Who We Are

The Kansas Braille Transcription Institute, Inc. is a non-profit corporation dedicated to serving the visually impaired through the operation of an innovative Braille transcription center.

Our mission is threefold:

To utilize Library of Congress-certified Braille transcribers and state-of-the-art technologies in the production of Braille documents, and to provide quality repair and servicing of manual BrailleWriter writing devices for the blind.

To provide economically efficient methods for saving learning institutions, state agencies, and the general public from the exorbitant costs of Braille production and avoidable legal action resulting from failures to adequately serve the visually impaired.

To operate the corporation in a way that actively recognizes the central role that nonprofit organizations play in the structure of a society.

Find our Institute’s Policy and Procedures on Non-Discrimination and Limited English Proficiency below.

Non-Discrimination Policy

Limited English Proficiency Policy

History

In 1995 Randolph Cabral, Kansas Braille Transcription Institute’s founder, began learning Braille to help his father. By 1996, Mr. Cabral had become a Library of Congress Certified Braillist. In 1998, he began research into how post-secondary education institutions provided Braille-to-Braille-reading students.

He was dismayed to learn that these institutions lagged woefully behind K-12 in both awareness and provision of Braille. For example, blind students often had to wait a week longer than their sighted classmates for class handouts and course materials. Often times, Brailled textbooks could not be located or produced at all.

In 2000 Mr. Cabral founded KBTI as a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization in an effort to rectify this situation as well as provide quality Braille transcription to the general public. By mid-2000, KBTI began operating as both a training and production facility in properly formatted refreshable Braille transcription and BrailleWriter repair.

KBTI additionally offers Large Print, Audio CD/MP3 formatted materials and has mass production capabilities.

Our Mission Statement

“To enhance the personal independenceand opportunities of large print and Braille readers through an innovativecentralized Braille transcription service.”

Kansas Braille Transcription Instituteis an equal opportunity employer that doesn't discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation.

Visit Our Store

Visit our online store to purchase some Braille memorabilia.