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Accessible Formats Service

Welcome to Accessible Formats Service (AFS)

Braille-first, people-first. We produce accessible information and tactile solutions for organisations, educators, employers, and the blind and low-vision community across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Who we help

Councils, schools, tertiary providers, employers, cultural venues, health providers, and anyone wanting to make information truly accessible, plus Blind Low Vision NZ client members who rely on high-quality Braille and other formats.

We transcribe documents in the following (analogue and digital) accessible formats for people who are blind, deafblind, or living with low vision.

  • Braille (Literary & Music): UEB-standard transcription, multi-volume books, exams, labels in multiple languages.
  • Large Print Clear, consistent layout to industry contrast and sizing.
  • e-Text & Accessible Documents Structure, tagging, and reading order for screen reader access or common programmes.
  • UV-printed tactile signage & floor plans Durable wayfinding embossed English, Te Reo Māori, and Braille signage on rigid substrates; ideal for offices, venues, and public spaces.
  • Audio (Analogue/Digital) Clean recordings for information access.
  • Exam production (NZQA): Accurate, confidential, time-bound delivery.
  • Accessibility assessments: Practical, prioritised remediation advice on newly created or existing documents.
  • Perkins Braille Typewriter loan and repair: Fast, reliable maintenance for members.
  • Articles for the Blind packaging: Efficient, trackable dispatch for members’ correspondence.
  • Business cards with Braille: A simple first step toward workplace accessibility.

We always capitalise Braille and follow UEB and Round Table guidelines.

How to request work from the Accessible Formats Team

STEP ONE: Email your request to  AFSInfo@BlindLowVision.org.nz

STEP TWO: We confirm details using clarifying questioning (deadline, formats, quantities, purpose, audience, specific needs).

STEP THREE: You receive a quote and indicative turnaround.

STEP FOUR: We produce, quality control, and dispatch (often via Articles for the Blind).

You can also call the Contact Centre: 0800 24 33 33 (we’ll route you to AFS).

Timeframes

  • Typical turnaround: about 2 weeks or less.
  • Complex scope, large quantities, or peak periods are case by case—we’ll confirm at quoting.

Pricing

  • Free for BLVNZ full members.
  • All others: quote on request.

File types & languages

  • Braille: BRF, DXP.
  • OCR-ready: DOC, DOCX, PDF, TXT, HTML.
  • Non-OCR images accepted (may increase time and cost).
  • Content we handle includes text, images, music, charts, graphs, tables, and diagrams.
  • Multi-language, including Te Reo Māori.

Quality & standards

  • UEB (Unified English Braille).
  • Round Table guidance for formatting and accessibility.
  • Internal QC checklists, trained producers, and continuous improvement.

Innovation spotlight: UV-printed tactile

Our UV printer lets us emboss durable, high-contrast tactile content on a range of flat substrates—perfect for office and venue signage, maps, labels, and diagrams with a rigid and long term use solution in mind. If you’re modernising wayfinding or creating inclusive experiences, we can help you scope, test, and standardise.

Consultation & co-design

We work with the community. Join our focus groups and trials to help shape what we build next.

Privacy & trusted production partners

To meet deadlines and demand, some work may be completed by trusted, tested contractors (in NZ or overseas). We use this only to maintain quality and timeliness. If you prefer AFS-only production, tell us at quoting—we’ll honour that wherever feasible.
Interested in contracting with AFS as a producer? We’d love to hear from you. Email AFSInfo@BlindLowVision.org.nz with “Producer enquiry”.