THE South African Library for the Blind (SALB) produces tactile picture/story books that are used to facilitate the learning of Braille, and as a Braille graphics preparation tool for blind children in the later grades.
SALB’s tactile books also promote social cohesion by making reading together with others a possibility, as children discover the world alongside their seeing counterparts.
Tactile books are available in languages other than Afrikaans and English, and promote reading together in the official languages of South Africa.
Tactile books also address the multisensory needs of children who have other disabilities in addition to blindness, such as deafness (deaf blind) and autism.
With Braille, large print, a picture in relief and now also a QR code with the sound and pronunciation of the word, SALB’s tactile illustrations bring together seeing parents and blind children, and blind parents and seeing children in the intimate bond of reading. The books are even considered to be cool by the seeing siblings of children who are blind.
