The LEGO Foundation and the LEGO Group has brought out the first phase of the program in partnership with local sight loss organizations to enable children with vision impairment learn through play.
August 25, 2020
The LEGO Foundation and the LEGO Group has announced the official launch of LEGO Braille Bricks. It is accompanied by a pedagogical concept that is based on Learning through Play and includes inspiration for brick-based activities to enhance learning and skill-development.
“The bricks are moulded so that the studs on top reflect individual letters and numbers in the Braille alphabet while remaining fully compatible with the Lego system in Play. The bricks also feature printed letters, numbers and symbols so that they can be used simultaneously by sighted peers, classmates and teachers,” a statement from the Danish toymaker said.
The program was first introduced as a pilot project in April 2019 during the Sustainable Brands Conference in Paris, France. Since then, the idea of this product has been tested across various languages and cultural contexts and is ready to launch in six languages, including Danish, Norwegian, English, Portuguese, German and French.
Four additional language versions will be introduced over the next six months, with the goal that the concept will be implemented in a total of eleven languages across twenty countries by early 2021.
“Learning through play is a powerful way for all children to develop the breadth of skills, such as creativity, collaboration and communication, that they need to thrive in an ever-changing world,” said John Goodwin, CEO of the LEGO Foundation, in a statement. “With this project, we are bringing a playful and inclusive approach to learning Braille to children.”
The new bricks will initially be made available in 7 countries namely Brazil, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway and the United States, before being extended to another 13 countries in early 2021.
In 2019, the LEGO Group also allocated 25 percent of its earnings to the LEGO Foundation, which helps underprivileged children.
