LEGO is arguably the most popular and well-known children’s toys ever made. It’s a global brand which is beloved by children and adults around the world, and has toy sets for every major pop culture event in television or movies, as well as completely gendered toys for boys and girls.
LEGO has also introduced characters in their toy sets which include cultural diversity and people with disabilities. These small, different spaced bricks are a simple toy and the possibilities of what you can make with them is truly endless. Now, LEGO is adding a new set of bricks to their ever-growing collection of toys, and it’s also including another section of the population.
Recently, LEGO announced a line of braille bricks, which means a line of LEGO bricks which are imprinted with the braille language. Braille is a language of different dots which is how blind people can read. All they have to do is touch the bricks and feel the dots to know what the letter or word is. Each braille brick will have a different letter of the alphabet.
Source: visionuk.org
The concept of braille bricks has actually first announced in Denmark back in 2011, and has been in the works ever since. Part of the delay has been extensive studies that children are no longer learning braille thanks to the rise of technology, including computer applications, smartphones, and audiobooks for learning.
Philippe Chazal, Treasurer of the European Blind Union said, “We strongly believe LEGO Braille Bricks can help boost the level of interest in learning braille. Braille users often are more independent, have a higher level of education, and better employment opportunities.”
According to the World Health Organization, nearly 19 million children across the world are blind, and only around 10% of the ones living in the United States are learning to read braille. These LEGO bricks are aiming to change that.
Source: design-milk.com