dots developed by Charles Barbier. The genius Louis then build over these dots and developed the writing and reading system, which is universally known as Braille.
Braille is a form of written language for blind and print-disabled people, where characters are represented by raised dots patterns that can be felt with the fingertips. The method helps visually impaired people to identify not only letters and numbers, but also musical notes, and scientific and mathematical symbols through the sense of touch.
Within Inclusive Education, Government provides special budget provisions for the braille-based education of visually impaired students. Besides that, braille presses have been set up to meet the demand side. Special Educators are trained in braille skills to impart education to visually impaired students at the school level. Within these positive developments, the scope of braille education has been widened up and an awareness level needs to be created in communities to connect visually impaired students and persons to these braille-enabled opportunities.
In the inclusion paradigm, steps are required to include braille code training for all school teachers so that visually impaired children in any location can be benefited in the absence of special teachers. Secondly, District Administration must include braille competitions and braille display education events in their academic calendar to popularize braille-based education. The current focus of the braille code has been limited to schooling while its scope is there in higher education, skilling, employment and daily living.
Globally 36 million people are living with blindness and 217 million have visual impairment ranging from moderate to severe as per World Health Organization estimates. Looking at these numbers, the importance of braille in promoting global inclusion is very critical. The application of braille can enhance the visibility of an inclusive world. Going ahead, all stakeholders concerned need to see how this universal code is taken for scaling to promote inclusive ATMs, disability-sensitive elevators, braille display calculators, watches and all other lifestyle products. Similarly, braille can promote inclusive character at all important places of public gathering like hospitals, hotels, restaurants, workstations, shopping malls, community halls, emergency communications etc.
The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD) cites Braille as a means of communication; and regards it as essential in education, freedom of expression and opinion, access to information and social inclusion for those who use it. Braille is mentioned several times in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Article 2 CRPD, which defines the term “communication”, lists Braille among the different means and formats of communication accessible for persons with disabilities. Article 9 CRPD on accessibility imposes on States Parties the obligation to use Braille in buildings and other facilities open to the public. Article 21 CRPD on freedom of expression and opinion, and access to information requires Parties to the Convention to accept and facilitate the use of sign languages, Braille, augmentative and alternative communication, and all other accessible means, modes and formats of communication of their choice by persons with disabilities in official interactions. Article 24 CRPD on inclusive education sets out the obligation to employ teachers who are qualified in Braille, in order to facilitate the learning of Braille for students who are blind or partially sighted. The Indian Right to Persons with Disabilities Act-2016 which harmonizes UNCRPD has also embarked upon states to ensure accessibility through braille as a language code medium wherever required.
Braille is crucial in the context of education, to allow freedom of expression and opinion and, more broadly, to enhance social inclusion, as reflected in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which focuses on inclusive and equitable quality of education and promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for all. The day, therefore, forms special importance to celebrate the success of braille as an empowering tool and asks for a renewed commitment to its continuing expansion and growth in making the world a better place to live for visually challenged persons.
The author is a Senior Manager, Govt Relations & Policy Engagement at Sightsavers India.
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