There's nothing more beautiful than seeing toys become more inclusive. Toy makers have been working harder to make sure that disabled children can share the same experiences as their peers in recent years. Mattel has made some improvements in this area. The toy company recently announced its newest product geared toward blind and low-vision players, UNO Braille.
Mattel partnered with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) to make the deck possible. The organization is the oldest and largest organization of blind people in the United States. Its partnership with Mattel ensures the quality of the product will thoroughly address the issues that the blind and low-vision communities face when playing games.
UNO Braille features braille on the corner of each card that indicates the card's color, number, and action. Mattel hopes that this extension of the UNO line will help normalize the use of braille and allow both blind and sighted people to enjoy the game together.
Mattel has been working hard to bring inclusivity to its projects. It's been three years since the toy company rolled out a line of Barbies with different body types. Earlier this year, it announced Barbies with disabilities.
Last month, Mattel announced its first gender-neutral dolls. With accessories, the Creatable World dolls can have any range of features a child can imagine. It's a huge move that adds to the barely existent visibility of gender-fluid and nonbinary figures in children's toys and games.
Now Mattel is working on making its plethora of toys more accessible to the low-vision and blind communities. Mattel has officially announced its partnership with the National Federation of the Blind in creating UNO Braille.
UNO Braille cards are styled just like the decks that sighted people are familiar with. On the corner of each playing card is braille that allows a blind or low-vision player to determine the card's color, number, and action.
"With the launch of UNO Braille, we’re making a real impact on a community that has been underserved by providing a game that both blind and sighted people can play together," said Ray Adler, the global head of games at Mattel, in its press release.
“We are proud to have UNO Braille on-shelves and to be making UNO more accessible and inclusive to even more families,” Ray added. One of Mattel’s goals with the line is to normalize the use of braille to sighted people.
The packaging on the deck features braille on the front and back for clear identification. It directs players to UNOBraille.com, where instructions are available in .BRF (braille readable files) for download.
Players also have the option to access voice-enabled directions through Alexa Home and Google Home. The prevalence of voice-activated assistants helps make it easier for players to access the instructions in more places.
"UNO Braille is doing more than making this beloved game more accessible. It’s also helping promote the importance and normalcy of braille by putting it in places people might not expect, and integrating it into the play of blind children," said Mark Riccobono, president of the National Federation of the Blind.
"The fact that a blind person is now able to play a classic game of UNO straight out of the box with both blind and sighted friends or family members is a truly meaningful moment for our community," Mark continued.
"I look forward to enjoying UNO Braille with my own family and I know that blind people across the nation will embrace this important and exciting step toward more inclusion and accessibility,” he concluded.
Mattel also hopes that the game will help address some of the issues that the blind community faces. The ease of availability and accessibility of braille games has been a concern that has gone unaddressed for too long.
To play UNO prior to this product, the blind community went through the lengthy process of creating modified, braille-friendly versions of the game. It caused a disconnect with sighted peers, who could pick the game up anywhere and play.
Hopefully, Mattel's release of this product will encourage other toy makers to work on making their own toys and games more inclusive. UNO Braille is available in Target stores and online.
