Announcing the eBraille Candidate Release Draft

After more than two years of collaboration, research, and refinement, we are thrilled to announce the publication of the eBraille Candidate Release Draft! This milestone marks the next to last step before the finalization of the complete eBraille specification, bringing us closer than ever to a standardized digital braille format designed for modern accessibility. 

The journey to this point has been a global effort, with contributions from individuals and organizations dedicated to advancing braille literacy and digital accessibility. Read about how The Power of Partnerships, specifically APH’s partnership with the DAISY Consortium, Assisted with the Development of eBraille.  

We published the first eBraille public working draft last July, followed by the full release in September. Since then, we have received invaluable feedback from the community. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, affirming the need for a structured, adaptable format that meets the diverse needs of braille readers worldwide. Learn more about Why eBraille is a Braille-Based Document Type in our blog. 

The Candidate Release Draft reflects not only our initial vision but also the insights and expertise of braille transcribers, technology developers, educators, and end users. It incorporates refinements based on real-world testing and feedback, ensuring that eBraille is both technically sound and practically useful. Read our Setting a New File Standard with eBraille and eBraille: Inception to Reality blogs to learn about the journey in creating a new file standard that would maximize the capabilities of a braille and tactile graphics display like the Monarch. 

Now, we invite you once again to review this latest draft and share your thoughts via our GitHub page or by joining our mailing list and monthly meetings. Your feedback at this stage is crucial as we work toward finalizing the complete specification. The future of digital braille is taking shape, and with your help, we can ensure that eBraille is a robust, effective, and widely adopted standard. 

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this journey so far. We are excited to take this next step together!