InsideLouisville,where we introduce you to the people, places and thingsthat make up Kentucky's largest city.

This week wego inside the American Printing House for the blind and the New Dot experience.

The American Printing House for the blindor APH was chartered more than 160 years ago to create and distribute books with raised letters.

Well, today it is a largest nonprofit in the world dedicated to creating accessible learning for people who are blind or low vision.

And now it is beginning a new chapter with the Dot experience, a first of its kind, immersive museum that uses multi-sensory exhibits totell the story of APH and the contributions of blind people throughout history.

The goal is for itto be a global model the museum industry.

You'll get afirst look inside the Dot experience, but first, a look back at the history of the American Printing House for the blind.

>> The American Printing House for the blind was founded in 1858.

It was actually founded as a result ofthe work of a blind man from Mississippi.

His name was Dempsey.

Sherrod.

Louisville was chosen, really, because at that time the waterway was important.

So Louisville being the Ohio River, it had great access to the southand great access to the West.

And so it was chosen because of access.

And at that time,and then the railroads came in and came in through Louisville.

So really it was about distribution.

It was actually at the Kentucky School for the blind in a room in the basement.

That's where it was started, and that's stayed until 1883.

So in 1879, the act to promote the Education of the blind was passed.

And that set up a PHS appropriations amount that funded APH yearly.

It was created to to give APH an appropriation to create books and materials for the education of blind children in the United States and its territories.

And so once that happened, the demand came.

And so demand came, theyquickly outgrew that one room in the basement.

1883 that's when the first building for APH was built on this property.

They needed to bind the books.

They needed to collate the books and things like that.

That's what's going on in the original building.

You would have saw people working on the embossing machines.

[MUSIC] You would have saw people working, collating and getting the books in the right order.

You would have saw people running the the binding operationand then packaging, getting ready for shipping.The expansions grew as the demand grew.

So as products expanded, the building expanded along with it.

As the number of students expanded.

[MUSIC] Obviously, the need for more inventory and more ability to ship and and service the entire United States and its territories.

Just every time a need came about, you know, the building expansion, you know, expanded in 1883, that one building was enough.

And as, as the population grew or as different product needs grew, it became necessary to, to put on a, put in a studio.

So we put in a studio to do the talking books and then, you know, put in a bindery to be able to put the books together.And then, you know, extending the shop floor because the capacity of a machines wasn't enough.

So we needed more machines, more space.

So as the, the number of students that we serve grew, it was necessary to continue to expand the building in order to to fulfill the mission.

Something that never changed here is the commitment to to the mission.

I mean, we're we're focused on the students that we serve, the community that we serve.

And that focus has never changed.

And, you know, doing what's right by those students means maybe we don't haveas many people on theproduction floor because a move towards technology is the right thing for their education.

It is the thing tocreate that equitable education that we're all pursuing for the students that we serve, so that commitment to, to our mission has never changed.

>> Well, we Jo Haas here.

And Paul Shraeder, thankyou so much for the American Printing House, for the blind.

We just heard about the incredible history of this institution.

I learned a lot from this story.

So Paul, let's start with you and tell us kind of the impact on Louisville having an institution like that here in our city.

>> Well, you know, absolutely.

Louisville, the middle of the 1800s, was the center in many ways, the center of education of blind students.

A lot of schools for the blind were rightaround the Midwest and East.

And so it was a reallyconvenient place to be able to do the work that we do, which is why it was put here in Louisville.

Lots of good transportation to those schools for the blind, and an opportunity to really put books into the hands of literally, that had never been available before.

And those, of course, at the time were raised print books of various sorts.

So students were actually using their fingers to read over raised printed letters.

>> What an innovative idea.

I mean, thinking back to 1858.

Yeah.

I mean, that was.

>> Before Braille was even invented.

>> Yeah.

So.

>> Well, certainly before it was a thing that people were using.

Yeah.

>> Right.

So it was really I mean, takeus back to kind of that time, if you can.

Like what, what was that?

Was that an innovative idea to have something like that?

>> I think to put a center like that.

Yes.

That could serve schools across the nation.

Of course, thereweren't as many schoolsin the West at that point, but yes, it was innovative.

Therewere schools doing books for blind students.

What I think really, you know, made APH special.

The American Printing House special is that we were able to adapt and change with the times.

So we added Braille.

We added other means of there's some other ways to make tactile books usable for students, but we added Braille.

