Dolly Parton’s Book Programme Gives Blind Children Greater Access to Reading
The Imagination Library, a program led by Dolly Parton, has been instrumental in providing thousands of blind and low vision children with access to books in Braille, providing an essential resource for learning, communication and inclusion for families.
The Braille Tales programme was launched in 2011, in collaboration with the Imagination Library and American Printing House. It has been distributing one Braille book every other month since 2012 to children under the age of six who are blind or have low vision in the United States.
American Printing House reports that approximately 5,600 families have been involved in the programme and over 110,000 Braille books have been distributed.
The programme may be useful for families to fill a major gap in accessible children’s books. Braille books for young children are not always readily available in libraries or bookstores, and may be more expensive if families need to request books to be converted.
Jessica Caromile has first-hand experience with this when her son Greyson was diagnosed with optic nerve hypoplasia at four months old and was determined to be nearly blind.
In 2014, Caromile enrolled Greyson in the programme. He was not very interested in the books, but started to investigate one of his Braille books around his second birthday.
Now 12, Greyson continues to develop his Braille skills through school. His mother notes that he has developed skills beyond reading from access to books, such as writing, communication and everyday skills.
The programme is also a sign of inclusion for Caromile.
She said that kids with disabilities require the same basic needs as other kids, including access to education, stories and learning opportunities.
She said that Parton’s programme helped to make sure her son wasn’t left out.
