CareerConnect

Developed by Alicia Wolfe

• According to Disability Statistics, “for working age adults reporting significant vision loss, only 37.7% were employed in 2012. 
• According to the Wikipedia on braille literacy, “Among adults [who are blind] who do not know braille, only 1 in 3 is employed.” 

These statistics may mean that students with significant vision loss need to be learning braille at an earlier age, or that braille should be taught as a primary reading medium for students who are legally blind or have been diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition. One thing that is known is that reading and writing are basic skills needed for employment at most jobs. Teens and adults with vision loss who have effective reading and writing skills have more employment opportunities than those who do not have these skills. Teens who use braille as their primary learning medium need to be proficient in reading the code so they can compete with sighted print readers for employment opportunities.

This series of lesson plans is designed to support professionals in promoting braille literacy and the development of employability skills for teenage braille readers and learners. Educators, parents, teens, teachers of the visually impaired, and other instructors are encouraged to use the lesson plans to teach print readers about braille while fostering a supportive educational environment for a teen learning braille. All of the lessons are designed around the American Foundation for the Blind Braille Bug website.

Through these lessons, braille readers and learners will use the Braille Bug website as a resource to develop and deliver a presentation about braille to their peers at school. By giving the presentation, the students will have an opportunity to practice talking about what they are good at and thus develop confidence in speaking publicly about their skills (an important work-related skill). The lessons also include ideas for instruction in career readiness skills such as resume writing and creating a personal data sheet.

The lessons are free and can be printed, saved, or revised to meet the unique instructional needs of individual students.