We added means of producing Braille that were quick.

We added then ofcourse, later,as we'll talk about, we advanced into technology and lots of other ways in which to help blind students get a full education.

>> Yeah.

When you think about 1858 to 2026, I mean, the technological advances in that time are dramatic.

But talk about that, particularly in your in this industry, how it has changed.

>> It'sbeen stunning even in my lifetime.

And I've got a few years on me, but I have seen the changes as a blind person.

Throughout my education.

So I lost my sight.

Young from a very book, paper, Braille intensive and cassette tape intensive to now the digital revolution thathas put material into the hands of blind students instantaneously.

I remember as when I started my adult career, I longed to have a newspaper just to keep up with local wasn't really any way to do that.

Conveniently.

And now, of course, you know,we're all inundated with probably too much news.

>> Right?

Yeah, that's right.

And so that is well, I guess tell us a little bit about some of those advancements that that APH does now.

>> Yeah, sure.

And we, we were part of those advancements at APH.

We, we spearheaded some of them and we some of them and made them more available to blind students.

We're very fortunate to have federal support, which we've had since 1879.

So even even that has been a long time.

We were one of the first programs funded outside of government to do this kind of work outside of the US government to do this, this kind of work.

I think we're really that first example of a federal private partnership to provide support for students in territory.

So, yes, over this really the the the changes have accelerated so quickly, as you can imagine.

So we've gone through the very intensive production of, of paper, which we still do paper Braille and paper, large print, and a lot of early stage molding of plastics and sort of things to do models to much now much more rapid development of materials, rapid embossing of Braille when it's on paper, but also now moving into the digital world and creating this new device called the monarch, which is a multiline Braille display device that also includes graphics on the same display.

So you can have a Braillebook on your device.

And then when when there's a graphic, a diagram, ora map that shows up in that text, you can hit the key and is right there on your device.

Just like people have kind of with a Kindle or an iPad.

>> Yeah.

I think one ofthe really coolest things too, is the workforce that it requires and thesort of spirit of an organization that has the kind of longevity that APH has, right?

So this is a, you know, the spirit of innovation is at APH core because it really, you know, scanning, adapting, as Paul said, you know, in somecases, grabbing and scaling up, in some cases, you know, focusing a particular technology or honing a craft.

You know, I think about the sort of storyline even of how maps have been produced at APH over the years, you know, originally maps were carved and they were carved in, in reverse, basically.

So that then when you use the carved molds to make the maps, the map that was produced was the right orientation.

Of, you know, the raised surfaces.

Yeah.

And then you might fast forward to, you know, maps that are.

Created on a flatbed printing press that isn't necessarily laying down flat ink.

Because of course, if an individual who's blind is, is, you know, hand across a paper that's printed with flat ink, there's nothing there.

Right.

So you have a UV process that is, is adhering layers and layers and layers of ink, and you're designing a digital file that then is transported to that, to that flatbed printer.

And, you know, producing these large scale maps.

Or you have, you know, something I saw in our, in our R&D is a globe, a tactile globe that has a pen shaped, you know, device.

And when you touch that pen to a particular part of the globe, you get a, an audio file that tells you what it is that you're, you know, what part of the worldyou're touching, what stateyou're touching, what city you're touching, etc.

So, you know, and that's just one small example of along that innovation pathway that our team is keeping up with.

So it's, it's a, it's a whole group of people who are really, you know, starting with the question, what do what do kids need to learn in the best ways possible?

And as we all know, every kid, you know, no matter who they are, right, is learning multimodal, right?

So you don't justwant to hand, you know, a child who's blind, a Braille book or an audio book or a refreshable Braille device.

You really need to wrap that child.

Like every child, right?

And everybody.

>> Needs differently.

>> That's right.

And in the true spirit of Kentucky tourism, we are unbridled.

>> Love that.

>> Yeah.

See?

>> Yes, yes.

Well, I think a lot of people don't realize,I mean, obviously so much is produced there said, the innovation that comes from there and the teams that are constantly coming up with new, new things, new ideas and how important this is and unique to the rest of the world.

Right?

>> Yeah, we are.

And working with collaborators like all over the world, I think about Braille or, you know, the parts of the Monarch Paul.

I mean, you know, our collaborators are worldwide, right?

>> They are.

And, you know, magnification is something we haven'treally talked about very much too.

But it's another placewhere we're partnering with companies even even, you know, companies that everybody knows, like SLR to work with some of the magnification devices that we make for people.

