A new Foundations of Braille Literacy online training program will give teachers and families of children who are blind foundational knowledge and skills in the braille code. The program is part of our free collection of modules on UEB Online, which provides systematic instruction and certification in Unified English Braille (UEB) for people worldwide who are teaching and promoting braille for persons with blindness, low vision, and deafblindness.

Launched at the 2025 South Pacific Educators in Vision Impairment (SPEVI) Conference held in Brisbane in January, the training program includes such topics as print and braille literacy perspectives, learning to read by touch, creating accessible texts, and the vital role of play in early childhood.

‘This exciting new program will ensure teachers enter the classroom with the skills and knowledge to teach braille and support touch learners. It will also empower families to better support their children in their braille learning journey,’ says NextSense Institute lecturer and leading academic Dr Frances Gentle.

One of the largest conferences of its kind in the region, the SPEVI conference is celebrating its 70^th year. Bringing together researchers, professionals, parents and caregivers who support children and young people who are blind or have low vision, this year’s theme was EmPOWERment, centred on empowering people to make positive change through connection, inclusion and education.

NextSense was a sponsor of this year’s conference. Our experts who support children and young people who are blind or have low vision—including researchers, allied health professionals and educators—represented us over the three-day event and shared key insights from their work.

The conference also featured an event in the Brisbane CBD to raise awareness in the wider community of the continued importance of braille.

Attendees could have a go at creating hard copy braille, check out other braille technologies and tactile activities, and learn more about UEB Online at the NextSense stall.

The conference also heard about a new collaboration to adapt an existing tool being used to assess braille needs in school-age children to benefit early learners.

Tricia d'Apice, NextSense Lead Consultant in Vision Impairment, Sue Silveira, Course Director of our Master of Disability Studies program, and Tricia Izzard, Early Childhood Specialist Teacher at Vision Australia, are working together to adapt the tool for very young children. This will mean children who are blind or have low vision can become ‘braille ready’ if it is the right pathway for them. Currently, a braille needs assessment is done when a child starts school. This helps identify their abilities, the stability of their visual diagnosis, and their preferences around accessing information through sight and/or touch, to better support them in the classroom.

The introduction of an early childhood braille needs assessment would bring families into the discussion earlier, collecting a profile of a child’s eye condition and functional vision. The braille assessment would also look at how the child gains meaningful information, and what support is available to help them develop tactile skills.

By assessing children earlier, parents and professionals can be supported on deciding whether to intervene early with braille learning.

‘The introduction of an early childhood braille needs assessment would put braille on the agenda much sooner and give families the support they need to guide their decision making around intervention,’ says Tricia.

A validity study is now underway to determine next steps.

Sue says braille can be a proactive step that really helps families after a diagnosis.

Sue Silveira also presented on quality of life for families who are raising children who are blind or have low vision.

‘Family plays such a vital role in supporting a child to thrive, and quality of life reflects how well families manage their lives together,’ she says.

‘By measuring the quality of life of families who are raising children with blindness and low vision, professionals who support them—including teachers, service providers, policy makers, and researchers—will better understand the child’s unique requirements as well as their family’s,’ she says.

Sue discussed the findings of a 2023 survey of Australian families raising children with vision impairment. The survey measured satisfaction across family interaction; parenting; emotional, physical material well-being; and disability related support.

‘This survey has provided insights into the needs of families and prompted a critical exploration of quality of life for families raising children with blindness and low vision,’ she says.

Research will continue in 2025 and it is hoped that the findings will help influence practice in this area.

Dr Frances Gentle also chaired a panel on cutting-edge research, with doctoral students exploring topics such as: empowering braille users through communication connection and language rights; stigma consciousness of children and adolescents with vision impairment; and the development and evaluation of an employability home program.

‘This is an exciting time in Australia for research in the field of blindness and low vision,’ Fran says.

Pranitha Moodley, who leads the NextSense School Support Service, chaired panels on teaching and the value of holiday camps, and strategies and tools for students who are blind or have low vision.

The presenters shared their tips on teaching life and leadership skills to students, emphasising the importance of them becoming their own advocates, leading to greater empowerment and self-discovery.

Presenters from Vision Australia spoke about the organisation’s Life Ready Hub—an online learning portal that aims to build students’ life skills in a fun and interactive way, fostering collaboration across the home, school and the community.

‘The conference was a wonderful opportunity for parents of children who are blind or have low vision to learn strategies and tools to keep them safe online and build their self-confidence,’ says Pranitha. ‘With professionals, parents and students joining from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and the USA, it was also a great chance to connect and network.’

As sponsor of the Frances Gentle Award for Innovations in Professional Learning—named in honour of the highly-regarded NextSense Institute researcher and lecturer—we presented two outstanding people with awards for innovations in professional learning. Congratulations to Lily Gower, a current student in our Master of Disability Studies program, who received the Early Career award, and to Bill Sakoulas, who is a graduate of the program and received the Established Career award.

When asked about the SPEVI award in her name, Fran says, ‘It is a source of great pride to have a role in recognising the achievements of specialist vision teachers. Lily and Bill are a credit to the profession, and their commitment to the students and families they support has been recognised by their colleagues. I just wish we could acknowledge the achievements of all specialist vision teachers through this award!’

Nikki McGeachy, an occupational therapist and vision consultant at NextSense, says the best thing about the SPEVI Conference was hearing from people and families with lived experience of low vision and blindness, and seeing the things that people can achieve when given the right supports.

‘It is inspiring to consider the roles that we play in people’s lives through our work at NextSense. I came away from the conference refreshed, with new ideas of how we can support our clients and their families,’ says Nikki.