By Jamie Fink
Don Winiecki, a professor of organizational performance and workplace learning in the College of Engineering, has made significant contributions to accessibility through braille, the writing system composed of raised patterns that convey letters, numbers and symbols for people who are blind or visually impaired. Winiecki’s motivation is personal. He is genetically predisposed to macular degeneration.
“I can’t imagine not being able to read,” he said – his office is lined with bookshelves and landscapes he painted. “I decided to find a way to contribute to a literary world that I want to live in.”
Winiecki sought braille certification and training from national and local organizations, including the U.S. Library of Congress and the National Federation of the Blind and its local chapters.
“I’ve used my training as a sociologist to learn from individuals with blindness to identify what they need and how they need it,” Winiecki said.
He found that while many transcribers focus on school textbooks, there is a relative shortage of braille for everyday documents, including medical, legal, technical and other kinds of printed material people use regularly. Winiecki founded the nonprofit Handid Braille Services to provide such documents and to make braille more accessible to users worldwide, including those who do not use the Latin alphabet.
Donations support Winiecki’s work and make products affordable.
As of 2023, Handid provided braille and accessible media to tactile readers in five continents and in 24 languages.
Winiecki’s efforts have resulted in wide recognition. The National Braille Association named Winiecki to its board. He is the sole U.S. representative on the International Council on English Braille committee on technical braille. This committee sets the standards for STEM content in Unified English Braille. The National Federation of the Blind recognized Winiecki at its 2024 national convention with the Bolotin Award. The award recognizes contributions of those who improve the independence of people with disabling vision loss. “It is gratifying enough to know that my work with Handid Braille Services is helping people to live the lives they want, and it is all the more so to have that effort ratified by those who know the best how much it matters,” Winiecki said.