As many people don't know this, but blindness is a spectrum, right?

So there are many people who are blind who actually have enough usablevision to use magnification to read, print, or to study objects with, with a good device for magnification purposes.

>> I think to the campus itself.

Oh my gosh.

>> 16 buildings, right?

Six acres.

>> So I want to start like I heard that it started in the basement of the Kentucky School forthe blind.

And then has just really expanded over the years.

So talk aboutthe campus as a whole and what's there.

I mean, everybody knows that's where it is.

But talk about what's happening in all of those.

>> Well, I.

>> Actuallywould say that not everybody knows it's there.

Really, really want a good starting point.

It's it's really one of Louisville's best kept secrets.

It is a, you know, internationally renowned, nationally well-known and active organization headquarteredright here in Louisville.

And frankly, most people think we are the school for the blind.

>> So.

>> That's.

>> All.

>> That's really the first thing.

And part of that is that we, you know,somewhat share a driveway.

And it's, it's, it's that beautiful poplar that's at the front of the, youknow, of, of the property kind of hides a little bit, you.

>> Know.

What is.

Behind it there.

>> But, but situated, you know, next to the school for the blind, which is a staterun organization, is APH, which is a private nonprofit with a federal funding stream for the work we do in the schools.

But it it, you know, State Street runs back along an almost six acre campus.

There are 16 buildings, basically, that have allbeen nestled together.

What you'll Dot experience is that they're all centered around that original headquarters building at the, at the at the center.

Right, right where we now will have a Hall of Fame for the, you know, pioneers in the blindness field.

But, you know, within those walls and on that campus is literally every function of the business.

So it is the team of people who are designing new the teams of people who are, you know, transcribing.

>> Running the machines.

>> Proofreading, Braille, running the machines, packaging the materials, shipping those materials out to every state in the in the country.

It is all the business, you know, supports and systems.

It is the sales teams, it is the educators.

And soon it will be, you know, the team of people running the Dot experience.

it's really, you know, it's all happening right there.

Yeah.

And when people walk in that building and they seeit from the inside, you know, it is it is quite extraordinary.

>> Yeah.

>> And something that's changed that we should reference.So we didstart in the basement, the Kentucky Schoolfor the blind, as you said.

And then built a building for, for APH to do its work.

But that's important another reason.

Most of our services until sort of the middle of the 1900s, around the 1950s, were really targeted to schools for the blind, where it wasn't true that all students were inschools for the blind who were blind.

But a great number were.

But as we got to the 1950s, more students were in public schools being taught and also needed materials and services.

And meet that need as well.

So even that school for theblind story is kind of an interesting one as it's evolved.

And of course, we still do work closelywith schools for the blind across the country.

>> And our recording studios are there.We talked about talkingbooks.

>> Oh, yeah.

>> So that's another one where, you know, APH got in early in the world of of talking books.

And a lot of people todaysay, you know, well, why does anybody need talking books?

We have Kindle and audible and, and all those things.

But, you know, there are plenty of titles and, and lots of needs for, for books that are not in that mainstream audio book in inventory.

>> Yeah.

>> And we've alsobeen a key part ofthe acting and theater world here because a lot of actors here in Louisvilleare, were, and have been and are narrators for talking books.

>> I Well, I say that a lot of people know about it because if I would say, I guess in that area in that neighborhood and how your all's footprint has expanded to really be so inclusive of that whole neighborhood, we were there for an art installation across the street that was immersive art.

>> Bingham Parkis now working to really evaluate their new park improvement plan for that park.

That's just just up Frankfort Avenue between Frankfurt and Brownsboro to make sure that it's got an inclusive design mindset.

And as well, all the crosswalks.

>> You know?

So I just think how that's expanded to include that entire area really.

And but I do want to talk about the Dotexperience, how exciting.

I mean, we've been tracking for, 4 or 5, 4.

>> Or 5 years, right?

>> So we've been living itfor.

>> Yeah.

>> Intensely.

>> You've been.

Yeah.

So, so I want to kind of start at the beginning about the inception of an eye of a museum that is a first of its kind.

Yeah.

>> Well, you'll, if you ask that question of a handful of people, you'd probably get a slightly different answer, but you just provided a great pathway into the origin story, which is that since the mid 1800s, APH has been all about leveling the playing field for young people in classrooms all over the country.

Right.

