How Do Blind People Write? A Look at the History and Modern Methods

How does a blind person write?

Many blind people use Braille, named after its creator, Louis Braille, who developed the system when he was just 15. The Braille alphabet was published in 1829, and the first Braille book appeared eight years later. Interestingly, it was about the history of France.

Braille is based on six raised dots, whose different combinations represent letters.

To write on paper, blind people can use braille typewriters, including models sold under the names Perkins, Eurotype and TatraPoint. The paper needs to be thicker and stiffer than ordinary writing paper.

How do blind people use the internet? One option is a screen reader: software that converts text into synthetic speech. Popular options include the free NVDA and the paid JAWS. These tools enable blind people to use computers, write text and work in many professions.

Digital tools of this kind have been developing since around 2000. Their rapid progress has helped establish assistive technology for people with visual impairments as a field focused on designing accessible hardware and software.

Despite its versatility, Braille also has limitations. Braille text takes up considerably more space: for example, the Harry Potter series can fill 36 Braille volumes instead of seven print volumes. High printing costs and small print runs also make Braille books much more expensive.

How did blind people write in the past?

Earlier techniques were far less effective. At first, people tried forming letters from materials such as wood, felt or pieces of wire. Unfortunately, this still did not enable blind people to write their own text.

This time, reading the text was the problem, as the marks wore away quickly. Another approach was knot writing, which allowed people to record and read information through knots tied in a cord. Their size, number and spacing conveyed meaning. As you might expect, communicating this way was extremely slow.

The system that ultimately gained widespread use was developed by Louis Braille, who drew inspiration from the military. His raised-dot writing system was based on a method of communication used by the French army to convey orders in the dark without speaking. The key difference was that the military system used 12 raised dots rather than six. Louis simplified and expanded it, later adding mathematical and musical notation.