Programs & Services
Workshops
Braille Literacy Canada offers a series of workshops, typically held on a bi-monthly basis using Zoom, on topics relating to braille, braille technology, braille teaching, and more.
Workshops are typically free for members (and members of corporation/organizational members), and cost $20.00 for non-members. In many cases, additional resources and post-workshop recordings will be available for those interested in participating but who cannot attend live.
If you have an idea for a workshop or there is a topic that you would like to see us explore, please contact us and give us your suggestions!
Upcoming Workshops
Past Workshops
2023 Braille Literacy Canada Symposium: Boundless Braille
June 2, 2023 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Join us for this year's symposium!
Celebrating the Slate and Stylus with Judy Dixon
April 22, 2023 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Join Judy Dixon for a fascinating workshop on the venerable slate and stylus
Tips on Brailler and Braille Device Maintenance
November 19, 2022 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Learn how to maintain your Perkins brailler and other braille devices
Using the Hable One Keyboard: A Joint CCB-GTT and BLC Presentation
November 12, 2022 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Learn how to use the Hable One braille keyboard to control your smartphone
Advocating for Braille
October 22, 2022 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Join a panel of experts to explore how we can advocate for braille for ourselves.
2022 Braille Literacy Canada Symposium
June 17, 2022 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
This event will be of interest to braille readers, educators, transcribers, parents, producers and anyone else with a passion for braille literacy!
Orbit Reader Workshop
April 23, 2022 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Tracy Mousseau and Betty Nobel will share their experiences to help you decide whether an Orbit Reader is right for you.
Guidelines for the Transcription of Early Braille Literacy Materials
November 20, 2021 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Bonnie Read, one of the lead authors, will present BANA's new Guidelines for the Transcription of Early Educational Materials from Print to Braille
Duxbury for Braille Readers
September 25, 2021 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Learn how to use the Duxbury Braille Translator (as a braille reader) to produce your own electronic or printed braille documents
Braille Literacy Canada Symposium: From Braille Literacy to Empowerment
June 4, 2021 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
A host of exciting and world-renowned speakers will give half hour presentations followed by time for Q&A and discussion, with a game of trivia to cap it all off!
Let's Talk About it: Braille, Adulthood and Aging
April 17, 2021 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Betty Nobel, Chair of the BLC Teaching and Learning committee sits down with BLC President Dr. Natalie Martiniello for a lively discussion about her research on braille, adulthood and aging.
Your help is needed to ensure CELA/NNELS continue to receive funding for the production of braille
March 18, 2021 @ 7:00 PM (EST)
Join Braille Literacy Canada and the Canadian Council for the Blind to learn how you can help CELA and NNELS restore their federal funding
Teaching Braille Virtually: Ideas and Strategies
February 24, 2021 @ 12:00 PM (EST)
A panel of teachers of students with visual impairments (biographies below) will provide their insights about teaching braille in a virtual classroom.
It’s Connected: Pairing and Using a Braille Device with a Mobile Phone or Tablet
September 19, 2020 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Learn the steps to follow so you can connect your braille display to your iOS or Android mobile device
Getting Started with Braille Screen Input on the iPhone: Hands-On Strategies for Success
July 31, 2020 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Learn how to use 'braille screen input' on the iPhone through a detailed, step-by-step overview with hands-on demonstrations
Literacy In Your Living Room: Braille Resources for TVI’s, Parents And Students Learning From Home
April 7, 2020 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
BLC President Natalie Martiniello and Vice President Daphne Hitchcock will discuss a variety of resources for blind and visually impaired students.
Teaching English and Braille to New Language Learners
February 19, 2020 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Learn from teacher experiences and creative strategies for working with new language learners
Braille resources: Where to find them and how to create your own
January 25, 2020 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
learn where to find and purchase braille resources (braille books, games, household items)
Braille is Best: Out and About - Everyday Strategies for Advocating for the Use of Braille
November 30, 2019 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Panelists share their experiences advocating for braille in post-secondary education and in everyday life
Formatting Documents Using Refreshable Braille Displays
September 28, 2019 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Learn how to format a document, from the basics to the advanced, and how a braille display can help with this task
The ABCs of Learning Braille: Tips, Tricks and Tools for Adults
June 1, 2019 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Join Braille Literacy Canada for a special teleconference all about learning braille as an adult or senior
The War of the Dots and Other Fascinating Events in the History of Braille
March 30, 2019 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Learn how we got from a system developed by a French teenager in the 1820s to the Unified English Braille code we’re using nearly 200 years later
Celebrating World Braille Day: A Look At The World Of Braille On An International Scale
January 26, 2019 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Learn about what is happening in the world of braille on the international stage
Braille for All Ages
November 24, 2018 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Are you wondering if braille would be a helpful tool for you? Do you have a student or a family member who is making the transition to braille?
The Copyright Act Demystified for Production of Alternative Format Materials
September 15, 2018 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Learn how copyright impacts braille (and alternate format) transcription, what's allowed, and more!
Introduction to Braille Blaster
May 26, 2018 @ 3:00 PM (EST)
An introduction to the freely available Braille Blaster braille translation tool
Emerging Braille Technology
March 3, 2018 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Learn more about up and coming braille technologies - directly from the people involved and companies themselves!
BLC Past, Present, and Future
January 27, 2018 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Learn more about the role and work of Braille Literacy Canada (BLC) and its impact on those who use, teach, transcribe or otherwise are passionate about braille
UEB Technical Material: From Counting to Calculus
November 27, 2017 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Learn the ins and outs of transcribing technical material in UEB
What you need to know about CELA
September 30, 2017 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Learn about the services offered by the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA)
Bringing Braille Home for the Summer: A Special Teleconference Workshop for Parents
May 27, 2017 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Learn about the exciting opportunities that exist for teachers and rehabilitation therapists who work with blind and partially sighted children, adults and seniors, as well as in braille and alternative format transcription, production, and proofreading
Choosing your next braille display
April 8, 2017 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Our panel discusses a variety of braille display devices to help you decide which one would be most helpful to you
Learn about Professions in the Field of Visual Impairment and Braille
January 14, 2017 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Learn about the exciting opportunities that exist for teachers and rehabilitation therapists who work with blind and partially sighted children, adults and seniors, as well as in braille and alternative format transcription, production, and proofreading
UEB Virtual Party for Braille Users
November 19, 2016 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
Learn what UEB is and the main changes it introduces for you as a reader
Braille in the context of the proposed federal disability legislation: BLC seeks your input
January 28, 2016 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
BLC seeks consumer input to inform its submission to the Federal Government outlining the importance of federal organizations ensuring that information is accessible and available in braille
Braille in the 21st Century
January 9, 2016 @ 1:00 PM (EST)
A panel of braille users discuss different themes related to "Braille in the 21st Century", and what is new and exciting in the world of braille