BRL MEMORANDUMVol. XXX Fall-Winter 2011 No. 2

Published by the Braille Revival LeagueAn Affiliate of the American Council of the Blind

President: Judy Jackson7001 South Congress Avenue, Apt C-201

Austin, TX 78745940-255-9241

Jjackson143@suddenlink.net

Editor: Kim Charlson57 Grandview AvenueWatertown, MA 02472

617-926-9198KimCharlson@Comcast.net

Treasurer: Ann Byington909 College StreetTopeka, KS 66606

785-233-3839abyington@cox.net

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1)The Evolution of Braille: Can the Past Help Plan the Future? Part two and three of a three-part article from the Braille Authority of North America (BANA): Page 4

2)Small touches make things clear by Johnny Diaz, Boston Globe Staff: Page 22

3)UK Association for Accessible Formats adopts UEB as the braille code for the United Kingdom: Page 25

4)President’s Message BRAILLE, BRAILLE, BRAILLE by Judy Jackson, BRL President: Page 27

5)2012 BRL Conference Information: Page 30

6)Meet New BRL Board Member: Stephen Kerr: Page 31

7)Braille Related Resolutions Passed by BRL and ACB: Page 32

8)College Board obstructs nearly blind student’s effort to take PSAT, by Valerie Strauss, Washington Post, October 29, 2011: Page 35

9)Find and remove: before and after: by Ralph Smitherman: Page 39

10) Braille News: Page 41

11) BRL Officers and Board Members 2011-2012: Page 56

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The Evolution of Braille:Can the Past Help Plan the Future?

Part two of a three-part article from the Braille Authority of North America (BANA)

Part one of this article gave an overview of the vast changes that have occurred in both print and braille in the last few decades. This installment provides background on the Braille Authority of North America as well as a glimpse into its deliberations. The article also offers perspectives on the challenges of producing braille today given current codes and current production methods.

The Workings of the Braille Authority of North America

The mission of the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) is to assure literacy for tactile readers through standardization of braille and/or tactile graphics. BANA's purpose is to promote and facilitate the use, teaching, and production of braille. It publishes rules, interprets those rules, and renders opinions pertaining to braille in all existing and future codes. It deals with codes now in existence or to be developed in the future, in collaboration with other countries using English braille. In exercising its function and authority, BANA considers the effects of its decisions on other existing braille codes and formats, the ease of production by various methods, and acceptability to readers.

The board of BANA and all of its committees are made up of educators, transcribers, braille producers, and braille readers. More than 100 people are involved in BANA's work. As language changes, the need for new ways to represent things in braille continues to raise the need for new symbols and new uses of current symbols. Braille readers need access to the same information as do their print-reading counterparts in this age in which the norms for printed material are evolving rapidly. Despite the need to respond to the changes in language, making changes in braille is not easy. BANA must deliberate very carefully before making even small changes to braille. It is essential that BANA

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consider the impact of any changes on readability, "writeability" (that is, how easy it is to write the code using various tools), computability (which refers to how accurately it can be translated and represented electronically), space considerations, familiarity to current braille readers, and so on. There are many goals to balance, and not all of them can be achieved effectively all of the time. The benefits of making any change must be shown to outweigh the drawbacks. For example, when the term and icon for the euro were adopted in Europe in 1995, a braille symbol had to be invented to represent that new print symbol. In 2007, BANA adopted new symbols for copyright and trademark; before that, the practice had been to spell out the word, even though a print symbol was used in the original text. BANA cannot ignore the changing conventions of print without putting braille readers at a significant disadvantage. The current process of "keeping up" has been to add new symbols as they come up, but with each new symbol and each new rule change, more ambiguity and more conflict are being created in braille. An example of this is given later in this article. The following case provides a look into the workings of one of the BANA technical committees and the process through which decisions are weighed and made. Each technical committee of BANA works on various "charges" regarding changes and clarifications to a particular braille code. The committees work via email and teleconferences, and provide written reports of their progress to the BANA Board for each of its semi-annual meetings. The Literary Braille Technical Committee was working on the seemingly simple task of deciding how to show partial emphasis of a word. Partially emphasized words—that is, using indicators to identify bold or colored print or other font changes—are appearing with increasing frequency in elementary school textbooks, as well as in other materials that include challenging text such as product brand names, mentioned later in this article. The committee’s report to the Board in the fall of 2006 included the following informal narrative as an illustration of the process by which the committee members approached this task. Read along and follow their thinking as they attempt to solve this issue:

First: We decide, following our principles, not to add a hyphen to signal the transition between regular print and italic or fully

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capitalized print, giving the braille reader more accurate information about the print text. Of course, we all want to do that.

Second: We decide to use the termination indicator as necessary to end italics or all caps. That looks good. All is going well. This is going to be easy!

Third: Someone points out that, following these rules, an italic indicator could come before an e, n, s, d, or t, causing confusion between the italicized letter and a contraction.

Fourth: We then consider the letter sign to fix the problem; no, that won't work. It's not clear to the reader.

Fifth: OK, we'll require uncontracted braille in partially emphasized words. That's consistent with the current Braille Formats guidelines.

Sixth: That would solve the problem, but how is the reader going to know that this is uncontracted braille? Sometimes a contraction not used early in the word will be a tip-off. Maybe the problem contraction will be the only one. Then the reader may have to stop to think a minute, but, if reasonably well educated, will probably be able to figure it out. It will be even easier if the reader happens to know the rule about use of uncontracted braille in this instance.

How often will one find the word "uses" with the final s in italics? I guess, even then, the reader could probably tell whether "uses" or "useless" were intended. Sigh . . . Not a perfect fix—especially in textbooks for children in elementary grades.

What number are we on now? Well, maybe those hyphens weren't so bad after all. Now, why was it we wanted to get rid of them? Oh, that's right, to give the braille reader accurate information about the print. How about making a symbol meaning "uncontracted braille coming?" That would solve the problem completely! Wow! Let's do it!

Now what symbol should we use: a. Double letter sign? We could, but then we'd have to change the non-Latin passage indicator. b. Three letter signs? Too long—it will never fly. c. Letter sign followed by dots 2-3? That's kind of nice, but we'll have to be sure we don't want to use the letter sign for out-of-place punctuation. That will take a long time.

Are we having fun yet? We thought this would be so easy to solve! 5

Code building is a more challenging task than it first appears; even simple "fixes" become complicated given the complexities of our current codes. The literary braille code was not designed to be "extensible” – that is, there are no clear and specific rules for building and changing symbols in a logical fashion. Right now, every proposed change to the braille code has to be considered individually in an ad hoc fashion.

Current Challenges in Transcription, Translation, and Back translation of Braille

As discussed in the first part of this article, braille transcribers often use braille translation software to make their work more efficient. Braille translation software converts the text in an electronic document into characters that can be embossed in braille onto paper or that can be shown on a refreshable braille display. The software is written so that, as much as possible, it follows the rules for correct usage and placement of braille contractions and symbols. While this software can often do a very good job of converting print characters into braille symbols, there are still some situations in which a transcriber must intervene in order to produce accurate and comprehensible braille. Charts and tables, descriptions of pictures, and transcription of spatial arithmetic are some obvious examples. However, there are other instances that may be less obvious.

Currently, human intervention is often required for such details as ensuring correct use of single and double quotation marks, proper displaying of acronyms and web addresses, handling of long passages written in all uppercase letters, removing excessive emphasis indication, correct use of dashes and hyphens, to name only a few. The intervention is largely required because the way these items are handled in print can vary greatly from document to document, and the rules for their use are far more restrictive in braille than they are in print. Transcribers may need to follow additional steps to change an electronic file into correct braille in other situations as well, such as changing decorative letters into text because the software does not recognize these images as letters.

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A transcriber can produce braille that can be read either on paper or on a refreshable braille display. However, as braille readers gain greater access to refreshable braille displays, the more common scenario is that they are using the displays to read directly from the screens of computers and mobile devices, and no transcriber is involved. Using this “on-the-fly” translation without transcriber intervention, the texts are often displayed incorrectly. Here are three examples:

Example 1. According to current codes, email addresses should be brailled in Computer Braille Code so that each character in the address is clear to the reader. Yet, when reading in contracted refreshable braille from a computer screen, an e-mail address will display in contracted literary braille, making the characters ambiguous. The user can take steps to view the address with no translation applied, but then the surrounding text is also displayed in uncoded characters. Special symbols often display incorrectly. For example, both the tilde and the caret display as dots 4-5. The underline character displays as dots 4-6, no matter where it is, creating confusion with the print “dot” that appears in virtually every electronic address. These ambiguities can make for garbled translations and incorrect information to the reader.

