For general help and for software to convert documents from one format to another, go to the Section Conversion and Transcription.

For electronic braille embossers that work with a computer and for refreshable braille output from computers, see the department Technology and Electronics.

Adapted Curriculum Enhancement
internet: http://www.ace-education.org/tactile_graph_inst.asp

The NASA space program for visually impaired youth has here the graphics the students use for their training.

American Printing House for the Blind [APH]
internet: http://www.aph.org/

Braille paper, braillers, slate and stylus, Chang Tactile Diagram Kit, foil and tools to make graphics to use in vacuuming forming machines, video on techniques.

American Thermoform Corporation
internet: http://www.americanthermoform.com/

Braille paper (cut sheets and continous) and clear material for making braille labels. Their Thermoform machine uses heat and vacuum to produce duplications of sheets with braille and tactile graphics.

B. R. L., Inc.
internet: http://www.easycart.net/ecarts/BRLInc/Braille_Labels.html

Braille labels.

Blista-Brailletec
location: Marburg, GERMANY
internet: http://brailletec.de/home_en.htm

Braille writers, braille labeler device, "sudoku" puzzle in braille (with tiles like "Scrabble"). Manual braillers include Erika Picht, Eurotype, Tatrapoint, and Perkins.

Braillery, The
internet: http://www.thebraillery.com/

Sells and buys used braille writers.

Creative Adaptations for Learning
internet: http://www.cal-s.org

Sells "haptic flashcards" to learn the alphabet, counting, and shapes by touch.

Dancing Dots Braille Music Technology
internet: http://www.dancingdots.com

Software "Goodfeel" translates printed music scores into braille for your embosser.  Preliminary scanning and editing of a printed score requires use of other commercial software packages: "Midiscan" or "PianoScan" and a Lime notation editor.

"Drawing with Your Perkins Brailler"
internet: http://support.perkins.org/site/PageServer?pagename=store_homepage

This book is available for sale from the Perkins School for the Blind.

Duxbury Systems, Inc.
internet: http://www.duxburysystems.com

Software packages: "Duxbury Braille Translator" for Macintosh and IBM; "Braille Board" to make braille signage; and "DBF Font Package". They also maintain a list of vendors of specialized writing equipment (including used Perkins braillers).

Exceptional Teaching
internet: http://www.exceptionalteaching.com/

The Mangold braille learning curricula are also adapted for use on the Talking Tactile Tablet.  Extra pages are sold here for making your own overlays for the TTT.

Eyecom

General Binding Corporation
internet: http://www.gbc.com/index.html

Supplies for small binding jobs.

Helinä Hirn
internet: 

https://oa.doria.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/45134/premapsa.pdf?sequence=1

"Pre-maps: An Educational Programme for Reading Tactile Maps" is her doctoral thesis from the University of Helsinki, 2009. This link is for the document in English.

Howe Press of Perkins School for the Blind
internet: http://support.perkins.org/site/PageServer?pagename=store_homepage

Sells Perkins braillers in all styles, slates, styluses, braille paper, writing guides, braille-sized binders, Dymo tape, replacement keys for Perkins braille writers to enable one-handed use, etc.

I Feel Pixel
internet: http://www.ifeelpixel.com/

Their company is working on a way to have all pictures on the computer screen felt by a blind user.

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
internet: http://www.ifla.org

There are here for reading several informative booklets written to describe how to create tactile illustrations.
http://www.ifla.org/VI/1/guidelines/tactile_picture_books_20080109.pdf
http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla73/papers/156-Ripley-en.pdf
http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla65/65ye-e.htm

Jot-a-Dot
internet: http://www.jotadot.com.au/

This company's new, tiny brailler is made of plastic and is quite portable at 8 inches by 4.5 inches in size.

Judy Dixon's Collection of Braille and Tactile-Writing Slates
internet: http://www.brailleslates.org

This is an interesting "virtual museum" of these important devices.

Marie Porter
internet: http://www.ssc.education.ed.ac.uk/courses/vi&multi/MariePorter.pdf

This lady has a document to share that tells how to draw several nice pictures using a manual brailler.

Monotype Imagining
internet: http://www.fonts.com/findfonts/detail.asp?pid=400692

Sym-braille fonts.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA]
internet: http://www.ace-education.org/media/tact_graph.asp

Files to download to use in making tactile diagrams of space features.

National Federation of the Blind [NFB]
internet: http://www.nfb.org

Braille paper.

NSC International
internet: http://www.binding.com/

Binding machines, 19-prong combs, and cover stock.

Omnicor, Inc.
internet: http://www.wikkistix.com/

Wikki Stix are strings coated in wax.  They are quite useful for creating temporary tactile graphics.

