South Australian student Shianne Durdin is set to make history this week, becoming Australia’s first-ever finalist at the International Braille Challenge Finals in Los Angeles.
The 17-year-old has been selected to compete at the prestigious Braille Institute’s Braille Challenge Finals, an international academic competition for students who are blind or visually impaired. The finals will be held at the University of Southern California from Thursday 25 June to Saturday 27 June 2026.
Shianne earned her place after competing in the 2026 Australian Regional Braille Challenge, which was hosted in Adelaide by See Differently with the Royal Society for the Blind, in partnership with the South Australian School and Services for Vision Impaired.
The two-day Adelaide event brought together 35 students aged six to 19 from across South Australia, testing their Braille skills across reading comprehension, spelling, speed and accuracy, proofreading and interpreting tactile graphics.
Competing in the Varsity category, Shianne was selected from more than 2,000 students who took part in the 2026 Braille Challenge season across 37 US states and six countries, including Australia, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, the United Kingdom and the United States.
She is the only Australian finalist in this year’s competition.
“I’m honoured to represent Australia in Braille — but not just represent Australia, but represent the blind and vision impaired community and represent Braille. It’s just such an honour. Over the past few weeks I’ve been sitting in my room reading all my Braille books, ordering Braille books online, practising off the Braille Challenge website and trying to interpret charts and graphs,” said Shianne Durdin, ahead of her departure for Los Angeles.
The Braille Challenge is now in its 26th year and brings together top-performing students for a weekend of competition, workshops and community events. Students test their skills across areas that support literacy, independence and confidence, while also connecting with other young people from across the world.
“This is a landmark moment — not just for Shianne, but for every young person in Australia who is learning Braille,” said See Differently Executive Director, Damian Papps.
“Braille is the gateway to literacy, independence and opportunity which is why See Differently has worked in partnership with the Braille Institute to run this incredible event in Australia. Shianne’s achievement proves what is possible when students are given the right support, encouragement and access to programs that celebrate their abilities. We know she will have an amazing time at the finals and represent Australia with pride.”
For Shianne, Braille has become far more than a skill. It has opened the door to a major international opportunity and a moment of representation for the blind and vision impaired community.
“Reading Braille feels like independence and it feels like inclusion. It’s an opportunity that opens doors and has led to this amazing competition — which is something I’ll always be grateful for,” said Shianne Durdin.
The Braille Challenge Finals will take place at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles from Thursday 25 June to Saturday 27 June 2026, with the awards ceremony to be livestreamed on the Braille Institute YouTube channel.