Example 2. There is often a great deal of confusion among single quotation marks, apostrophes, and accent marks. Because of the various ways these symbols are used in print, sometimes inner quotation marks display in refreshable braille as apostrophes (dot 3), and sometimes a mark that is intended as an apostrophe or accent mark is shown as an opening inner quotation mark (dots 6, 2-3-6). Example 3. When the sentence “H2O = water” is displayed in refreshable braille, the fact that the 2 is subscripted is usually ignored, and the equals sign may display as a full cell. If, as in this example, it is spaced away from the formula, the sentence reads instead as “H2O for water.” What's more, the way these situations are handled varies depending upon the screen reader or translation program being used; for instance, some programs simply display the = sign as the word "equals" instead of the symbol. Therefore the braille reader is not getting the same information as the print reader of this text.

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Changing print conventions further complicates the job of accurate braille translation. There are situations in which it is unclear how to braille something correctly at all according to the current BANA codes. For example, a dollar sign most often comes at the beginning of a string of numbers, and the braille symbol for the dollar sign in the literary code (dots 2-5-6 when placed before a number sign) seems to have been chosen with the assumption that this would always be the case. Unlike the print dollar sign, the braille symbol is dependent upon its placement for its meaning; in other contexts, dots 2-5-6 has numerous possible meanings. How, then, should we handle the name of the pop music sensation that is pronounced "Kesha," but who uses a dollar sign instead of an S in the middle of her name?

According to the literary braille code, an out-of-place dollar sign should be brailled as dot-4, 2-5-6, that is, dot-4 dollar sign. This seems to work when the dollar sign is by itself or when it follows a number or is in a context that refers to currency. Since the dot 4 also can stand for some kind of accent or letter modification and is also used as a “print symbol indicator,” the braille reader might be quite puzzled to have dot 4, dots 2-5-6 turn up in the middle of a person’s name. For clarity, should the name Ke$ha simply be brailled with an s instead of a dollar sign? That solution might work as far as "readability," but it does not provide the braille reader the same information that the print reader has. A transcriber encountering this name may spell it Kesha, but include a transcriber's note indicating that the s is shown as a dollar sign in print. Of course, this solution is clear, but it requires the involvement of a transcriber rather than the name automatically and correctly displaying on a braille device. "But there is an easy fix," the astute braille reader may say. "There is a perfectly good symbol for the dollar sign in the math code—BANA should just use that in the literary code, too!" The dot-4 s may work because it is unambiguous, and is associated with the shape of the print dollar sign. However, a change of the literary dollar sign to the one used in the Nemeth Code would require use of different rules from those that apply in the Nemeth code. In the literary code, a number sign is required after the currency symbol if it precedes numbers and the numbers are in the top of the cell. However, in Nemeth code, there would be no number sign following the dollar sign and the numbers are

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brailled in the lower part of the cell. Even with this approach, consistency still has not been established.

The example above of the out-of-place dollar sign is not an isolated instance. There are countless other examples of words written in ways that make it difficult to apply some of the context-based braille rules developed many decades ago.

For example, brand and company names, such as the sports store FanNation and the online service Bookshare.org use creative punctuation and capitalization to make their names stand out, but also make an exact representation in braille more complex. If a company uses nonstandard symbols in its name and a blind person misspells the company name on a cover letter for a job application because she did not get accurate information from the braille, what are the chances that person will get the job? Should she have to check the spelling using audio or relying on a sighted person to tell her how it is spelled or should braille, the primary literacy tool for people who are blind, be capable of giving the most accurate information?

Aside from the difficulties in literary contexts, it is becoming increasingly problematic that a completely different code is used for mathematical and technical materials. These materials currently do not translate correctly with the use of software that does not include transcriber intervention. The need for a solution to this issue is ever more urgent as mathematical and computer code expressions increasingly appear in everyday contexts. To be clear, at this moment there is no known solution that would completely eliminate the need for a trained transcriber to intervene in order to verify that the format of an embossed braille document is clear and conveys enough information about the layout of a print page or document. This is especially true in educational materials. Transcribers will likely always be needed for creating tactile graphics, complex mathematics and science materials, and other complicated written matter. It would be much more productive, however, if, their work could be focused on these difficult materials rather than on ensuring that each and every dot in the text is correct. The more frequently that human intervention and judgment calls must be made,

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the more likely that braille production is delayed, that costs are increased, and that the braille is less accurate.

Another area of concern is back translation, which is the process by which software converts contracted braille materials into print. Back translation is most often used when a person creates a document in braille on a computer or other electronic device and then either prints the document, emails it, or simply saves it into a mainstream file type. This process can be especially useful for braille-using students who need to write in braille to support their developing braille literacy, but who also need for their work to be readable by their non-braille-reading teachers and by fellow students with whom they may collaborate on projects. In the workplace, braille readers can also benefit from the ability to type text using the computer keyboard as a sort of “electronic brailler” by using six keys or by attaching other braille devices, thus producing text readable as print by someone who does not read braille. The software and hardware exist for this need to be met in a seamless way, but there are sometimes problems that occur during the process of back translation—even when the person who typed in braille followed the rules of the code perfectly. Many of the examples given in this article are also problematic when dealing with back translation.

When a braille reader reads a document that has been translated from a print original, reading itself is a form of back translation. The braille document gives the braille reader information about the print original. Ideally, that information is both complete and accurate. The more print changes, the greater is the inability of the current braille codes to do that job.

Conclusion

It is, without question, desirable for users to have independent access to braille materials. The proliferation of braille translation software, of braille embossers, and of refreshable braille displays has given braille readers more access to braille from more sources than ever before. With this greater access has come the need to consider multiple factors in the development of new rules and symbols for braille. In order to meet the needs of today, which are different from past

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decades, braille needs some systematic changes that will allow for the following:

Room within the code to add new symbols in a systematic way so that a braille reader has access to the same information as a print reader

Consistency of symbols so that correct braille will be shown when reading a computer or mobile device screen using braille

Ability for back translation to work more reliably Ability to get better "on-the-fly" braille for mathematical/technical

material, which is increasingly appearing in everyday contexts

It is clear that BANA cannot continue to adjust the codes on a symbol by symbol basis. Our community needs a flexible code that can grow with the English language and the changing ways it is represented in print. Braille needs to translate into and from print with complete accuracy. To keep up with growing demands, braille needs to be produced more quickly and with less human intervention than is currently required. BANA is considering solutions that will permit this. The third installment of this three-part article will outline these potential solutions.

The Evolution of Braille:Can the Past Help Plan the Future?

Part Three of a Three-part Article from the Braille Authority of North America (BANA)

The Challenges Ahead

Previous installments of this article traced the changes in braille and print production methods over the past decades and discussed some of the challenges caused by the interaction of current codes with current production methods. This final section discusses the history of efforts to resolve these issues and briefly outlines possible solutions.

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With the proliferation of better and more efficient technology, the relevance of braille as a reading and writing medium is frequently questioned. Technology has made it easier than ever for people who are blind to access a wide variety of texts, to create print documents, and to be more productive at work and home. Some people report that they can read faster with speech than with braille—and they probably can. But are those same people continuing to use braille? Have the ways braille readers use braille in their daily lives changed so dramatically that it should impact the development of braille codes? The answer to both questions is a resounding yes. While the ways people are using braille have changed over the years, braille remains a viable and crucially important medium for communication. Speech access allows for quick skimming of information, but braille gives access to text in a manner that allows the reader to read independently and to see the spelling of words, the format of documents, and the symbols used. For these reasons, it’s imperative that the codes are kept up to date so braille users can read and write accurately.

For many years, BANA has continued to make small changes to the braille code where absolutely necessary. Out of consideration for the impact on braille readers, teachers, and transcribers, BANA has acted conservatively in making changes. However, the “small fixes” made over the years have, in some cases, increased the complexity and ambiguity of the braille code. An example of how an effort to make a seemingly simple change to the code led to bigger complications was illustrated in the second installment of this article. To resolve many of the shortcomings of the current braille code outlined in the previous installments, serious efforts at code restructuring have taken place in the past two decades. A more comprehensive approach was needed to create flexible solutions for the changing needs of braille users.

