HANDS ON! Books for Blind Children

Our goal:
to generate awareness and funds to eliminate the literacy gap that separates blind children from the mainstream with enhanced, expanded programs to promote early braille reading.

Literacy is for everyone! Would you want YOUR child to grow up not knowing how to read?

Studies show that 70% of our nation's blind are unemployed. Of those who DO have jobs, 90% are braille readers. When braille so clearly correlates with success in school, work, and life, why aren't there more braille readers?

As technology for books-on-tape and talking computers improved and school budgets were cut in the past few decades, an entire generation of blind schoolchildren had little access to braille instruction or books. Things are improving now, but a gap remains.

Advocacy and outreach have long been part of our business of publishing and printing braille books for readers of all ages. National Braille Press serves children and youth with our ReadBooks! Because Braille Matters outreach program; our Children's Braille Book Club; our mentorship program to help our braille transcribers sharpen their skills for making math, science, and tactilely illustrated textbooks; our Explore It! program to introduce tactile graphics to your children, and our Early Reader CDs, each containing easy-to-emboss braille code for dozens of children's books.

As contributions come in, Hands On! Books for Blind Children plans to:
REACH every blind preschooler with our braille books and literacy materials.
TEACH parents the importance of braille and how to participate in braille learning with their children.
INSPIRE school administrators to provide blind school children with texts and instructional materials in time for classroom learning with their peers.
PRODUCE print/braille books for families to read together and braille textbooks and "free choice" reading selections for children to use in school.