School of Education Hosts Braille Authority of North America

BANA sets standards governing braille usage across the US and Canada

The University of Pittsburgh School of Education welcomed the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) for the organization’s spring 2026 board meeting, held May 11 – 13. The three-day gathering was hosted by the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), a BANA member organization, on the Pitt campus, and is the second meeting hosted at the University of Pittsburgh since 2019.

BANA is a nonprofit organization that sets rules and guidelines governing braille usage across the United States and Canada, including which braille codes are used, how braille is formatted, and standards for tactile graphics. The board is composed of representatives from 15 organizations across the braille ecosystem, including producers, educators, transcribers, and braille readers.

The gathering at Wesley W. Posvar Hall came during a milestone year for BANA as it was celebrating its 50th anniversary.

Eric Bridges, president and CEO of AFB, traveled from Washington, D.C. to greet the board and offer congratulations on a half-century of work supporting literacy for braille users. Renée and Richard Goldman Dean Eboni M. Zamani-Gallaher and Associate Dean for Equity and Justice Sirry Alang welcomed attendees on behalf of the School of Education.

The board used the three-day meeting to review committee reports and act on recommendations. One notable action at the meeting was the approval of additional guidance for the transcription of higher-level mathematics with illustrative examples.

Associate Professor of Practice Frances Mary D’Andrea is deeply involved with BANA, and has served as AFB’s representative to the authority for more than 28 years. D’Andrea also co-chairs BANA’s Standardized Test Committee, which convened for a separate work session on campus following the board meeting. The committee is developing guidelines for publishers of standardized testing materials for both paper-based and electronic delivery.

The work is aimed at ensuring equity and accessibility for braille readers of all ages.

For over 65 years, the School of Education has offered programs in visual impairment and blindness education to prepare the next generation of specialized teachers. The school offers fully accredited master’s and graduate certificate programs in teaching the visually impaired and orientation and mobility.