News and Updates

Join us in May for an in-depth training on the Nemeth Code Update that you’ll be able to attend from anywhere in the world! After our full-day training in Colorado Springs on this topic last fall proved to be popular, we’ve made some moves to make the training available online so anyone can attend from…

The National Braille Association (NBA) wishes to acknowledge the recent closure of Visual Aid Volunteers of Florida (VAVF), an organization that significantly contributed to the braille community for nearly 50 years. VAVF officially ceased operations in January 2025. Founded in 1975, VAVF was a dedicated membership association that at its peak, reached 150 members. For…

A new system for transcribing guitar tablature into braille has been developed, offering accessibility for blind and visually impaired musicians. Developed by Luke Owens and Stephanie Pieck, the system provides a standardized and efficient method for translating a previously inaccessible notation into a format that can be easily read and understood by braille users. This…

The NBA Nominating Committee will be preparing a slate of officers and directors to stand for election at the Fall 2025 NBA Professional Development Conference. If you, or someone you know, is interested in the opportunity to serve on the NBA Board of Directors, please complete the form below. Available Positions The following positions are…

This past June the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) published an Errata, an Update, and an Addendum to the Principles of Print To Braille Transcription, 2016. While anticipating the release of those documents our Braille Formats/Textbook Committee set to work on updating our own Study Guide. We’re pleased to announce the newest version of…

The National Braille Association is proud to serve braille transcribers and teachers of the visually impaired with two different educational awards. For years now we’ve been honoring the legacy of Past President Mary Archer with an award that covers the cost of registration for first-time attendees to our conferences. We’re now pleased to announce the…

The National Braille Association is thankful for the countless men and women who have dedicated their lives to ensuring that individuals who are blind receive high quality braille. In 2011, we began to honor these individuals by presenting them with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Each year, one individual is selected to receive the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award. For 2024,…

The National Braille Association (NBA) is thrilled to announce that in April of this year its Board of Directors approved the creation of a new Accessibility Committee. The mission of the new committee is to advocate for, develop, and implement accessibility standards and practices that ensure the NBA’s programs, services, and operations are inclusive of…

The National Braille Association recognizes that individuals who work for certain institutions/organizations need advance approval to attend our conferences. Sometimes this approval needs to be obtained long before the actual event is scheduled to occur. To get this approval, individuals need to have information on the event’s location and the associated costs for attending. This…

The NBA is pleased to share that it is once again accepting new Life Members. A Life Membership is exactly what it sounds like. It provides an individual with the benefits of an NBA membership throughout the duration of their life. These benefits are the same as what any level of membership would provide. The…