Unified English Braille

The first of these efforts was the Unified English Braille (UEB) code project, which was initiated in 1992 by the Braille Authority of North America (BANA). The impetus for this effort was a memorandum sent

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to the BANA Board in January, 1991, by Abraham Nemeth and Tim Cranmer. In this memo, Drs. Nemeth and Cranmer expressed their concern over the “proliferation of braille codes” with different symbols for common characters. They stated: "For a long time now, the blindness community has been experiencing a steady erosion in braille usage, both among children and adults. This trend shows no sign of abatement, so that there is now a clear and present danger that braille will become a secondary means of written communication among the blind, or that it will become obsolete altogether." Later in their memo, they cited “the complexity and disarray" of the braille codes then in use, and they asked BANA to give the braille code a major overhaul to improve its usability and flexibility. They stated clearly: “It is time to modernize the braille system.” Based on the recommendations in this memo, BANA established a committee to explore the development of a unified code.

The original intent of the unified code project was to explore the possibility of bringing together three of the official braille codes that are used for various purposes: English Braille, American Edition (literary material), Nemeth Code (mathematics and scientific notation), and Computer Braille Code (computer notation). In 1993, the project was adopted by the full International Council on English Braille (ICEB). The project was expanded in scope to explore the possible unification of the braille codes that are used for those purposes in all seven ICEB member countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa, United Kingdom, and the United States. Work to develop a unified code was conducted primarily by braille readers in those countries with input from transcribers and educators.

At the time the project began, the braille codes used for English literary purposes were similar, though not identical, in most English-speaking countries. Because of this, substantial preservation of that code was one of the basic goals in the development of UEB. However, the codes used for technical purposes in the other ICEB countries were very different from those used in the BANA countries, so that UEB can be regarded as bringing together the braille codes used in different countries as well as those used for different kinds of notation. The only notation specifically exempted from consideration under the UEB

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project was the music braille code, which was already and still is a well-accepted international code.

In the initial stages of UEB development, one of the most pressing issues to be decided was the placement of numbers. In the U.S., numbers in the literary code were written using the four dots in the upper portion of the cell while in math and science, numbers were written in the lower portion of the cell. For a consistent code, one method for writing numbers had to be chosen, using either the upper or lower part of the cell.

In addition to these two possibilities, a third way of writing numbers was considered. Called "dot 6" or "Antoine" numbers, this system forms numbers by using the same dots as upper-cell numbers with dot 6 added. In this system, 1 is dots 1-6, 2 is dots 1-2-6, and so on. The zero departs from this pattern. Dot 6 numbers are still widely used in France, Germany, and other European countries.

To decide which system of numbers should be used, the committees, both in the U.S. and internationally, looked at the ramifications of using upper numbers, lower numbers, or the dot 6 numbers. Using lower numbers would mean changing all of the punctuation signs or having a special mode for numbers. The number sign would still have been needed in most cases because numbers standing alone could easily be misread. Use of Antoine numbers would mean losing ten frequently-used contractions, and many people reported that they were slower to read. Upper numbers had the advantage of being familiar to everyone and not conflicting with punctuation. In an analysis conducted using literature that contained frequent numbers, such as math and economics textbooks, numbers were found to come in contact more frequently with punctuation than with letters. After intense debate, the familiarity of the standard upper number system with its advantage of keeping current punctuation was judged to be more important and suitable, especially for the general reader. Based on this rationale, the upper number system was selected for all purposes within UEB.

A full discussion of all characteristics of any code would be beyond the scope of this article. However, the primary changes in UEB from the current literary code used in the U.S. are:

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1. Spacing: Words that are currently written together such as "and the" must have a space between them as they do in print.

2. Less ambiguity: Nine contractions are eliminated: "ally," "ation," "ble," "by," "com," "dd,” "into," "o'clock," and "to" because of translation difficulties and confusion with other symbols.

3. Punctuation: A few punctuation marks are different (for example, parentheses are two-cell sequences of dots 5, 1-2-6 and 5, 3-4-5). This change follows a new systematic pattern developed for creating symbols in UEB. In addition, symbols are included for different types of brackets, quotation marks, dashes, and others to show the braille reader exactly which symbol is used in the original text.

4. Indicators: Bold, underline, and italics each have their own indicators. There is a method using three capital signs to show a long passage of uppercase text.

5. Math symbols: Numbers are shown in the upper portion of the cell as they are now in literary braille; operational symbols such as plus and equals, which do not exist in current literary code, have been added and are different from those in the Nemeth code.

In 2004, the international community voted that UEB was sufficiently complete to be considered an international standard and for braille authorities of individual countries to vote on its adoption for their respective use. To date, UEB has been adopted in six of the seven ICEB countries, including Canada. The United Kingdom voted in favor of UEB adoption in October, 2011.

Nemeth Uniform Braille System

The decision to write numbers in the upper portion of the braille cell had a major impact on the technical aspects of the development of

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UEB. Dr. Abraham Nemeth, the developer of the Nemeth Code for Mathematics and Science Notation, recently completed development of a code that uses lower numbers throughout called the Nemeth Uniform Braille System (NUBS). Like UEB, it is also designed to represent literary, math, and computer information--combining all three codes into one unified system. While this system proposes changes to some parts of all three codes, it makes no changes to current literary braille contractions.

The primary changes from the present literary braille code would be:

1. Numerals: Numbers in all contexts occupy the lower part of the cell; these are referred to as "dropped numbers."

2. Use of modes: There are two modes—narrative, for normal literary material, and notational, for numeric and technical material. Notational mode is invoked with the number sign (dots 3-4-5-6) or by the "begin notational mode indicator" (dots 5-6). Notational mode is terminated by a dash or a space when the space is not within a string of numbers or a mathematical expression. Notational mode can also be terminated by a hyphen or a slash, and when these characters are not followed by a space, they are preceded by a dot 5. Contractions are not allowed in notational mode.

3. Punctuation: Proposed changes in punctuation include new symbols for parentheses, brackets, quotation marks, and the dash. Because the NUBS symbols for parentheses (dots 1-2-3-5-6 and dots 2-3-4-5-6) could be confused with the words "of" and "with," a punctuation indicator (dots 4-5-6) must precede each parenthesis when used in narrative mode. The semicolon, exclamation point, and question mark remain unchanged, but require a punctuation indicator in notational mode to distinguish them from digits. The period, the comma, and the colon are completely different in the two modes.

4. Type indicators: There are some changes in the technique for capitalization and for implementing italics and other types of emphasis.

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Similarities of the Codes

Both proposed codes employ the use of "modes." It should be noted that even the current literary code uses modes, although they are not often referred to in this way. For example, when the word "dance" is written in contracted braille, it uses three cells (d, dots 4-6, e). When a number sign is placed before these three cells, their meaning is completely different; that is, it becomes the number 4.5. It can be said that the number sign has invoked a "numbers mode." Similarly, the use of a letter sign before a "c" changes the "mode" so that "c" means "c" instead of "can."

Although modes are not a feature requiring much notice in current literary code, the concept is inherent in the code. Modes do not create conflict within a code if their application is systematic. Part of the problem with current codes, however, is that the concept is not applied systematically, and creates conflict and ambiguity. Both UEB and NUBS were designed to be systematic in their application of modes and symbol construction.

At a Crossroads

As clearly indicated in the previous parts of this three-part article, braille in the United States must change to keep up with current trends in publishing and technology. It must also be more flexible and responsive to changing conventions of text. Two new braille codes have been developed, one of which has been adopted internationally. Both codes were developed with an effort toward retaining as much of the current literary braille code as possible; both codes have the reduction of ambiguity as a guiding principle to facilitate ease of learning and production. Easier facilitation of forward and backward translation would make it simpler for the user to create print documents and would also make the “on-the-fly” translation required for accessing the screens of computers and mobile devices much more accurate and reliable. It could also significantly reduce the cost of producing paper braille, which could have the effect of making much more braille material available for readers.

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BANA will soon be at a critical juncture. It appears we have several choices as to how to proceed:

1. We can continue to tinker with the current codes we have, potentially making them less easy to use and more ambiguous;

2. We can adopt UEB, as have all of the other ICEB countries; 3. We can adopt NUBS; 4. We can do nothing at all to change braille, realizing this might

cause braille to become obsolete.

The BANA Board recognizes that to preserve the viability of braille, changes must be made. The BANA Literary Technical Committee believes that continuing to make small changes to the current code will place braille readers and transcribers in an ever-worsening spiral of ever more complicated braille codes. The committee recommends that BANA adopt a system such as UEB or NUBS that was designed to be extendible, flexible, and consistent.

BANA is conducting an impact analysis that will look at the costs and benefits of making changes to the current system of codes as well as the costs inherent in not changing. The impact on transcribing and embossing various materials, training of new teachers and transcribers, the retraining of current braille teachers and transcribers, costs for creating e-texts, and other critical factors are being considered.

Any major change in braille would necessitate careful planning and implementation. New code books would be needed, as well as training sessions for transcribers and teachers. A phase-in period would be necessary with diligent attention to the needs of all braille readers—from the very youngest who are just learning to read and write to the reader who has known and loved braille for many years. The most important consideration of all is to keep braille as practical, usable, and flexible as possible in the future as it has been for the past 150 years.

As BANA examines the past and considers options for the future of braille, we encourage you to share your ideas, concerns, and suggestions with BANA Board members. Please visit www.brailleauthority.org and share your thoughts with us.

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ReferencesFor more information about the history of current braille codes, UEB, and NUBS, please see the following references and resources.

1. The Nemeth/Cranmer paper from 1991: http://www.iceb.org/cranem.html

2. ICEB resolution 1 from the 2004 General Assembly: http://www.iceb.org/gares04.html

3. BANA's Braille Unification Efforts: http://www.brailleauthority.org/unification/unification.html

4. Sullivan's monographs on the ICEB page: http://www.iceb.org/ubc.html

5. The UEB Rule book on ICEB page: http://www.iceb.org/ueb.html

6. UEB training materials available on: http://www.ebility.com/roundtable/aba/ueb.php

7. The NUBS code book on brl2000 page: http://www.braille2000.com/brl2000/nubs2.htm

8. American Council of the Blind (ACB) Resolutions 2001-27: http://www.acb.org/magazine/2001/bf092001.html http://www.acb.org/resolutions/res2004.html http://www.acb.org/resolutions/res2008.html

9. National Federation of the Blind (NFB) resolutions 2002-04 and 2002-05: http://nfb.org/legacy/bm/bm02/bm0209/bm020912.htm

10. BANA's UEB and NUBS research: http://www.brailleauthority.org/research-ueb/research-ueb.html http://www.brailleauthority.org/executivesummary-nubs.pdf http://www.brailleauthority.org/nubs-samplerresponses.pdf

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Small touches make things clearBy Johnny Diaz, Boston Globe Staff

October 15, 2011

NEWTON -- The shoppers descended on the produce aisle, but instead of reaching out for the fresh papayas and melons, they grazed their fingers over small labels at the bottom of the display cabinets that told them about each product.

The shoppers were blind or visually impaired, and they were at the Whole Foods in Newtonville trying out the first food labels in braille at a supermarket on the East Coast; many said they found the experience liberating.

“It’s a sense of freedom, to be able to make your own choice,” said Joe Quintanilla, one of the shoppers. “Sometimes, I feel guilty having someone read me everything that is there on a label.”

The labels are the brainchild of a blind first-grader from California, Joshua Goldenberg, who, with the help of his parents, lobbied Whole Foods to make its Thousand Oaks store the first in the country to deploy product signs in braille. He was in Newtonville to participate as Whole Foods brought the braille labels to Massachusetts.

Goldenberg’s journey began with a simple question. Shopping for batteries with his mother earlier this year, 7-year-old Joshua asked her why there were not signs in braille for him and other blind shoppers.

“We didn’t have answers,” the boy’s father, Evan, said yesterday.

The family reached out to Whole Foods, which responded enthusiastically to Joshua’s request.

“We wanted to do it for Josh to make a difference in his life,” said Ashley Eaton, a marketing supervisor for Whole Foods in Thousand Oaks.

Whole Foods launched a braille Independence Initiative and chose the Newtonville location as its next installation because of the store’s

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closeness to the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown and the Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton.

The grocery store chain is working on the project with the National braille Press, a nonprofit publisher of children’s books, textbooks, and tests in braille.

Representatives from the Perkins School and the Carroll Center tested out the braille labels. Several said they were happy to be able to read on their own without the help of a friend or employee.

“Having things labeled will be helpful,” said Kim Charlson as she roamed the store’s aisles with her Seeing Eye dog, Dolly, a small German shepherd. Charlson said that she often has to ask for help at the Newtonville store, where she shops weekly. She does not, for example, know what is behind the deli counter unless she asks. And with produce, “you can touch it and feel it, but you are not always sure. Who knew there are 14 different kinds of peppers? Knowing the specifics is not something I can do right now.”

The rectangular braille labels are about the size of a Band-Aid strip. For now, the Newtonville store is only putting them in the produce section, and so far they provide limited information. They do not, for example, list prices or much detail beyond the name or a basic description. However some labels, such as those for leeks and spinach, will distinguish between organic and nonorganic produce.

“We are designing as we go,’’ said Terri Petrunyak, marketing and community relations leader for Whole Foods in Newtonville.The store is working with the Perkins School and the Carroll Center to help spread the word about what is in braille and what isn’t at the store to potential customers.

She said the chain is considering what other stores could be part of the program, but there is not a timeline yet. The company is also looking into creating a map of the store in braille. The Thousand Oaks Whole Foods store’s produce section features small rectangular chalkboards that include braille labels.

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Frozen foods and dairy areas also have braille stickers on doors and cases that tell shoppers, for example, where the milk section begins and ends. Store employees’ name tags are in braille.

Advocates for the visually impaired said the labels help give people a sense of independence.

“It’s great accessibility for the blind,” said Joseph Abely, president of the Carroll Center. “It allows them to lead independent lives.”

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UK Association for Accessible Formats adopts UEB as the braille code for the United Kingdom

In an important decision for braille announced in October, UKAAF agreed to adopt Unified English Braille (UEB) as an official braille code in the UK. Standard English Braille (SEB) has been the recognised code in the UK since the 1930's.

UEB has already been adopted by Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Nigeria and South Africa, and this adoption by the UK aligns our braille code with other English-speaking countries. This decision brings many future benefits to braille users in the UK: the sharing of braille files and information between organisations, education establishments and producers will be easier nationally and internationally; and braille will be easier to learn and to teach - benefits which will ultimately increase the availability and use of braille.

Peter Osborne, the Chair of UKAAF, said “This has been a very complex issue, and it was not a decision that the Board has taken lightly. The value of the research time alone to gather evidence is estimated to be over £40,000, kindly delivered through member organisation activity, and the Board received a report with recommendations to consider, supported by over 200 pages of evidence. This analysed the benefits and drawbacks of UEB, the experiences of other countries, and a tremendous amount of direct feedback from stakeholders, including users, teachers, producers and UKAAF's counterpart standards bodies in other English-speaking countries."

He went on to say “This, of course, does not mean that SEB will disappear overnight. Far from it, this simply means that most of the resources previously dedicated to developing SEB will now be refocused on developing and implementing UEB. We now have an enormous amount of work to do on implementation, including establishing timescales, supporting and training teachers and users, and ensuring that there are enough resources available. A key focus will be to maximise the benefits and minimise the disruption to children and adults studying and taking exams. We will unavoidably have a period where we are supporting both SEB and UEB codes whilst we carefully plan the implementation of UEB."

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Dr Sarah Morley Wilkins, the Vice-Chair of UKAAF, said “The braille subject area and the UKAAF Board have worked very hard to consider every angle. Everyone involved had a primary focus on the future of braille and the needs of braille users. This decision was not a formality by any stretch of the imagination. Although everyone supported UEB in principle, there were differing views on how and when it might be implemented. Ultimately, the decision to adopt UEB now was carried by a two-thirds majority of the Board. I would like to thank everyone involved in the research, particularly those who participated in interviews and focus groups, and tested sample materials. Members of the UKAAF braille Subject Area and research colleagues collated a tremendous amount of evidence to help inform their recommendations and the Board's decision, which puts us in a very strong position to commence a detailed implementation plan with UK stakeholders.”

Peter Osborne added, “I am very lucky to be supported by Board members with such breadth of experience and deep commitment to the provision of quality accessible information in all formats for print-disabled people in the UK. The next task for the Board is to prepare an implementation plan to benefit braille users in the short- and long-term. This is quite a remit and we undertake this with the guarantee that we will all work together with stakeholders to successfully implement UEB in the UK. UKAAF maintains a strong commitment to the development and promotion of braille as one of the vital accessible formats for people with print-disabilities.”

UKAAF (The UK Association for Accessible Formats), Alan Matthews, PR Officer, email: enquiries@ukaaf.org; www.ukaaf.orgUKAAF, PO Box 127, Cwmbran, NP44 9BQ

President’s Message BRAILLE, BRAILLE, BRAILLEBy Judy Jackson, BRL President

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Perhaps this is the most provocative message I have submitted to this magazine to date. However, I believe that it is an important one. I want to take a few moments to talk about the issue of Braille and where we find ourselves currently. Along with that, I want to talk about what I hope BANA will seriously consider before making any decision about where this country will go with respect to a different Braille code.

As many of you know, BANA has put out some articles on the “Evolution of Braille”. There are three parts to the article. At the time of this writing, the first two have been published. I have read both parts and have found them to be accurate in many instances and perhaps a bit too simplistic/idealistic in others. I think it will be important for each of you to ensure that you read both parts and anxiously await the third one.

Recently, on the ACB leadership list, there has been a flurry of activity where the state of Braille is concerned. There are some people who believe that there are many positive attributes surrounding the UEB code. Many of us have had little to no opportunity to examine NUBS. Some of you may recall that at a recent convention, several of us participated in a research study where we looked at NUBS. To my knowledge, we have never received any of the results from that study. Additionally, about ten or eleven years ago, several of us had an opportunity to look at UEB. As you may recall, there were samples that were mailed out for both literary and math codes. At the next convention, Kim Charlson, ACB’S representative to BANA, discussed those samples with us at one of our Braille Revival League sessions. However, the discussion stopped there. Nothing else was ever said or done to my knowledge.

Over the years, ACB has passed several resolutions where it asks BANA to look seriously at both codes. The resolutions have been very straightforward in stating that this country is not ready to accept UEB as the adopted code. However, I believe that BANA has found themselves in a very precarious position, as most if not all of the other English-speaking countries have adopted UEB as the code that they will use. So, the question becomes do we really believe that standardization of Braille is really that crucial or will we take a look at all three codes and decide which is best for our country?

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Now, I want to take a moment and make a plea to the members of BANA with respect to this whole issue. I believe that if BANA is really concerned about what this country thinks about where we should land on this issue, then, it is incumbent upon BANA to do some research regarding this issue. This summer, I proposed to our BANA representative that BANA put out samples of both codes and that people look at both codes side by side and give BANA their feedback as to which code we think is best. Since that time, I have heard nothing regarding my proposal. I don’t believe that the suggestion is one that is not doable, as BANA did the very same thing (ten years apart) that I’m asking them to do now. The difference is that I am suggesting that the codes be looked at side by side. I think that we could do this at a convention where BANA could collect the information gathered at the conclusion of the convention. Once that is completed, then, BANA can review those results at their next meeting and begin to seriously consider where this country wants to go with this issue.

At our most recent convention, the chair of BANA, Judy Dixon, made mention of a survey that BANA conducted. I never received such a survey. In talking to several members of BRL, they didn’t receive such a survey either. Perhaps, BANA could redistribute the survey?

Lastly, I want to spend some time sharing my own personal views about this whole subject. I find it a bit disheartening when I hear that Braille needs to become more like print. I ask why? Did those of us who grew up with the current Braille system really miss out on a whole lot? If that is the case, then, why have we been able to hold down jobs and be homemakers? Did any of you miss out what the new vocabulary words were or what you needed to review because you didn’t know what was bolded, shaded, or in black? Somehow, I still had to do the math problems, write the vocabulary words five times each etc. Whatever color or whatever font size my sighted peers were exposed to didn’t affect me in any way. I still got the benefit of the content that I needed. Was our education somehow a substandard one because we didn’t have the benefit of knowing what was in gray? I submit to you that maybe we ought to consider the LBA code. That’s my acronym for leave Braille Alone. Please understand that I don’t have a problem with

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change when it is deemed to be necessary, but I’m not sure that in this case change needs to occur.

So, BANA will you prepare samples of UEB, NUBS, and LBA? Then when you get those samples will you agree to listen to the wishes of the people in this country? I hope so.

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2012 BRL Conference Information

It's time to begin planning to attend the BRL meetings and the fabulous ACB 51st annual conference and convention in Louisville, Kentucky at the beautiful Galt House Hotel. This will be an information-packed, fun-filled event and you don’t want to miss it.

The dates are from July 7-14, 2012. Hotel reservations at the Galt House for the 2012 convention can be made via phone or online. To make your reservations via phone call 1-800-843-4258.Make sure to mention you are with the ACB convention.If you'd like to make your reservations online go tohttps://resweb.passkey.com/go/acbl0712.

Standard rooms in the west tower are $85.00, suites in the east tower are $105.00. These prices do not include applicable taxes. When you make a reservation The Galt House will charge one night's stay to your credit card as a deposit.

If you have ideas for the BRL program, contact BRL President Judy Jackson at 940-255-9241 or at jjackson143@suddenlink.net. See you in Louisville!

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Meet New BRL Board Member: Stephen Kerr

Stephen Kerr joined the Braille Revival League of Texas in the summer of 2008, and is currently serving his third term as a board member. He is very excited to be a part of the BRL Board.

Stephen is also a member of the American Council of the Blind of Texas Austin Chapter, and became chapter president in 2009.

An avid Braille reader since he learned to read, Stephen has a passion for Braille literacy. One of the main reasons he became involved with the Braille Revival League is he is very concerned about Braille being minimized both in education and the blind community in general.

One of Stephen’s biggest dreams as a child was to be a radio personality. He would spend hours playing records and pretending to be a DJ. Numerous people told him he was being unrealistic, and should settle on something less ambitious. But through determination, persistence, and unwavering support from his parents, Stephen realized his dream. He currently works as afternoon host for Majic 95.5, a soft rock station in Austin, and is Program Director for the company’s AM station, Talk Radio 1370. He often tells people that it would be next to impossible to do his job without being able to read Braille.

Born in Houston, Stephen attended the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired for seven years before graduating from Houston Yates High School in 1980. He received a BA in Physical Education from Southwestern University in 1984, and has lived in the Austin area for almost 30 years. He has two children from a previous marriage: Jessica, an elementary education major at Howard Paine University in Brownwood, Texas, and James, a senior in high school.

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Braille Related Resolutions Passed by BRL and ACB

The following resolutions dealing with the issue of braille were passed by both the Braille Revival League and the American Council of the Blind membership at the 2011 conference and convention in Reno, Nevada in July:

BANA and Braille CodesAmerican Council of the Blind

RESOLUTION 2011-04

SUMMARY: This organization and its affiliate, the Braille Revival League (BRL), hereby request the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) to provide a clear and unequivocal indication of where BANA stands with regard to the adoption of both of these codes in the United States to the Board of Directors by its mid-year meeting in Washington, DC in February of 2012.

WHEREAS, many members of the American Council of the Blind (ACB) are avid braille readers; and

WHEREAS, many ACB members have followed with concern the debates which have occurred over the last decade regarding use of the Unified English Braille Code (UEB) and the Nemeth Unified Braille System (NUBS); and

WHEREAS, members of ACB are uncertain about the current situation or what can be expected in the immediate future with respect to adoption of UEB and/or NUBS;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled at the John Ascuaga Nugget Hotel Resort and Casino in Sparks, Nev. on the 15th day of July, 2011, that this organization and its affiliate, the Braille Revival League (BRL), hereby request the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) to provide a clear and unequivocal indication of where BANA stands with regard to the adoption of both of these codes in the United States to the Board of Directors of the ACB by its mid-year meeting in Washington, D.C. in February of 2012.

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Adopted.Marlaina Lieberg, Secretary

Braille Labeling of PackagesAMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND

RESOLUTION 2011-05

SUMMARY: ACB will work with all relevant federal agencies, most specifically, the Food and Drug Administration, to develop guidelines and implement regulations requiring the provision of braille labeling.

WHEREAS, braille is the most effective reading system for many people who are blind or have low vision; and

WHEREAS, braille labeling for purposes of identification on product packaging would be extremely valuable; and

WHEREAS, the European Union and many countries including Brazil have implemented braille package identification for consumer products, including over-the-counter medicines and other products, and non-perishable food items;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled at the John Ascuaga Nugget Hotel Resort and Casino in Sparks, Nev. on the 15th day of July, 2011, that the American Council of the Blind work with all relevant federal agencies, most specifically, the Food and Drug Administration, to develop guidelines and implement regulations requiring the provision of braille labeling.

