LEGO® Braille Bricks has launched in Australia by Vision Australia, in partnership with the LEGO® Foundation.
LEGO® Braille Bricks is an educational tool designed by the LEGO® Foundation to support children and young people who are blind or have low vision, learn braille.
The raised bumps on each LEGO® Braille Brick have been modified to correspond to a letter or character of the braille alphabet.
Each brick also has a printed letter or character to allow children who are blind or have low vision to learn and play alongside sighted classmates, family members and educators.
Caption: Each LEGO® Braille Brick has raised bumps correspond to a letter or character of the braille alphabet
Accessing LEGO® Braille Bricks
LEGO® Braille Bricks are an educational tool and are not for sale to the public.
The LEGO Foundation is gifting LEGO® Braille Bricks to schools, educational institutes and low vision and blindness organisations who work with children who are blind or have low vision, with Vision Australia responsible for distribution in Australia.
Vision Australia will liaise with state and territory education departments to ensure schools and other education organisations can facilitate access to LEGO® Braille Bricks for eligible students. The kits will be accessed via an equipment loans library scheme through the child’s local state/territory education department or institute.
Vision Australia will also provide training webinar workshop for schools, educators and service providers who are utilising LEGO® Braille Bricks.
To be eligible for a kit, the child must be over the age of 4 and under 18 years and learning Braille. The child can access a kit through their school and educational institute, or low vision and blindness organisation.
Schools, educators and therapists are encouraged to register their interest about LEGO® Braille Bricks with Vision Australia to learn more about accessing kits. Complete the online webform to register your interest today.
Webinar
Vision Australia has pre-recorded a mandatory one-hour webinar workshop that educators and therapists must watch before being able to access LEGO® Braille Bricks kits.
LEGO® Foundation’s On Demand Learning Course
In October 2021 the LEGO Foundation is launching a new on-demand learning course called “Future Learn: Learning through play with LEGO Braille Bricks.”
The purpose is to reach more educators and therapists (aka practitioners), so they can understand and learn about this innovative pedagogical method.
The course is intended for practitioners working with blind or low vision children to use this unique and playful hands-on tool.
By the end of the course practitioners will be able to:
- teach pre-braille and braille in an inclusive setting,
- apply a play-based method,
- create own braille activities and lesson plans and
- collaborate with peers to further develop the programme.
The LEGO Foundation hope that at the end of the course practitioners will feel a new confidence on how to create a fun, interactive programme for their students and get creative with the bricks in their classrooms!
About the course:
- Location: Virtual via Future Learn
- Open for registration: can be taken on-demand anytime
- Length: 8 weeks, 2 hours per week, with active discussion encouraged. Course certificate received upon completion
- Accessibility: The course and course platform is accessible to all learners
Watch the introductory video to learn more!
Online Resources
There is a wide range of supporting information and resources available on the LEGO® Braille Bricks website.
Join the LEGO® Braille Bricks Community on Facebook to share your learning and experiences when utilising the kits with your students.
LEGO® has also introduced audio and braille building instructions for their building LEGO models.
Frequently asked questions
How can I get a LEGO® Braille Bricks kit?
LEGO® Braille Bricks are available for loan from the Vision Australia library, please email feelixlibrary@visionaustralia.org.
LEGO® Braille Bricks can be purchased from the LEGO store here.
I am a service provider or an institution/organisation that has paediatric client(s) with low vision or blindness. Am I/we eligible to receive a LEGO Braille Bricks kit(s)?
If your paediatric client(s) have low vision or blindness and are learning braille and you can demonstrate and provide evidence that you have an existing Braille Program, then you will be eligible to receive a kit(s).
Who is LEGO® Braille Bricks designed for?
LEGO® Braille Bricks are designed to support children who are blind or have low vision to learn and play.
LEGO® Braille Bricks is intended as a playful introduction to braille for younger children, but do have proven learning opportunities and benefits older children. LEGO® Braille Bricks is not suitable for children under the age of four.
Because the bricks also feature letters, numbers and symbols they can be used simultaneously with sighted classmates, family member and educators.
Where can find out more about LEGO® Braille Bricks?
There is a wide range of supporting information and resources available on the LEGO® Braille Bricks website.
What other educational products does Vision Australia offer for children who are blind or have low vision
Vision Australia’s Vision Store offers a range of educational products, toys and aids for children who are blind or have low vision.
For more information please visit the Vision Store website and chat live with the Vision Store team if you have any queries.
Alternatively, you contact the Vision Store Team on 1300 84 74 66 and speak to one of our experienced staff or send an email.
What other education products does Vision Australia offer for children who are blind or have low vision?
The Vision Australia Library has a range of resources and services for children who are blind or have low vision, including audiobooks, print braille picture books, and the Feelix collection of tactile storybook kits. For more information visit Vision Australia Library.
Caption: LEGO® Braille Bricks is designed as a playful introduction to braille.