When you receive a request for braille documents, your business has an important decision: should you print it or opt for a digital alternative? Like picking between chocolate or vanilla, the answer changes depending on personal preference. When unsure, learning more about the different options should help you decide which to choose. Two common types you’ll encounter are paper braille and electronic braille. In this article, we’ll provide an overview of each to help guide your decision. Paper Braille Benefits There are many appealing things about embossed braille. For starters, some readers pr ..read more

It’s time to start a movement. An Accessible Document Revolution, if you will. I recently asked a friend who’s blind what they would tell someone who encounters a barrier when requesting accessible documents. I assumed they would have good advice because they receive braille statements and are generally vocal about their need for accessible documents. Their reply?  “You’re screwed.” I was stunned. Why would a federally protected civil right receive such a response from someone who has needed accessible documents their entire life? Because that’s the reality they’ve lived. The response m ..read more

Welcome to January, a month that’s more than just chilly weather and New Year’s resolutions. It’s also the month dedicated to celebrating braille literacy! Let’s uncover what braille literacy is, why it’s important, and how it fits into today’s world. It’s time to dive into the fascinating world of braille! What is Braille Literacy? Braille literacy refers to the ability to read and write using braille, a tactile system developed by Louis Braille in the early 19th century. It’s comprised of raised dots arranged in specific patterns, representing letters, numbers, punctuation, and even musical ..read more

Accessibility is the heart of everything we do here at Braille Works. Because of the independence and integrity it affords people with disabilities, we strive to do all we can to bring awareness of its importance. #NoSightNoLimits celebrates the efforts of those bringing accessibility to the forefront by highlighting their accomplishments and how they have impacted people who are blind or visually impaired.  We’ve compiled a few of our favorite #NoSightNoLimits stories from this past year for you to enjoy. The Invention of BrailleWear After volunteering at an institution for the visually ..read more

It’s just about time for Medicare’s open enrollment period, and we know you’re doing your research. The problem is that all of the print materials you’ve received aren’t in an accessible format, and they’re often difficult to read. Luckily, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) offers this material in a format you can read. You just have to request it! New this year When you request an accessible version of your Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Part D communication, you’ll receive all your communications in that accessible format. That’s thanks to a new CMS ruling.  CMS he ..read more

Howdy, partner! Finding a Section 508 compliance vendor is much like navigating the Wild West. You can look at a company’s website that looks amazing. It appears as if they know exactly what they’re doing. They have all the right buzzwords, like Web Content Accessibility Guideline (WCAG), and mention a certificate of compliance.  But they don’t do it. Many vendors don’t actually make documents Section 508 compliant. Much like the unpredictable and lawless terrain of the Wild West, the world of digital accessibility can be challenging to navigate. It’s an arena where appearances can be de ..read more

With so many companies promising to be the best in document accessibility, how do you know which one to trust?  Allow us to make our case. When it comes to providing quality accessible documents in braille, large print, audio, and accessible PDF, our customers know they can put their trust in us. Based on their feedback, here are the reasons why our customers prefer our service. Accessibility Never Looked This Good Braille is the most commonly known form of an accessible document. What makes the way we produce braille so unique then? Well, to guarantee a positive experience with our acces ..read more

My coworkers and I recently had the pleasure of visiting Southeastern Guide Dogs’ Unseen Worlds. I knew the experience would be neat, but I wasn’t prepared for its impact on my perspective of life with vision loss. Virtual Reality Teresa escorts us around Southeastern Guide Dogs’ expansive campus and guides us through Unseen Worlds.  First up, a virtual reality (VR) experience.  We enter a room designed to look like a city park. There are sounds of birds chirping. We see a mural of a city park in front of us and feel artificial grass under our feet.  In the middle of the room ..read more

Get ready; it’s time to celebrate World Braille Day! I’m sure you can guess that it’s a day to celebrate braille. But, you may wonder what it’s all about and why it’s worth celebrating. Well, let’s talk about that so we can spread the word and invite more people to celebrate! What is it? We celebrate World Braille Day every year on January 4th because it’s Louis Braille’s birthday. He’s the inventor of braille! Louis was born in 1809 in France and became blind after a childhood accident. But he quickly mastered his new way of living. When Louis was only 15 years old, he created a reading and ..read more

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month! Throughout the past couple of years, COVID has had an impact on how employees with disabilities are able to work. Let’s take a deep dive into what those impacts are!   Barriers To Benefits  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2021, 43.7% of workers with disabilities reported barriers that hindered them from finding employment. A couple of these barriers included difficulty commuting to the job and lack of accessibility within the position. With more than 20 million people working from home since 2021, th ..read more