1. BRAILLE IN ESTONIA Tartu Emajõe School 2015 Monica Lõvi and Ilona Tars

2. Achievements Handbook of Estonian Braille Increase in adapted study materials. Better accessibility to information in digital format Research papers

3. Handbook of Estonian Braille, published 2012 Main goal: developing and standardizing of Estonian Braille in co-operation with the Estonian Language Institute and representatives from interest groups

4. Sub-goals Description of Estonian Braille Rules for translating Maths, Physics, Chemistry into Braille Guidelines for adapting written materials into digital format Guidelines and rules for adapting study materials into Braille

5. Working group Representatives from: Tartu Emajõe School Estonian Library for the Blind Estonian Federation of the Blind Institute of Estonian Language

7. Almost history

8. … kirjutamiseks ja lugemiseks

9. 45 Braille displays PCs and JAWS

10. Written materials in Braille and digital format 2015 Tartu Emajoe School: Student books ~250 different books in 2015 (178 in 2011/12) ~ 80 in e-format in 2015 (zero in 2011/12)

11. Estonian Library for the Blind 2015, Marja Kivihall 5 different newsletters and 10 different journals in digital HTML format by e-mail; About 200 BVI subscribers 65 e-books (also from university libraries)

12. Braille development Essential for Braille literacy Braille in paper and in e-format are both necessary; ½ prefers e-format Guidelines for translation into Braille in paper and in digital format 6-dot and 8-dot systems; Braille for music notation International co-operation

13. Braille methodology Lellep, Sirli 2015. Master Thesis „Preparation of Blind Children for Written Language Acquisition“ Tartu University Veispak, Anneli 2012. Doctorial Thesis „Perceptual and Cognitive Underpinnings of Braille Reading

14. Children with BVI 2015 10 Blind students in regular school following mainstream national curricula for basic or secondary school 3 blind students at Tartu special school Data from social security: 45 BVI children 0-7 years old; 150 BVI students 8-20 years

15. Conclusion The importance of Braille is recognized both by authorities and BVI Production and accessibility of adapted materials for BVI is increasing thanks to availability of modern hard- and spftware

16. … and suggestions Adapting written materials into digital format – both people with blindness and low-vision benefit from it Continuing development in teaching methods of Braille Research on Braille literacy

17. Continuing national and international co-operation THANK YOU !