Braille is a form of communication used worldwide, primarily by blind and visually impaired people. There are two forms of Braille: uncontracted (Alphabetic) and contracted (Literary).
This blog post will discuss the differences between the two forms and which is better in certain situations.
Uncontracted (Alphabetic) Braille
Uncontracted Braille “writes each letter and word exactly as it is spelled out in print.” For example, when using uncontracted Braille, the word “dog” is written using three separate Braille cells. Each cell represents a different letter used in traditional print. Uncontracted Braille is typically the easiest form to learn due to its similarity to conventional print.
Contracted (Literary) Braille
Uncontracted Braille writes out each letter, and contracted Braille is Braille “shorthand.” Although contracted and uncontracted Braille uses the same letters, punctuation, and numbers, contracted Braille uses unique signs to represent common words or letter combinations.
Contracted Braille is similar to print contractions (like writing “it’s” instead of “it is”). There are Braille contractions for common words such as “the,” “for,” and “will.” There are also contractions for specific letter combinations such as “ing,” “er,” and “sh.”
Because of this shorthand form, contracted Braille takes up less space than uncontracted Braille.
More experienced Braille users typically use contracted Braille, and most people who learn uncontracted Braille usually go on to learn contracted Braille.
Which Type Should I Use? Which is “Better?”
Since uncontracted Braille is generally easier to learn than contracted Braille, less experienced Braille users typically use uncontracted Braille. Most children and other new Braille users start by learning uncontracted Braille because uncontracted Braille is more straightforward than contracted Braille.
However, contracted Braille takes less time to read (and write) because there are fewer Braille cells. This is why some people may prefer learning and teaching contracted Braille first.
Being able to read contracted Braille quickly may make children more engaged and eager to learn.
Also, contracted Braille is typically used in books, magazines, and other print material because it takes up less space on a page than uncontracted Braille.
As a result, print material that uses contracted Braille is far less bulky. This is why contracted Braille is also known as Literary Braille.
Teachers may also prefer to teach contracted Braille since many Braille textbooks use contracted Braille.
There is no “better” type of Braille. The form people wish to use depends mainly on their level of experience. As previously mentioned, less experienced users may have more success with uncontracted Braille because of its 1:1 correspondence between Braille cells and print letters and numbers.
Once Braille users get more experience, they may prefer contracted Braille to save time.
Contracted Braille may also be helpful for people with learning disabilities, for instance, because users of contracted Braille do not have to worry about the exact spelling once they learn to recognize words and word patterns.
How Allyant Can Help with Your Braille Needs
At Allyant, we have staff with extensive knowledge about uncontracted and contracted Braille. Don’t hesitate to contact us with questions about Braille-related or general accessibility. Our experienced team of accessibility engineers would be happy to help you and your organization out!
Conclusion
Uncontracted and contracted Braille both have advantages and disadvantages. Uncontracted Braille is typically used when first learning Braille. In contrast, more experienced users generally use contracted Braille because it takes less time to write and less space on a page.
The decision to use uncontracted or contracted Braille ultimately depends on personal preference, as one person may be more comfortable with one type than another.
