what has this got to do with braille lables?
From: Matthew Horspool
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2018 10:45 AM
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: braille labels
Hi,
I think the answer is multi-facited. In the first instance we need to keep
educating people about the benefits of properly structured documents. These go
beyond accessibility – an automatically generated table of contents, for
example, is another significant one.
However, one of the biggest complaints I hear from sighted people when I try to
encourage them to use Word headings is that they look aweful! Admittedly, these
tend to be quite highly strung sighted people, so maybe aweful is a bit
excessive – but then again maybe it isn't? I only know a handful of
organisations that have developed a culture of accessible Word documents,
mostly blindness organisations, but all of them have custom Word templates
which make their headings look more conventional. On that basis, I think there
is room for a body with clout to approach Microsoft and suggest that some work
be done on the default heading styles so that sighted people don't feel
embarrassed to use them.
Matthew
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of ;
CJ&AA MAY
Sent: 23 November 2018 17:03
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: braille labels
I don’t know what the answer is. But some companies do get it right. My bank
for example, send me statements in UEB but they are virtually clutterless.
Alison
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of George Bell
Sent: 23 November 2018 16:06
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: braille labels
(Sorry had to trim as the message was getting too long)
You are quite correct, Alison.
Much of the garbage which we see being produced and coming into Duxbury is
where the original has been prepared by staff who really have no proper clue
about using Word. Moreover, the transcriber is often up against time pressure.
One classic example I often use is application of Headings.
Instead of using either mouse or the keystroke Alt Ctrl 1, the will highlight
the text they wish to “look like” a heading, change the font size, underline
it, and perhaps make it bold as well.
The net result – aside from taking longer to do, is that what appears to be a
Heading in print, becomes a new paragraph in braille cluttered with underline
and bold signs.
Had it been a proper Word Heading, it would have been placed correctly in
braille, without the extra clutter, as per the UK’s braille formatting rules.
I’ll spare the benefits for both originator and transcriber for now. But they
are potentially significant.
George.
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of CJ&AA MAY
Sent: 23 November 2018 15:29
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: braille labels
Helo Matthew
Everything you say is right. I don’t like it but do appreciate the reasons for
the introduction of UEB. My complaint, and it is much more than a niggle, is
that the producers of braille need to use their common sense and keep their
publications as clutterfree as possible and only use font indicators where it
is relevant.
Alison
