Braille signage is something that many people are not familiar with, but it is very important. Braille has been around for a long time and has gone through many changes to help make it easier for the blind community to read. It can be found in restaurants, airports, schools, pharmacies, hospitals, and more all over the world. The goal of braille signs is to let those who are visually impaired know where they need to go so they don’t feel lost or alone when going about their day-to-day lives.
For many years, braille has been a useful tool in helping the blind community and still is today. New technology may make it easier for some people to read, but it’s always important that those who are visually impaired know where they’re going at all times.
What is Braille?
Braille is a tactile writing system that uses raised dots to represent letters and words. It was developed in the late 1820s by Louis Braille, who wanted his blind friends to be able to read written text.
It can involve up to six dot positions with three dots on each side of two parallel lines; these are referred to as cells or points. The number of possible patterns increases from 12 (23) for one cell, through 144 (47) for four cells, and even more so for higher numbers of braille characters per line.
In total there are 63 combinations possible which allow all 26 letters of the Latin alphabet plus some extra symbols such as punctuation signs. This sounds complex to those of us who have no experience with braille, but for many it is a way of life and survival.
Braille signage is necessary because it provides an alternative to visual signs. Braille shows up well in low light conditions and can be read by people who are blind, illiterate or have language barriers. It would also help those who cannot read the sign because of a disability such as dyslexia which affects reading comprehension skills. If someone with these difficulties sees braille they may be able to make sense out of what is being said on the sign and act accordingly for their safety or other reasons.
Do I need Braille Signs at my Business?
Yes, this is usually the case. You may be required to have a Braille sign under your local government regulations. Depending on the type of business you may need to get some custom signage made up.
*Braille Signage Safety Tips:
-Do not use any words that could insult people who are blind or visually impaired on your signage. Offensive language should never be used in the general vicinity of signs regardless of their content and orientation towards readers with disabilities.
-Keep Braille Signs out of reach from children as they can damage them by poking at them continually. Make sure you keep them away from pets too for the same reason!
-Avoid using any words that are not recognizable in Braille to people who cannot see it.
-Are you sure your sign is facing the right way? It needs to be readable by those with disabilities and can’t be reversed from left to right for non-Braille readers. Keep this in mind when having your commercial signage installed.
-Ensure all signs have enough space around them so they do not get damaged or accidentally moved.
