Eric Ligon: Working toward a vision for blind children and their sighted parents

	Eric Ligon, associate professor of visual arts and program coordinator for communication design, founded BrailleInk. (www.brailleink.org), which publishes children's books in text and Braille, allowing blind children and their sighted parents to read together.

Eric Ligon has a wide range of responsi- bilities as associate professor and program coordinator for communi- cation design in the School of Visual Arts, but one project in particular is close to his heart.

Ligon, whose 8-year-old son, Ethan, is blind, found it difficult to read with his son because of the lack of corresponding print in Braille books.

To address this need, Ligon founded a non-profit Braille/print publishing company, BrailleInk., which is dedicated to enhancing the experience of shared reading by print and Braille readers.

"There is an established notion that kids who are read to and read with become better readers themselves," Ligon says. "Due to the lack of corresponding print and Braille, it was virtually impossible for me to read with Ethan as an active participant.

"And if Ethan stumbled over his reading, I could not help him except by asking him to remove his fingers from the Braille. In doing so, he would lose contact with where he was on a page and then he'd have to begin at the top of the page to search for his place in the text. It was very frustrating."

BrailleInk.'s focus is publishing existing high-quality children's books in a new format that adds Braille while maintaining the original print and illustration.

"I founded the company for a number of reasons," says Ligon, "including the fact that few parents of children who are blind read Braille.

"These kids are largely mainstreamed in to regular classrooms with teachers who very rarely know how to read Braille. The book format I designed will allow blind kids the joy and opportunity of sharing a book. And their parents, teachers and friends will learn that Braille is not at all difficult or frightening."

Ligon balances his work with BrailleInk. with several other projects, including chairing a committee conducting a national search for a new faculty member and organizing a communication design gathering for hundreds of alumni.

Ligon, who received a master of fine arts from UNT in 1996, was one of the faculty members who led the design team for UNT's updated brand unveiled last month.

"For the first time in its history, the university is making a directed effort to tell the world who it is and what it stands for," says Ligon. "As a designer, it is a rare opportunity to be able to help change a culture and see that change take effect and mature over the years."

Michael Drought, interim dean of the School of Visual Arts, says Ligon's service and accomplishments are not surprising, because Ligon always "brings great ideas to the table."

"Eric is not afraid to take on huge tasks and always delivers results as promised," Drought says.

BY MAGAN HENDON inhouse@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• Regents approve Center for Technology Development and Transfer
• Regents act on three tenure appeals
• Tips to reduce your summer gasoline bill
• North Texas Exes invite faculty, staff to attend the MoUNTain Music Institute
• Fall 2005 final exam schedule established
• UNT hosting high school graduations in May, June
• Staff Council elects officers for 2005-06
• Several staff awards presented at President's Staff Sack Lunch
• UNT administrators address faculty questions during town hall meeting
• Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Writers Conference to be held this summer

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