LOUIS BRAILLE ONLINE RESOURCE
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The Braille Alphabet

braille alphabet chart showing braille characters with print equivalent


​The Braille Cell

​The basic unit of the braille code is the braille cell. A braille cell is a group of six dots. The dots are numbered and are referred to as dot 1, dot 2, dot 3, dot 4, dot 5 and dot 6. This is helpful in describing the combinations of dots that make the different braille signs.
​
the braille cell showing all 6 dots raised

​This simple six-dot arrangement is the invention of Louis Braille. His original braille alphabet consisted of various arrangements of raised dots within a six dot pattern, combined with short dashes. For ease in writing, he later removed the dashes.

A braille letter or character is made by raising one or more of the dots in the cell so that it can be felt by the fingers. The large dots in our braille samples represent raised dots. The small dots help to identify the position of the dots within the cell; they do not show in real braille. 

​The letter a is made 
by raising dot 1.​​​
braille cell showing dot 1 raised to make the letter a





The letter b is made by raising dots 1 and 2.
braille cell showing dots 1 and 2 raised to make the letter b
​Braille Alphabet
     ​First Ten Letters  
​     
Second Ten Letters
     Last Six Letters
​     Capitals & Punctuation
​     ​Braille Contractions

     Braille Numbers    
​Writing Braille
     Slate and Stylus
     Perkins Brailler
     Computer  

      Braille Transcribing


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​The letter c is made by raising dots 1 and 4.​
braille cell showing dots 1 and 4 raised to make the letter c

​Can you read this word?​
the word cab in braille
  • Home
  • About
    • Louis Braille Portrait
  • FAQ
  • Louis Braille
    • Valentin Haüy
    • Louis Braille
    • Royal Institute
    • A New Method
    • The Teacher
    • Last Years
    • Epilogue
    • Bibliography
  • Pictures
    • Hometown
    • Family Home
    • Birth Place
    • Father's Workbench
    • Father's Tools
    • Early Childhood
    • Monument >
      • With a Student
      • Bronze Bust
    • Louis Braille Museum
    • Slideshow
  • Braille
    • The First Ten letters
    • The Second Ten Letters
    • The Last Six Letters
    • Capital Letters and Punctuation
    • Braille Contractions
    • Braille Numbers
    • Writing Braille >
      • Slate and Stylus
      • Perkins Brailler
      • Computer
      • Braille Transcribing
  • Contact