For people who are blind or have low vision, braille is a vital tool when it comes to accessing and producing written material. With many visually impaired globally, learning braille plays an important role in ensuring independence in these individuals, to communicate, learn more and to understand the world beyond their blindness.
Malaysians made progress with braille when they revolutionised vending machines to be braille-enabled in 2021. In collaboration between Atlas Vending and the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB), they rolled out vending machines that are specially equipped with assistive features for the visually impaired. These machines are certified by the Malaysia Book of Records as the first Braille-enabled vending machines in Malaysia, according to an article by Soya Cincau.
According to a statistic revealed by the Department of Social Welfare, as of July 2024, there are 61,112 registered visually impaired individuals in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, the National Eye Survey done by the Health Ministry in 2018 indicates the prevalence of low vision among the general population of Malaysia was 2.44 percent, while the prevalence of blindness is 0.29 per cent of the population. This means that as many as 800,000 Malaysians could be partially sighted, while close to 95,000 are blind.
The survey revealed that ageing is one of the contributing factors to vision impairment, with as many as 160,000 Malaysians aged above 50 suffering with low vision, while eight per cent of them succumb to blindness. Not to forget, visual impairment can also affect young children. In low-income countries, congenital cataract is the leading cause of vision impairment in children, whereas in middle-income countries, it is more likely to be retinopathy of prematurity, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Therefore, with progress made with braille being accessible, this development can help the visually impaired to have the freedom to communicate and understand. However, braille literacy and awareness in Malaysia are still considerably low, according to a report by BERNAMA in 2021, with a percentage as low as 30 per cent of blind individuals registered with the Welfare Department as braille-literate.
Thus, World Braille Day is celebrated yearly on January 4 in conjunction with Louis Braille’s birthday — the inventor of braille. Louis was born in 1809 in France and became blind after a childhood accident. According to an article by Braille Works, despite the tribulations, Louis quickly mastered his new way of living.
“When Louis was only 15 years old, he created a reading and writing system based on Charles Barbier’s night writing system. We know Louis’ system today as braille. Adjusted over time, braille is now easier to read and is used worldwide!”
World Braille Day is highlighted each year as a reminder of the importance of accessibility and independence for people who are blind or visually impaired. This day spreads awareness about braille and other accessible forms of communication. Everyone deserves (and is legally entitled to) the same accommodations and services, regardless of ability.
In the 1950s, Malaysia adopted the English Braille system, though the number of blind people familiar with the system remains rather low. This was because the government emphasises the use of the Bahasa Melayu as a medium of instruction for schools and offices.
Sharing further, the World Blind Union (Asia Pacific) disclosed that in the 1980s, a grade two braille code in the Bahasa Melayu language was introduced. In 2001, a committee steered by the National Council for the Blind, Malaysia, in collaboration with the Ministry of Special Education, reviewed the Malay Braille and published a new manual in 2004. In January of 2006, the Ministry of Special Education, Malaysia, sent out a circular instructing all schools to adopt and use this new version.
In the world where sight is important, the blind are left visually impaired. Hence, braille literacy is critical in ensuring that this group of individuals is not left behind in the world’s advancements.
By encouraging braille literacy, the blind can select the right floors while using the elevator, read books, pay money with cash notes, and more. This eliminates the need to seek assistance on basic tasks, as well as increases independence for the blind. Therefore, this World Braille Day, it is crucial to promote braille literacy!