Adopted.Marlaina Lieberg, Secretary

These resolutions will be worked on and implemented by Eric Bridges, Director of Governmental Affairs for ACB over the course of 2011-2012. Updates on the progress of these resolutions will be provided in future issues of the BRL Memorandum.

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College Board obstructs nearly blind student’s effort to take PSAT by

Valerie Strauss, Washington PostOctober 29, 2011

A teacher of the visually impaired says that her school ran into big trouble with the non-profit College Board over when a nearly blind student could take the PSAT, the qualifying exam for the National Merit Scholarship.

The e-mail, sent by Leslie Edmonds, who teaches at a high school in California, raises questions about just how flexible the College Board is in meeting the needs of students who need accommodations to take the standardized tests that it owns. The College Board owns the SAT as well as the PSAT and the Advanced Placement program.

In this case, a boy named Jimmy wanted to take the PSAT on a Saturday, along with the rest of the students at his school, so he wouldn’t have to miss any school. But he was forced to take it on a Wednesday by the College Board because, a spokeswoman said, that’s when the Braille test form was available.

Here’s the relevant part of the email from Edmonds, followed by a response from the College Board:

I am a Teacher of the Visually Impaired for an Academic Braille reader... Jimmy’s only disability is his vision, which is 20/3000 in his left eye and he has a prosthetic in his right eye. Jimmy is on track for college and last fall there was an announcement made that the PSATs would be offered in October. I contacted the school and the secretary, Marlene, (i.e. heartbeat of the school) and I went online to the College Board to sign Jimmy up. We saw that the deadline for signing up students with disabilities was that day. We began the sign-up process and were not able to finish in one day. We finished the application and proof of disability the next day. A week later we were told we missed the deadline and would have to wait until next year. Marlene protested and pleaded our case, but the College Board would not budge. We submitted the request for accommodations anyway and Jimmy was approved for a Braille test and other accommodations. …

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Fast-forward to this year. We requested the PSAT in braille well ahead of time. The College Board then sent a letter stating that Jimmy would need to take the PSAT on Wed. October 12th when everyone else [at the school] would be taking the test on October 15th, a Saturday. Jimmy would need twice as long to complete the test so he would be missing an entire day of school.

As you can imagine, for a Braille reader this is a big deal. He was missing a test and several lectures and would have to make up work quickly since quarter grades were closing on the 14th. Again, Marlene pleaded with the College Board and asked if he could take the test on Saturday.

I was going to be the Proctor for the test (College Board does not provide a qualified proctor) and had agreed to working on Saturday. The College Board did not budge. Then we asked if it was possible to break the test up in to two days so Jimmy would not miss too much school and would not be reading Braille for 6 hours straight. Also, if Jimmy stayed longer than the regular school day he would miss a Junior College class he was taking after school on his own.

A Braille reader must keep their hands in the same position when reading and it can lead to hand cramping after a couple hours. Also, Braille students take about twice as long to read as print readers. Keep in mind they are decoding Braille with their hands while grasping content all at the same time.

The College Board continually responded that Jimmy would need to take a day off from school to take the PSAT on October 12th and that the test must be completed in one day. Jimmy’s school felt he was being discriminated against and continued to fight for Jimmy to be able to take the test with his peers. The result is Jimmy took the test on Wednesday, October 12th and completed it before his Junior College class. We were both exhausted at the end. There are many aspects of the test that are extremely difficult for a visually impaired student, but we teach our students that it is a sighted world and that you need to overcome road blocks and not let them stop you. Jimmy missed school

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and ended up scrambling to get his work completed before grades closed on that Friday.

We did find some good in all of this. Jimmy and I realized that his school is supportive of him and understands that each day is wrought with challenges. The administration and Jimmy’s IEP [Individualized Education Program] team fought for him and worked together to help one of their 5,000 students. As Jimmy’s teacher I was touched to see such an outpouring of support for a Special Education student.”

I asked the College Board to comment on this situation and here was the e-mail response, from Kathleen Fineout Steinberg, executive director of communications:

“Thank you again for bringing to my attention the letter you received from an educator concerned about the options afforded to visually-impaired students taking the PSAT/NMSQT. While I cannot speak specifically about this case without additional information about the student’s identity, I can outline the College Board’s current policy for students who take the PSAT/NMSQT with accommodations.

Several years ago, the College Board began offering school-day (Wednesday) PSAT/NMSQT testing to make the PSAT/NMSQT accessible to as many students as possible. For students with disabilities, the introduction of Wednesday PSAT/NMSQT testing meant that the additional resources necessary for testing – including trained staff to work with them during the testing situation – were readily available. This year, 86 percent of participating high schools administered the PSAT/NMSQT on Wednesday. Because the vast majority of students test on Wednesday, the special test forms for students with disabilities – including Braille test forms – are created for the Wednesday exam. Visually-impaired students who require a Braille test form or other equivalently effective accommodations and who attend schools that administer the PSAT/NMSQT on Saturday are provided with two testing options: they may test on Wednesday utilizing the Braille test form, or they may test on Saturday with another appropriate accommodation, such as a reader.

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We regret that the accommodations options offered to visually-impaired students presented challenges for this student. We continually review our processes in order to provide access for all students, and will take into consideration the situation described by this educator as we consider future improvements in our programs and services.

Sincerely, Kathleen Fineout Steinberg Executive Director, Communications The College Board”

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Find and remove: before and after:

Description: In the following game there are letters and or words before and after the answers, the key is to find the word that fits the clue. For example: follows voice and precedes board, and the answer is over; hence, voice over and over board. There are 20 numbered lists in this game and one answer per list. Enjoy!

Find and remove: before and after: clues:

1. follows billie, precedes mann2. follows kangaroo, precedes document3. precedes cabin, follows Lincoln4. follows short, precedes winner5. precedes pick, follows blue6. follows picture, precedes case7. precedes front, follows cigar8. follows magic, precedes frost9. follows back, precedes driver10. precedes outlet, follows social11. follows cowboy, precedes lift12. precedes technologies, follows Elliot13. follows river, precedes shot14. follows chuck, precedes wheel15. precedes down, follows Mathew16. follows storm, precedes step17. precedes pictures, follows banana18. follows five, precedes gun19. precedes guide, follows grand20. follows jolly, precedes rabbit

Find and remove: before and after: Puzzles:

1. mill ump orchid jean extra peat humped2. eye theme disc our to be tu quoque sty end3. behind at ear epilogue ire dither anchor ell4. mob ready esteem it rot extend rip arty am5. singing else alto otherwise acre spirit one town6. die tiff lash owner vet hand oven ultra yam

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7. wham past or enter after ink invitation ape meal8. jacket angle orb reward aunt win king ad9. element railroad earthly rice victim in oust10. truly soup come diameter amount extol ant11. nevertheless cream eager man against upon ordain ago12. finesse lab orate vent hero watt heirs have13. sweep ochre flub anklet go off rather mitten14. lieu tempt immediate feverfew agony armada father15. sensible size stoney system arks across mythic16. immense alum ado ordinary math ulna rime17. oath many and more pub license still split terminal18. sixteen age roil anew adroit themselves today19. child amid edna ilk inside into urbane iced20. was flip frog erstwhile velvet racecar together

Find and remove: before and after answers on Page 55.

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Braille News

BANA November Meeting Actions: Elected New Chair,Approved New Member, and Voted on Revision of Braille Formats

The Braille Authority of North America (BANA) held its fall meeting on November 3–6, 2011, in Baltimore, MD. The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), a BANA member organization, hosted the meeting, which included an Open Forum that provided an opportunity for participants to learn more about the workings of BANA and to provide feedback to the Board about braille. During its three-day meeting, the BANA Board reviewed and acted on semiannual reports from its eighteen committees and deliberated issues and challenges facing braille users and producers. Notable actions by the Board included the approval of an application of full BANA membership by Horizons for the Blind; the election of officers; and consideration of the revision of the formats guidelines publication, a monumental project undertaken by the Braille Formats Technical Committee. Additionally, BANA welcomed two new Board Representatives – Ruth McKinney from Braille Institute of America and Susan Spicknall from National Braille Press.

The newly elected BANA officers for 2012 are: Chair: Frances Mary D’Andrea, representing the American

Foundation for the Blind (AFB), replaces Judy Dixon who is completing a five-year tenure as BANA Chair;

Vice Chair: Mary Nelle McLennan, representing the American Printing House for the Blind (APH);

Secretary: Jennifer Dunnam, representing the National Federation of the Blind (NFB);

Treasurer: Sue Reilly, representing the California Transcribers and Educators of the Blind and Visually Impaired (CTEBVI).