Pheasantland Braille and Graphics
mail: 1600 North Drive, PO Box 5911, Sioux Falls SD 57117-5911 U.S.A.
e-mail: Pat.Gacke@state.sd.us
fax: 607-367-5137
voice: 605-367-5082

Their Braille Grid is a transparent page with 25 lines and 40 cells of simbraille dots, used for planning a graphic. Using dry erase markers, the graphic can be sketched on the grid to show space available for including labels.  Their Graphics Tooling Mat has different textures on the two sides for making different types of graphics.

Provincial Resource Center for the Visually Impaired
internet: http://www.prcvi.org/tactilegraphics/demo.html

There is information and instruction here on how to use Corel Draw software to make tactile graphics. There may be some graphics files here to download.

Quantum Technology
internet: http://www.jotadot.com/

Their "Jot a Dot" braille writer is small and lightweight.

Repro-Tronics, Inc.
internet: http://www.repro-tronics.com

"Tactile Image Enhancer", makes tactile versions of black-line pictures for $900; "Flexipaper" for the T.I.E. can be folded up without creasing; "Thermopen" (for drawing on Flexipaper); speech enhanced Auto-CAD software; and "Bumpy Pictures" tactile picture drawing software.

Robtron Group
internet: http://www.braillemaster.com/index.htm

Their braille translation software is called "BrailleMaster", and it is designed to easily allowed changes in the braille code used for documents. The demonstration version is fully functional for small files.

Science Access Project -- Oregon State University
internet: http://dots.physics.orst.edu/dotsplus.html

Provides software programs to make tactual graphics, put math and science symbols into tactual forms, and makes UNIX systems braille-accessible.

Selective Doctor, The
interne: http://home.comcast.net/~mappie/sdi/sdi.html

Sells reconditioned, used Perkins braille writers.

Southwest Preferred Finishing Products
internet: http://www.swplastic.com

Sells plastic and paper covers (in several thicknesses) of the right size for binding braille books (available prepunched with 19 holes). Also sells binding combs for 19-hold machines. There is a minimum order.

Svec a Spol
location: Slovakia
internet: http://www.svecaspol.sk/home.php?id=42&lang=1

Sales and repairs of the Tatrapoint braille writer.

Tack-Tiles
internet: http://www.tack-tiles.com

Makes and sells the Tack-Tiles Braille System, unique connectable blocks with large braille dots on them (similar to and can be snapped onto Legos® blocks).

Tactile Graphics Project
internet: http://tactilegraphics.cs.washington.edu/

"We have developed the Tactile Graphics Assistant which, when combined with off-the-shelf software applications, enables the rapid translation of visual graphics to a tactile form."  Register here to download the software.

Tactile Graphics International
internet: https://lists.rnib.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/tactilegraphics

This group, sponsored by the Royal National Institute for the Blind in England, sponsors conferences where people can meet to discuss issues of tactile graphics.

Tactile Graphics Website
internet: http://www.tactilegraphics.org/index.html

"Our goal is to promote excellence in the design and production of braille graphics." There are many references here to help you make graphics the corrent way, following BANA guidelines.

Tactile Image Library
by: American Printing House for the Blind
internet: http://aph.org/tgil/index.html
log-in: http://imagelibrary.aph.org/
e-mail: cgraham@aph.org

Members can download graphics files to with software to make in braille documents.

Tactile Library for the Blind and Partially Sighted
internet: http://tactilelibrary.com/

This site is maintained by the Royal National Institute for the Blind from England. The image files are in .pdf format, and are intended to be used by printing them out and making raised line drawings with a machine using swell paper.

Tactile Map Automated Production
internet: http://www.ski.org/Rehab/TMAP/

Help for making tactile drawings of street maps.

Tactile View
internet: http://tactileview.com/

Software to make tactile graphics.

The Code Project
internet: http://www.codeproject.com/KB/scripting/JavaBraille.aspx

This web site for people who develop programs using the Java script language has code available for adding braille to web sites.

Touch Graphics
internet: http://www.touchgraphics.com/

Their Talking Tactile Tablet can add sounds and speech to learning by touch. Extra pages are sold here, too.

VIEW International Foundation
internet: http://www.viewinternational.org/diagrams.htm

This organization sells electronic files of diagrams for use in college classes. The diagrams are meant to be printed out with a .pdf software, then transferred to capsule paper to make raised-line drawings.

ViewPlus Technologies, Inc.
internet: http://viewplustech.com

"The Tiger Advantage Tactile Graphics Embosser translates screen fonts into braille and embosses crisp high resolution line and block graphics from all standard Windows applications."

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This page was last updated June 16, 2008.