And, and making sure that those children who are, you know, whether they were early on in those schools for the blind, more recently in schools for the blind and and in neighborhood schools their peers, both are are given every opportunity to succeed in their educational careers.

And so that has been our passion.

And you talked about our sort of organic impact on the neighborhood around us.

And I think to some level, leaders in the organization, trustees, executive staff, really started to believe that we had something educational to offer to a broader audience.

And why not try and know, why not try and create culture change?

I mean, we are allabout big ideas.

We all, you know, are all about the kind of tidal wave of change that that we've just talked about in technology and those kinds of advancements.

So let's take on society, right?

And let's create a museum experience using assets that, you know, we're alsogoing to provide us a part of that pathway, our own historical assets, our own working factory environment, our own educationalproducts and perspectives, a partnership with American Foundation for the blind that allows us to have access to the full Helen Keller personal collection, you know, and so allthese things became a way to weave that that story and that opportunity together.

Yeah.

But at the at the end of theday, really trying to do is change hearts and minds, as our president would say, change perspectives.

And, and not just that which could seem as a little sortof passive, but also create change in the world so that every person that leaves the Dot experience is inclined to make their world a better place for people with disabilities, people who are blind, all people.

Yeah.

Because we're want, you know, a world in which wecan thrive no matter who it is or what environment they are in, or what the nature of the conversation is, it does get people thinking.

And that is what sparks change.

You know, that is what it's all about.

>> Yeah.

Well, we are so excited to see the inside of it.

And now you get a chance to see inside.

us inside the Dot experience.

>> Enteringthe Dot experience, we're surrounded by a black curved wall.

>> Thisis the first chance when you're coming into the museum to kindof calibrate a little bit so that you start thinking about site not being the priority of how you're going to beexploring the museum.

>> This new 28,000 square foot experience combines a museum, educationalcenter, and a behind the scenes factory tour designed ceiling to floor for all abilities.

>> This is our path.

This is how we're moving through the museum.

>> As textures change beneath your feet, from hard flooring to carpet.

>> Thisis the place where this signals that.

Here's a place where you can stop, slow down and explore what's going on.

>> The one phrase that resonates throughout the Dot experience is nothing Without us, the people represented here didn't just inspire the exhibits, their feedback helped design how the place looks, sounds, and feels.

>> We were not shy.

None of us were shy about,oh, I don't like this at all.

No, this is notokay.

>> Danielle Burton is one of the museum's prototype testers.

>> Because I my degree is actually in deaf studies.

Yes, I'm totally blind in my in deaf studies.

>> Prototypers shaped everything from exhibit layouts to the angle of Braille displays.

>> And they actually did prototyping of an adjustable level until the group said, no, this is it.

This is the right.

This is the right level.

>> The goal is to create a place where accessibilityisn't an add on.

It's part of the design from the very beginning.

>> And that'swhy that's what we asked for with ourprototype, is don't giveus the world that you're used to living in, where you have to make accommodations because the world isn't meeting you where you are.

We want you to demand the highest level.

>> Here at the Dot experience, you're encouraged to actually touch the exhibits, to experience it hands on, and explore it in your own way.

>> So here's an example.

This is Stevie Wonder's piano from when hewas in high school.

So this was donated to us.

And this is replica.

This isn't a model.

This is the piano.

But come up here, come uphere.

I want you to touch it because that's what we have committed to in this place.

So this is the real deal.

>> Getting to feelhistory with your hands, including Helen Keller's desk that she used for the second half of her life.

>> And just like Stevie Wonder's piano, you can come up to the desk, the surface feelslike.

There's a ridgearound it that she put on to make sure that she, you know, kind of knew the dimensions of the desk.

>> And the things that you can't be touched that would, you know, break, you know, we do have replicas.

>> Like this dual display of Helen Keller scroll tube with a 3D model that all are invited to explore.

>> When I did that, I'm like, oh my gosh, I'm touching heaven.

Covers things.

emotional.

>> The Dot experienceopens its doors with a simple invitation don't just come see it, touch.

Listen and explore it.

We're inside Louisville.

I'm Christie Dutton.

>> You can stream and share this episode anytime.

Youcan find it online at ket.org/insidelouisville.Plus, follow uson social media for more behind the scenes of the museum.

Before it opens, you can N Lou.

Thanks for spending a little time getting to know Louisville.

Ihope we'll see youhere next time.

Untilthen, make it a great week.