As researchers, one of the first things we do to learn about a research topic is look for statistics. In this case, statistics about braille readers in Australia.
We both found, heartbreakingly, that there are no statistics to be had: not from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, not from education departments, not from braille or blindness organisations. (Even the stats for Australians with blindness and low vision are notoriously wobbly!)
The latest informed estimate Jodie could find was from Beverley Johnson’s 1986 study, Braille Reading Trends in Australia: A Report Prepared for the National Library of Australia. Johnson estimated there were 250 braille-reading students and around 830 adults at that time.
Read the full article on the Blind Citizens Australia website.