Lego launches Braille version of their bricks
Lego has launched Braille Bricks designed to help visually impared children develop new skills and learn the Braille writing system in a fun and engaging way.
After a successful pilot scheme in April 2019, LEGO Braille Bricks are now available in seven countries, namely Brazil, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, UK and the USA. Availability is expected to be extended to another 13 countries by early 2021.
Each brick in the new Braille toolkit has the same shape as regular bricks, but the studs have been rearranged to correspond to numbers and letters in the Braille alphabet. The pieces also feature a printed version of the symbol or letter and are fully compatible with the existing Lego system.
The Danish toy company, known for their iconic interlocking plastic bricks, developed the new design to encourage blind and visually impaired children to explore new ways of learning to read and write.
“With thousands of audio books and computer programs on the market today, fewer young people are learning Braille. Yet, individuals with blindness or impaired vision all over the world rely on Braille to work, study and enjoy their daily lives to the fullest,” said Lego.
On their website, the company said they would be releasing the LEGO Braille Bricks toolkits for free to "select institutions, schools and services catering to the education of children with visual impairment" as they roll out around the world in the coming months.
(Images from Lego)