Essai sur l’éducation des aveugles, ou exposé des différens moyens, vérifiés par l'expérience, pour les mettre en état de lire, à l'aide du tact, d'imprimer des livres dans lesquels ils puissent prendre des connoissances, de langues, d'histoire, de géographie, de musique, &c., d'exécuter différens travaux relatifs aux métiers, &c.

Haüy founded the first school for the blind. To him belongs the honor of being the first to emboss paper as a means of creating raised type that could be read by the blind. His Essai originated modern methods of teaching and caring for blind persons. English translation by the celebrated blind poet, Thomas Blacklock (1721-91), who lost his sight at the age of 6 months, in Poems by the late Reverend Dr. Thomas Blacklock, together with an essay on the education of the blind. To which is prefixed a new account of the life and writings of the author, Edinburgh, 1793. Digital facsimile of the 1786 edition from BnF Gallica at this link.