A major milestone within the improvement of extra inclusive studying via play has been reached.
Forward of World Blind Consciousness Month this October and in response to international demand, The LEGO Group has launched LEGO Braille Bricks, which are actually obtainable to buy on-line for the primary time. LEGO Braille Bricks — Play with Braille is aimed toward youngsters ages 6+ and has been designed in order that anybody who’s interested by braille, whether or not they’re blind, partially-sighted, or sighted, can have enjoyable attending to know the braille system in a playful, inclusive method.
The set comes with 287 bricks in 5 colours: white, yellow, inexperienced, pink, and blue. The entire bricks are totally suitable with different LEGO merchandise and the studs on every brick are organized to correspond to the numbers and letters within the braille system, with the printed model of the image or letter located beneath the studs.
“For blind and partially-sighted kids, and adults for that matter, it makes all of the distinction if they will share their journey of studying braille with the folks they love probably the most,” says Martine Abel-Williamson, President of World Blind Union. “For the blind group, braille is not only literacy, it’s our entry to independence and inclusion into this world, and to have LEGO Braille Bricks made obtainable for the broader public is an enormous step ahead to making sure extra kids will wish to study braille within the first place. And since it’s primarily based on a product that so many households already know and love, that is actually an invite for all relations to have enjoyable constructing tactile expertise and getting aware of braille utilizing the identical software.”
The set additionally contains two baseplates to construct on and is available in packaging with braille embossing. To reinforce the play expertise and assist pre-braille ability improvement, a collection of supporting play starters can be found on lego.com and can educate gamers how one can orient, connect, and stack the bricks via well-loved video games corresponding to Rock, Paper, Scissors.
The set is available in packaging with braille embossing. | Supply: LEGO
Till now, LEGO braille bricks have solely been distributed freed from cost by the LEGO Foundation to organizations specializing within the training of kids with imaginative and prescient impairment. For the reason that launch of those kits in 2020, there was loads of constructive suggestions from mother and father, caregivers, grandparents, kids, and educators. This overwhelming response led LEGO to provide households the chance to get pleasure from the advantages of braille bricks at house.
“Play has the ability to vary lives; when kids play, they study important life-long expertise, so we have been thrilled by the reception that LEGO braille bricks obtained in instructional settings,” says Rasmus Løgstrup, The LEGO Group Lead Designer for Braille Bricks. “We’ve been inundated with hundreds of requests to make them extra extensively obtainable, so we simply knew we needed to make it occur! It’s been a implausible journey collaborating with kids, households, and specialists from around the globe to develop the product and on-line exercise packs. Our companions have been instrumental additionally in advising on what colorways must be used for the bricks, product packaging, and digital experiences to make sure that is optimized for people who expertise low imaginative and prescient and imaginative and prescient loss. We all know it is a robust platform for social inclusion, and might’t wait to see households get artistic and have enjoyable enjoying with braille collectively.”
The set comes with 287 bricks in 5 colours. | Supply: LEGO
The set comes with 287 bricks in 5 colours. | Supply: LEGO
The LEGO Group has additionally partnered with the free cell app Be My Eyes, which connects blind and partially-sighted folks with firms to assist with on a regular basis duties via a stay video name. LEGO Buyer Service colleagues will present confidential, stay visible help via the app masking assist from a variety of subjects from unboxing to normal product assist.
“The truth that The LEGO group is investing in inclusion is big as a result of so many individuals within the blind and low imaginative and prescient group already love and revel in LEGO merchandise,” says Mike Buckley, Chairman and CEO of Be My Eyes. “Be My Eyes is extremely honored to accomplice with the LEGO Group to allow and encourage the creativity of blind and low imaginative and prescient builders throughout the globe.”
Moreover, LEGO audio and braille constructing directions will now develop into a everlasting providing. Impressed and co-developed by entrepreneur Matthew Shifrin, who’s blind, this expertise provides builders the choice of getting choose LEGO constructing directions obtainable as audio or textual content for braille readers.
LEGO Braille Bricks — Play with Braille ($89.99) is now obtainable for preorder in English and French variations forward of the Sept. 1 launch. In early 2024, the set can even be obtainable in Italian, German, and Spanish variations.