Based on extensive review prior to the meeting, the Board evaluated the proposed revision to the Braille Formats publication. The previous edition of these guidelines for making structural decisions when transcribing was last published in 1997. In an email vote completed in

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mid-November, the BANA Board approved the adoption of the Braille Formats: Principles of Print to Braille Transcription, 2011. In the coming months, after publishing preparations are complete, the final document will be posted on the BANA website and will be produced for purchase. BANA recognizes the hard work and remarkable commitment of the Braille Formats Technical Committee in completing this complex project.

In the months before the Board meeting, Horizons for the Blind, a not-for-profit organization located in Crystal Lake, IL, applied for full membership in BANA. After reviewing the extensive application, the BANA Board approved full membership for Horizons for the Blind and welcomed them into the organization.

BANA’s next meeting will take place in connection with the National Braille Association’s conference in St. Louis. The dates of this spring meeting will be April 28 through 30, 2012, with the Open Forum scheduled for Saturday, April 28. 

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Additional News

Elegant Insights Braille Creations makes their debut with Braille inspired jewelry. This distinctive collection also includes dog tags, as well as charms for purses, stemware, mobility canes, and cell phones.

Elegant Insights Braille Creations is bringing a tactile element to jewelry by creating designs that are embellished with Braille.

Created in the USA, this collection utilizes contemporary metals such as brass, copper, stainless steel and sterling silver to showcase the beauty of Braille.

This distinctive collection also includes dog tags, as well as charms for purses, stemware, mobility canes, and cell phones. The products are all hand-crafted which will allow personalization on many items. "The product line will take cues from customers," says Laura Legendary, owner and Sole Proprietor of Elegant Insights Braille Creations. "The flexibility of interchangeable charms, along with our Braille embossing technique, enables us to create just about anything a client can dream up."

Although the line was created especially for people who are blind or visually impaired, it will also appeal to those looking for a unique gift and all collectors of intriguing conversation pieces.

Elegant Insights Braille Creations made its debut at the American Council of the Blind 50th Anniversary Conference in Reno, Nevada, in July, 2011. For more information, contact: Elegant Insights Braille Creations, Laura Legendary, 509-264-2588 or email l.legendary@elegantinsightsjewelry.comwww.elegantinsightsjewelry.com.

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BANA Honors Joseph Sullivan with Braille Excellence Award at Getting in Touch with Literacy Conference

The Braille Authority of North America (BANA) honored Joseph Sullivan, President of Duxbury Systems, with its Braille Excellence Award on December 7th at the opening session of the Getting in Touch with Literacy Conference in Louisville, KY. BANA created this award in honor of Louis Braille’s 200th birthday and awarded it for the first time in 2009. Mr. Sullivan is the second recipient of this prestigious award that recognizes people or organizations that have developed or contributed to a code, have developed code materials or software that supports codes, and/or who represent the highest standards of braille production.

As the chief architect of the original Duxbury Braille Translator, now the world’s premier braille translation software, Joseph Sullivan has made a remarkable and lasting contribution to the production and availability of braille, yet his contributions and commitment neither begin nor end with this accomplishment. Through his decades of professional work and extensive volunteer service, he has not only increased world-wide access to braille and expanded the ability to produce braille, but he has consistently focused on expanding our field’s capacity to produce quality, accurate braille.Mr. Sullivan’s efforts for the past 30 years have focused on bringing braille codes more directly into alignment with print while retaining readability and on enabling more efficient, accurate braille production. The current version of the Duxbury Braille Translator now supports 130 languages.

Mr. Sullivan is currently the president of Duxbury Systems, Inc. He is a mathematician by schooling (Boston College H.S. 1958, Boston College A.B. Mathematics 1962, Northeastern University M.S. in Mathematics 1968) and has designed software for most of his working life. He earlier worked at the U.S. Navy's David Taylor Model Basin, at Bunker-Ramo

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Corporation, and at MITRE Corporation before helping found Duxbury Systems. At MITRE, Joe was part of the team that developed DOTSYS III, the first braille translator written in a portable programming language.

Joe Sullivan's remarkable commitment to braille and to those who rely on it has been the hallmark of his career and his contributions. His work has increased both the availability and the accuracy of braille production around the globe. His work has truly brought braille to the world.

BANA invites you to recognize Joe Sullivan by leaving messages of congratulations on BANA’s Facebook wall at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Braille-Authority-of-North-America/120201874707328.

 

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Rosetta Translation announces launch of Braille translation service

September 2011 saw the addition of Braille translation to Rosetta Translation’s extensive set of language services. After a number of incoming requests for Braille in the company’s areas of expertise: legal, financial, technical and medical translation, Rosetta Translation a London- based language services provider decided to fully research and then later integrate Braille translation into their service list.

Braille, the system of writing and reading for the blind and partially sighted, is a code consisting of raised dots which represent letters, punctuation and numbers. Although this system is available in other languages the translation provider is initially only offering Braille translations in English.

“Over 12 million people in the UK have some kind of sight impairment and, as such, many organisations are now required (according to recent legislation) to provide documents in Braille. Not only the public sector is providing materials in Braille (such as signs, leaflets, information pamphlets etc.) it is beneficial. For companies in the private sector providing documents or data in a Braille format will not only open further doors in terms of markets and sales, but will also help the company to stand out as being socially aware” says Frosso Skotiniotou, project manager for Braille translations at the translation company.

“We hope that by providing this service to our clients we can help them to establish themselves in these new sectors, but also to help the visually impaired to have access to written material they may not otherwise do. Translating written texts to Braille, as well as providing Braille transcripts for audio files are all part of this service.” She continues.

The launch of the service will complement the existing range of services and the company also aims to add sign language interpreting (in all languages) to their repertoire later in the year.About Rosetta Translation:Rosetta Translation Ltd with main offices in London and Shanghai, and international presence in Paris, Luxembourg and New York primarily

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provides translation and interpreting services in most world languages. The company currently specialises in legal, business, financial and medical translation and interpreting services.

For further information contact: Rosetta Translation, 228 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003, 212-796-5748, 1-800-916-8395, E-mail: newyork@rosettatranslation.com.

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Bettye Maxwell Krolick Dies at Age 85

Bettye Krolick was an accomplished musician, was devoted to her family, had a life-long desire to help others and was driven by her inexhaustible sense of adventure. After her children left home, she combined her love of music and volunteerism to embark on a journey as a music braille transcriber. This eventually led to her becoming the President of the National Braille Association and afforded her the opportunity to travel the world and author the first International Braille Music Dictionary for the Library of Congress.

Bettye Allerton Maxwell Krolick, of Fort Collins, Colorado, died from complications of Alzheimer's Disease on August 5, 2011, at the age of 85.

Bettye was born on August 1, 1926, to Earl Renshaw Maxwell and Dorothy Gertrude Tobey Maxwell. The family joke was that Bettye was born in a barn - Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.

As a young girl, Bettye's family moved to Glen Ellyn, Illinois, near Chicago. It was in Glen Ellyn, when Bettye was 5 years old, that she heard the next-door neighbor giving violin lessons. She was enthralled with the sound, begged her parents for a violin and soon began her musical career.

After graduation from high school, Bettye attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, her mother's alma mater, and then went on to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where she graduated in 1948. While she was attending Eastman, she met an attractive string bass player, Ed, who proposed to her after a rousing game of ping-pong. They were married in Missouri in 1948, and made beautiful music together ever since.

Soon after their graduation and wedding, Ed and Bettye earned positions with the San Antonio Symphony. While waiting for the orchestra jobs in San Antonio to begin in the autumn, they found themselves driving through Grand Lake, Colorado. On a whim, Bettye took a job as a waitress, and Ed as a bell hop, at Grand Lake Lodge. Thus began their love affair with Colorado. They returned for camping

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vacations as often as possible over the years, and eventually moved to Fort Collins to retire.

Realizing that a teaching position was more conducive to family life than an orchestra job, Bettye and Ed moved to Champaign, Illinois, where Ed took a position with the University of Illinois. Bettye soon gave birth to their son, Kerry, who was closely followed by Kathy, Nancy, Phil and Kenny. Although Kerry had severe mental and physical limitations, and passed away at the age of 8, Bettye thrived as a mother and devoted her time and efforts to nurturing four healthy, happy and very lucky children. She also extended her family's love to two sets of foster children over those years.

