Jumbo braille, also called expanded-cell braille or large cell braille, is an alternative way to write the special "language" of the blind and visually impaired. In jumbo braille, the dot combinations are identical to those used in traditional braille, but the horizontal spacing between the dots and cells is increased just a little bit. The dots themselves are the same size as those used in standard-sized braille.
Jumbo braille was specifically developed for the blind people who have less sensitivity in their fingers and, therefore, cannot accurately feel the dots used in the traditional style. Individuals who are just learning the Braille language may also find this larger braille to be a good first step. Many beginner workbooks start students out with jumbo braille and then ease them into the standard size. Jumbo braille is not widely used by publishers, however, and very few books are produced in this larger format. So although jumbo braille is considered an excellent learning tool, it might be a good idea to move on to reading the regular-sized braille after a fairly short time.
In all sizes of braille, the characters are embossed on paper and then read by lightly running the fingertips over the manuscript. Each braille character is placed within a small rectangle called a braille cell. Each letter and symbol is represented by one to six raised dots, and the different arrangements of these dots indicate various letters, numbers, capitalization, and punctuation.
This system of reading by touch was invented by a Frenchman named Louis Braille in the 1820s. After losing his sight when he was just a young boy, Louis Braille searched for a way he and his blind friends could communicate privately. Adapting a code which had been tested and rejected by Napoleon’s military, Braille was able to create a method for blind people to read and write independently.
Individuals can write in braille by using a special stylus to press dots into a piece of paper held between two hinged metal plates. When the sheet is turned over, the embossed dots should be pointed up and read from left to right. It is also possible to write this language by using an electronic embossing machines or a braille typewriter. Not only is jumbo braille easier to read, but it is also easier to write because the cell windows are larger and it is easier for beginners to position the stylus correctly.
