Braille for Independent Living:
Last Updated March 28th, 2026. Included in this website page are the following sections. Braille for Independent Living. Braille Resources for Independent Living. Online Stores with Braille Products. Online Braille Resources. The English Alphabet in Braille. Numbers in Braille. Basic Symbols in Braille. Most Useful Braille for Independent Living. Spanish Braille. End of list.
Braille for Independent Living:
Braille is a system of raised dots created for the visually impaired that can be read with one’s fingertips. Specific arrangements of dots represent a letter, multiple letters, a word, a number, or a symbol. These specific arrangements of dots within a six dot Braille Cell can be one dot or up to six dots and can be made up of one or more Braille Cells. The Braille Cell is made up of six dots with two columns of three dots. On the left side from top to bottom is dot one, dot two, and dot three. On the right side from top to bottom is dot four, dot five, and dot six. It is important to have the Braille Cell memorized before beginning to learn the Braille Alphabet.
Braille can be used for personal needs, work, and secondary education. Individuals can use braille to read and write, for labeling, for technology, for money management, for medication management, in the kitchen, and for recreation. Individuals can use braille signage in public spaces and braille labels in elevators. Individuals can request information in braille when available.
Braille Resources for Independent Living:
Online Stores with Braille Products:
Online Braille Resources:
Braille Academy: Play & Learn app and Braille Decoded app which are both available on Apple and Android devices.
International Council on English Braille (ICEB) Website link.
World Braille Usage Website Page from Perkins School for the Blind link.
UEB Braille Reference Chart PDF from Teaching Visually Impaired link.
Music Braille Code Website Page from the Royal National Institute of Blind People link.
The English Alphabet in Braille:
A is dot 1.
B is dots 1 2.
C is dots 1 4.
D is dots 1 4 5.
E is dots 1 5.
F is dots 1 2 4.
G is dots 1 2 4 5.
H is dots 1 2 5.
I is dots 2 4.
J is dots 2 4 5.
K is dots 1 3.
L is dots 1 2 3.
M is dots 1 3 4.
N is dots 1 3 4 5.
O is dots 1 3 5.
P is dots 1 2 3 4.
Q is dots 1 2 3 4 5.
R is dots 1 2 3 5.
S is dots 2 3 4.
T is dots 2 3 4 5.
U is dots 1 3 6.
V is dots 1 2 3 6.
W is dots 2 4 5 6.
X is dots 1 3 4 6.
Y is dots 1 3 4 5 6.
Z is dots 1 3 5 6.
Numbers in Braille:
Number 1 is dot 1.
Number 2 is dots 1 2
Number 3 is dots 1 4
Number 4 is dots 1 4 5.
Number 5 is dots 1 5.
Number 6 is dots 1 2 4.
Number 7 is dots 1 2 4 5.
Number 8 is dots 1 2 5.
Number 9 is dots 2 4.
Number 0 is dots 2 4 5.
Number Indicator is dots 3 4 5 6.
Comma is dot 2.
Decimal Point is dots 2 5 6.
Basic Symbols in Braille:
Number Indicator (#) is dots 3 4 5 6.
Uncontracted, Grade 1 Indicator is dots 5 6.
Capital Letter Indicator is dot 6.
Period or Decimal Point is dots 2 5 6.
Comma is dot 2.
Apostrophe (‘) is dot 3.
Hyphen (-) is dots 3 6.
Colon (:) is dots 2 5.
Most Useful Braille for Independent Living:
Alphabet.
Numbers.
Number Indicator (#) is dots 3 4 5 6.
Uncontracted, Grade 1 Indicator is dots 5 6.
Capital Letter Indicator is dot 6.
Period or Decimal Point is dots 2 5 6.
Comma is dot 2.
Apostrophe (‘) is dot 3.
Hyphen (-) is dots 3 6.
Colon (:) is dots 2 5.
At Sign (@) is dot 4 then dot 1.
Simple Forward Slash or Fraction Line (/) is dots 3 4.
Dollar Sign ($) is dot 4 then dots 2 3 4.
Cent Sign (￠) is dot 4 then dots 1 4.
The contraction “en” is dots 2 6.
The contraction “in” is dots 3 5.
The contraction “st” is dots 3 4.
The contraction “sh” is dots 1 4 6.
Spanish Braille:
El braille en español se escribe habitualmente sin contracciones, que son la forma abreviada de escribir palabras y grupos de letras. Cada letra se escribe en braille exactamente igual que en la escritura impresa. Existen caracteres braille para cada una de las letras que llevan acento en español.
La letra a con acento (á) es puntos 1 2 3 5 6.
La letra e con acento (é) es puntos 2 3 4 6.
La letra i con acento (í) es puntos 3 4.
La letra o con acento (ó) es puntos 3 4 6.
La letra u con acento (ú) es puntos 2 3 4 5 6.
La letra u con diéresis (ü) son los puntos 1 2 5 6.
La letra n con tilde (ñ) es los puntos 1 2 4 5 6.
Un signo de interrogación al revés (¿) son los puntos 1 2 luego los puntos 5 6 y después los puntos 2 3 6.
Un signo de exclamación al revés (¡) son los puntos 1 2 luego los puntos 5 6 y después los puntos 2 3 5.