Frequently Asked Questions

Braille Services
We provide a wide range of Braille documents and Braille print solutions Click here

Large Print
Services
We understand the needs of the visually impaired reader Click here

Audio Services
We can provide your Audio requirements through our audio transcription service. Click here

Magazines and Books
We have a variety of books and magazines in Braille. Click here

What does The Scottish Braille Press do?

Founded in 1891 we offer our clients a specialist UK wide transcription service, creating Braille, Large Print and Audio for all types of business. We can transcribe letters and press releases, utility bills, bank statements, brochures, restaurant menus, books and magazines, presentations, spreadsheets and financial/legal material. We also produce our subsidised subscription based Braille magazines.

What are our areas of specialism and expertise?

We are experts and specialists in the production of Braille, Large Print and Audio, generally referred to as alternative print formats.

Why produce documents in alternative formats?

According to the Employers' Forum on Disability (EFD) there are approximately 10 million disabled people in Great Britain with an estimated annual purchasing power £80 billion, therefore treating them fairly makes sense for your business or organisation. Under the Equality Act 2010 it is unlawful for service providers to treat disabled people less favourably because they are disabled. The service provider must not indirectly discriminate against a disabled person unless their is a clear reason to do so.

Also service providers must not treat a disabled person unfavourably because of something connected with their disability, unless there is a clear and fair reason. For this form of discrimination the service provider must know or should reasonably have been expected to know that the person is disabled. Service providers have to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people in the way they deliver their services. This is so that a disabled person is not put at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people in accessing the services.

Examples of reasonable adjustments could include:

installing an induction loop for people who are hearing impaired
providing disability awareness training for staff who have contact with the public
providing larger, well-defined signage for people with impaired vision.

For example, if a visually impaired person has a bank account, and statements are sent to them in standard print this would make it impossible or at the very least unreasonably difficult for them to access that service and the bank should provide statements in a format that they can access, which might be large print or Braille depending upon the individual's need.

putting in a ramp at the entrance to a building which has steps

To comply with the Equality Act 2010 it is essential that public, private and voluntary sector organisations are able to produce their documents if requested, in alternative formats. We can help you achieve this and our highly trained, helpful team can transcribe all types and sizes of documents from payslips and letters to multi-volume documents and we produce print runs from single copy to hundred of thousands.

If you have any questions on any of the above we would be happy to discuss them with you or see our links page.

I would like to send out our magazines and mail shots in alternative formats. Where do I start?

Just give us a call on 0131 662 4445 or email us at enquiries.sbp@royalblind.org and we will respond promptly to your enquiry. If you have any documentation that you would like to send in Braille, Large Print or Audio then we can produce the documentation and send it directly to your client list.

How many blind people are there in the UK?

Statistics taken from Access-Ability by John Gill, RNIB.

There are currently around 2 million visually impaired people in the UK. Of these, a significant proportion read Braille, and most others can access an "average" Large Print.

What is Braille?

Braille is a system of touch reading and writing in which raised dots represent the letters of the alphabet and numbers, as well as music notes and symbols. Braille contains symbols for punctuation marks and provides a system of contractions and short‑form words to save space, making it an efficient method of tactile reading. Braille is read by moving one or more fingers along each line. Both hands are usually involved in the reading process, and reading is generally done with the index fingers. Usually, one hand reads the majority of one line while the other hand locates the beginning of the next.

By using braille, blind people can review and study the written word. They may become aware of conventions such as spelling, punctuation, paragraphing, and footnotes. Most important, braille provides blind individuals access to a wide range of reading materials—educational and recreational reading as well as informational manuals. Blind people also are able to pursue hobbies and cultural enrichment with such braille materials as music scores, hymnals, playing cards, and board games.

Contact us today: Tel: 0131 662 4445 Fax: 0131 662 1968 E-mail: enquiries.sbp@royalblind.org
We are happy to arrange a visit.

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