Bettye instilled confidence, compassion and a strong sense of moral values in her children. She was the eternal cockeyed optimist, always focusing on the bright side of every situation. After the kids complained about being stuck inside the tent playing cards while it poured rain for a full week during a Colorado camping trip, Bettye proclaimed that "things could be worse - it could be snowing!" Another lesson frequently passed on to her children was: "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

Bettye and Ed also set a fine example of a truly happy marriage, and later in life took pride in the fact that each of their children enjoys happy, loving, long-term marriages of their own.

As the children became older and more independent, Bettye enjoyed playing violin and viola with the Champaign-Urbana and Springfield symphony orchestras, and several other small area orchestras, all in Illinois, as well as the Memphis, Tennessee, Symphony. She was also very involved with the First United Methodist Church in Champaign.

Around the age of 50, Bettye learned how to transcribe music into Braille and began doing volunteer work for the blind. Realizing there were limited resources available to blind music students, she wrote a helpful book called "How to Read Braille Music". She also taught many school music teachers how to help blind students become involved with the school band, orchestra or choir through Braille music.

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She soon discovered that the field of Braille music was not yet standardized throughout the world. She met with Braille music experts throughout the world and she went on to write the first International Braille Music Dictionary for the Library of Congress. She served on the Braille Music Subcommittee for the World Blind Union.

As technology evolved and the home computer became available in the 1980's, Bettye, by that time in her 60s, kept up with all of the latest technological possibilities which allowed Braille transcribers to harness the power of the computer.

In the 1990's she became President of the National Braille Association. She continued to be actively involved in international music Braille transcription and teaching, including facilitating an international "chat room" on the internet (originating from Italy) about music Braille. Her devotion to Braille music over thirty years provided her the opportunity to travel widely throughout the world, including several European nations, Russia, China and New Zealand. During her career she enjoyed meeting many amazing people, both sighted and blind.

In 2007, a brick was purchased in Bettye's name on the Wall of Tribute at the American Printing House for the Blind in Louisville, Kentucky.

After Ed's retirement from the University of Illinois in 1983, they moved to Fort Collins where Bettye played with the Fort Collins, Greeley and Cheyenne orchestras, continued her Braille work, volunteered at the Fort Collins Gardens on Spring Creek and was an active member of PEO and Christ United Methodist Church. They also enjoyed together traveling through Italy, England, Ireland, Norway, Spain, Poland and New Zealand.

Bettye was predeceased by her son, Kerry Marc Krolick (1958), as well as her parents, Earl Renshaw Maxwell (1991) and Dorothy Gertrude Tobey Maxwell (2000).

Bettye is survived by her husband, Edward John Krolick, of Fort Collins, Colorado, her children, Katherine Granas (Henry Granas), of Denver, Colorado, Nancy von Neumann (Michael von Neumann), of Atlanta, Georgia, Philip Krolick (Jeanee Reichert), of Corvallis, Oregon, and

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Kenneth Krolick (Jeanette Krolick), of Tolono, Illinois, her grandchildren, Lee Allerton Granas, of San Francisco, California, and David Moshe Granas, of St. Louis, Missouri, and her brother, Robert Edgar Maxwell, of Gunnison, Colorado.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the National Braille Association, 95 Allens Creek Road, Bldg. 1, Suite 202, Rochester, New York 14618, or to the Alzheimer's Association of Northern Colorado, 415 Peterson St., Fort Collins, Colorado 80524.

When Bettye was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease in 2004, in her typical optimistic fashion, her motto became "I'm not going to focus on what I can't do - I'm going to focus on what I can do." Bettye did so much during her long life, and our world is a better place because she was here.

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China to standardize sign language and Braille

BEIJING - China has begun to create national standards for sign language and Braille to be used by more than 30 million deaf and blind people, authorities said on Friday.

The standards are being jointly created by the State Language Commission (SLC) and China Disabled Persons'Federation (CDPF). Officials from the two institutions said they will make a more "scientific and user-friendly" Braille system based on the existing system.

Language experts will revise gestures that are not suitable for expression in Chinese and will standardize other gestures and grammar.

Chinese sign language and Braille existed without a standardized system for many years and vary from region to region in China.

Li Weihong, vice minister of the Ministry of Education and director general of the SLC, said that the creation of the new standards is an important part of the government's language-related work.

The standardization will benefit more than 30 million of the country's deaf and blind people, said Li.

Cheng Kai, deputy director of the SDPF, said the present system cannot adapt to a rapidly developing, information-based society.

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New Starbucks Card Features Braille Lettering, Extends the Starbucks Experience

Extending the Starbucks Experience to our customers, recognizing and responding to their unique preferences and needs, Starbucks introduced a card featuring the word “Starbucks” in Braille. The Card was made available in participating Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada for a limited time and online at StarbucksStore.com while supplies last.

Starbucks has taken a number of steps to make stores more accessible and welcoming to customers. From store design to retail training to world-class customer service, Starbucks seeks to provide partners (employees), customers and the communities with the best possible Starbucks Experience. In the U.S., large print and Braille menus have been available upon request at participating stores since 2008.

For more information contact: Starbucks Coffee Company at Starbucksstore.com

At pres time, Starbucks does not plan to continue their braille Starbucks cards. This is a real disappointment. After all, do they remove their wheelchair accessible tables and raise their lowered counters? Let's let Starbucks know we want to see these cards continue. Please pass this info along and act on it; it takes only seconds. People who want to encourage Starbucks to continue the braille cards should call 800-23-latte or 800-235-2883. Choose option 2. If they hear from enough of us, they will continue. I’d also recommend placing a comment on the mystarbucksidea.com website.

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APH Braille Date BookAn attractive planner-organizer designed specifically for braille users! Consists of:

Rugged binder with slate pocket, stylus pocket, and a Velcro fastener.

Tabbed plastic calendar pages for organizing brailled filler paper. 250 sheets of 4x6 blank filler paper for brailling appointments or

other information. Blank plastic tabs to use in creating sections for addresses, class

assignments, medical information, etc. Saddle-Shaped Stylus Pamphlet in print and braille with suggestions on setting up your

Date Book.

Recommended ages: 11-plusBraille Date Book 2012: $66.00Catalog Number: 1-07899-12Calendar Tabs 2012: $18.00Catalog Number: 1-07898-12Filler Paper and Tabs: $11.00 Catalog Number: 1-07897-00

Order from: American Printing House for the Blind, Inc., 1839 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, KY 40206-0085, Toll Free: 800-223-1839, E-mail: info@aph.org, http://www.aph.org.

Find and remove: before and after: answers

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1. jean 2. court 3. log 4. bread 5. tooth 6. show 7. store 8. jack 9. trail10. media11. up12. ness13. bank14. wagon15. mark16. door17. republic18. six19. tour20. roger

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BRL OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS2011-2012

President: Judy Jackson, 2010/2012, Second TermTexasCell: 940-255-9241Email: jjackson143@suddenlink.net First Vice President: May Davis, 2010/2012, Second Term PennsylvaniaHome: 215-348-5800Email: mayanddon@verizon.net Second Vice President: Sandra Sermons, 2010/2012, Second Term MarylandHome: 301-581-0175Email: sandrasermons@grosvenorpark.net Secretary: Ralph Smitherman, 2010/2012, Second TermMississippiHome: 601-825-8076Email: redbird26@bellsouth.net Treasurer: Ann Byington, 2010/2012, Second TermKansasHome: 785-233-3839Email: abyington@cox.net Board Member: Kim Charlson, 2010/2012, Third TermMassachusettsMemorandum EditorHome: 617-926-9198Work: 617-972-7249Email: kimcharlson@comcast.netWork Email: kim.charlson@perkins.org

Board Member: Jim Krachr 2010/2012, Second TermFlorida

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Home: 305-251-6983 Email: jkk48@bellsouth.net Board Member: Roger Petersen 2011/2013, Third TermCaliforniaHome: 650-969-1688Email: petersen@svpal.org Board Member: Stephen Kerr, 2011/2013, First TermTexasHome: 512-448-0122Email: kerrsteve@att.net Affiliate Representative, Marleen O NeillPennsylvaniaHome: 215-238-0310Email: marleenoneill@comcast.net Immediate Past President: Lynne Koral, 2010/2012AlaskaHome: 907-276-1926Email: lynne@ak.net

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