Tributes to Braille, whose vision gave books to the blind
Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 05 Jan 2009: 5.
Abstract
Almost entirely blind, the 11-year-old's love affair with the world of [Harry Potter] has been made possible through the work of Frenchman Louis Braille, two centuries earlier. Erica has not thought much about who Braille was, although she says "he must have been clever".
Erica can read as fast as a sighted person, although she struggles to explain how marks, or bumps, on a piece of paper translate to words and pictures in her head. "I just got on with what I had to do," she said. "I just know which of the letters are different dots."
"Braille is central to enabling people who are blind to access information. Despite all our technological advances, braille remains an essential component for the existence of someone who is blind. It increases their independence, which is very important."
WHEN her parents turn the lights off at night, Erica Chandotto can keep on reading her favourite Harry Potter without them knowing.
Almost entirely blind, the 11-year-old's love affair with the world of Harry Potter has been made possible through the work of Frenchman Louis Braille, two centuries earlier. Erica has not thought much about who Braille was, although she says "he must have been clever".
Blindness organisations around the world yesterday celebrated the 200th anniversary of Braille's birth.
The Frenchman, who lost his sight when he was four after an accident in his father's workshop, at the age 15 began developing a reading system that would allow millions of blind and sight-impaired people to receive an education and to explore literature.
He used a combination of six raised dots to make letters, words and numbers.
It was a simple but brilliant modification of a method of communication originally developed for the French military to enable soldiers to communicate silently and without light at night.
Erica can read as fast as a sighted person, although she struggles to explain how marks, or bumps, on a piece of paper translate to words and pictures in her head. "I just got on with what I had to do," she said. "I just know which of the letters are different dots."
Her mother Angela said braille had opened up her daughter's world. "She has been able to do exams, keep up with kids her own age and do what they do," Ms Chandotto said.
Vision Australia head Gerard Menses said overseas celebrations started with an organ recital at Paris's Notre Dame cathedral.
In Australia, events included an exhibition at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum titled Living In A Sensory World. On display was a 1974 braille Playboy. It only has the articles.
Mr Menses said braille was one of the "big bangs in the history of the world".
"Braille is central to enabling people who are blind to access information. Despite all our technological advances, braille remains an essential component for the existence of someone who is blind. It increases their independence, which is very important."
Erica was born with a rare genetic disorder that was cured when she was two months old by a bone marrow transplant from her sister Laura. But it left her almost totally blind.
Early on, experts from the Royal Blind Society, now Vision Australia, helped her learn simple things such as sitting up, rolling, crawling and looking in the direction of people who are talking.
Blind and vision-impaired children are usually introduced to braille about the age of two.
Vision Australia senior client services manager Jane Ellis said: "For a child who is blind or has low vision, it is vital that they are introduced to dots as early as possible so that they can keep up with their sighted peers."
Credit: John Stapleton
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