News

Braille and tactile signs must be illuminated to ensure luminance contrast requirements are met at all times during which the sign is required to be read. We recommend the area which signs are to be installed have a minimum 160 lux level of lighting.

The following applies to luminance contrast for braille and tactile signs: The background, negative space, fill of a sign or border with a minimum width of 5 mm must have a luminance contrast with the surface on which it is mounted of not less than 30%. Tactile characters, icons and symbols must have a minimum luminance contrast of 30% to the surface on which the characters are mounted. Luminance contrasts must be met under the lighting conditions in which the sign is to be located.

The current generation of banknotes include an embossed ‘tactile’ feature to assist the vision-impaired people with identifying banknotes. The Australian banknote features were designed to assist people with impaired vision have been retained as part of the next generation banknote design. These include: bright colours; large and contrasting numbers; and variable sizes for each denomination of banknote. The tactile feature on the $5 banknote is a raised bump on each of the long edges of the banknote. The other denominations will have different numbers of bumps.

Guide dogs do a great deal for their owners. Not only do they help guide their owners throughout the day, but they also protect them from harm, assist them with tasks, and provide consistent emotional support like no other. 

In the 1950's Guide Dog Australia was established, which over the years have helped many vision impaired people to live an equitable and dignified way of life.