Hello David
I accept the argument that the dcode needed updating to meet the needs of
computing and maths and to avoid ambiguities.
However, I would challenge the argument that it will help safeguard braille.
I am a former rehab. Worker and have taught braille throughout my career and
continue to do so now as a volunteer. Many of my students stop when they
have completed Grade 1. Because this meets their needs; they do not want to
read books in braille but want to be able to write down numbers, label cds
etc. or play games. I have never come across anyone who stopped because of
the number of rules and contractions. And in truth, if you look at the
number of signs, abbreviations and contractions which remain, it could still
be considered quite daunting for those embarking on learning Grade 2.
We need to accept that the vast mnajority of those who lose their sight are
elderly and their needs are much more simply and quickly met by talking
books and magazines or accessing their computer via screenreading software.
My main concern is how few rehab. Workers now actually know braille
themselves and how few of them teach it. When working as a rehab. Worker, I
was based in four different offices, all of which told me they did not have
a braille class because there was no demand. Miraculously, by the time I
left each office, there was always a braille class running with between 4
and 8 students! The organisation I worked for runs a foundation degree in
rehabilitation and have dropped the braille moduel in favour of technology.
I have also talked to parents with severely sight impaired children who tell
me that teachers get their youngsters to be touch typists at as early an age
as possible so they can subnit their work in print and the teacher can share
materials without the necessity to braille them out or have them embossed.
These are the real dangers to braille - and I really don't think UEB will
have any impact on learners one way or the other.
Alison
foundation elted grmake the needing upda
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
David Boden
Sent: 10 April 2015 12:07
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Possibly off-topic - U E B Braille Magazines
UEB removes ambiguities, standardises the braille code throughout the
countries who adopt it and incorporates a lot of the specialist braille
codes.
It may seem a retrograde step to proficient users of braille but it makes a
lot of sense. It may help to prolong the use of braille as some people feel
it is destined to enter the realms of obscurity and abandonment over time.
I believe the use of indicators for bold type is up to each braille
publisher so this might be eradicated from magazines if enough people
complain to RNIB.
David Boden
Technical Specialist
ICT - Operational Delivery
Environment and Resources
CG44
County Hall
Loughborough Road
West Bridgford
Nottingham
NG2 7QP
0115 97 74573
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
George Bell
Sent: 10 April 2015 11:50
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Possibly off-topic - U E B Braille Magazines
Correct - the ble contraction has been dropped. The reason being that it
causes confusion when back-translating in some cases.
George
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Derek Hornby
Sent: 10 April 2015 11:34
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Possibly off-topic - U E B Braille Magazines
I find it confusing
It seems like half in grade one and half grade two.
For example b l e rather than the b l e sign.
Derek
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Clive.Lever@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2015 5:12 PM
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Possibly off-topic - U E B Braille Magazines
That's the one I didn't get then, although some magasines say that the
leaflet is enclosed when it isn't.
Best,
Clive
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Iain Lackie
Sent: 09 April 2015 17:05
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Possibly off-topic - U E B Braille Magazines
There are some magazines which have yet to appear in UEB. There was an
explanatory leaflet which contained a list of changes sent out independently
of magazines.
Iain
From: Clive.Lever@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, April 9, 2015 4:40 PM
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Possibly off-topic - U E B Braille Magazines
Hi Iain,
Perhaps I could have one of yours then (smile).
But seriously, perhaps it all depends which mags you get - say sheets in
Progress but not in Upbeat, as a random ex\ample.
Best,
Clive
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Iain Lackie
Sent: 09 April 2015 16:27
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Possibly off-topic - U E B Braille Magazines
I have had two of these sheets. One came with a magazine and one arrived
last month. You must have been unlucky.
Iain
From: Clive.Lever@xxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thursday, April 9, 2015 3:04 PM
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Possibly off-topic - U E B Braille Magazines
Hello all,
For information, I've just put in a complaint and a request for action to
RNIB, because last week, they started sending out magazines in Unified
English Braille. I have no problem with that, except that the notice (in U E
B) at the front of the magazines stated that a guide sheet was sent out
along with the magazine, showing the most commonly encountered changes to
the code, but the magazines I was reading had no such guide. I would also
have thought that the time to send out the guide sheet was when the
magazines in "old skool Braille" were heralding the imminent arrival of
magazines in the Unified Code.
To go back to the code itself, from what I've now seen of it, I don't think
I'll have too much difficulty getting used to the effects of the loss of
certain contractions, and fully understand the logic of removing
ambiguities, such as dot six being used in contractions like ation and ally,
and as punctuations. However, it will be helpful to see how it is
representing other types of print, such as block capitals versus initial
caps. Are wew on a hiding to nothing trying to slavishly follow or represent
pring though, so that we have to surround a word with so many extra symbols
to show that it's initial capitals, underscored and bold, for example? I'm
noticing increasingly that documents I'm receiving are conveying information
by colour coding. Will we one day need a supercode, in which say, dot five
followed by dot 2 followed by dots 5-6 followed by a slash means that the
following word is in blue, with another set to indicate red, so that we'll
know which is which when the t
ext says: "Training courses in redhave no discount, courses in blue have a
50% earlybird discount, and courses shown in green are free"? And on the
subject of disappearing contractions, I've never seen the point of the grade
2 representations of receiving, perceiving, deceiving, Declaring? I know
it's because the I N G sign wouldn't work, but why not just get rid and
write c e v ing instead of cvg?
Best,
Clive
Clive Lever
Diversity and Equality Officer
Kent County Council
Office: 03000 416388
Email: clive.lever@xxxxxxxxxxx
Kent County Council
Room G37
Sessions House
Maidstone, Kent.
ME14 1XQ
** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** and in the Subject line type
** unsubscribe
** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
** immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
** or send a message, to
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** and in the Subject line type
** unsubscribe
** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
** immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
** or send a message, to
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
________________________________
The following message has been applied automatically, to promote news and
information from Nottinghamshire County Council about events and services:
Get involved in great events for the whole family across Nottinghamshire
this Easter: http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/whatson/
________________________________
________________________________
Emails and any attachments from Nottinghamshire County Council are
confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the
sender immediately by replying to the email, and then delete it without
making copies or using it in any other way. Senders and recipients of email
should be aware that, under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of
Information Act 2000, the contents may have to be disclosed in response to a
request.
Although any attachments to the message will have been checked for viruses
before transmission, you are urged to carry out your own virus check before
opening attachments, since the County Council accepts no responsibility for
loss or damage caused by software viruses.
Nottinghamshire County Council Legal Disclaimer.
________________________________
** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** and in the Subject line type
** unsubscribe
** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
** immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
** or send a message, to
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** and in the Subject line type
** unsubscribe
** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
** immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
** or send a message, to
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq
