From: "Shelley L. Rhodes" <juddysbuddy@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Braille press release
Date: Tue, 6 Jul 2004 23:28:11 -0400
I found it. smile.
General Assembly : News Release, 3 April 2004
News Release
Toronto, April 2004
International Council on English Braille
Green Light for Unified English Braille
The International Council on English Braille has given the go-ahead to the
unification of English-language Braille codes after thirteen years of
analysis,
research and debate.
Meeting in Toronto on April 2, the General Assembly agreed that Unified
English Braille is sufficiently complete for recognition as an
international
standard
for English-language Braille that may now be considered by member countries
for possible adoption as their national Braille code.
"This is a historic day for equitable access to literacy by blind people in
both developed and developing countries," said Dr Frederick Schroeder,
President
of the International Council on English Braille. "We want to make Braille
more accessible for students, leisure readers and professionals: easier to
learn,
cheaper to produce, convenient to teach and more plentiful."
Dr Schroeder said that Braille is the tactual representation of visual
script used worldwide, and that as language changes, and as textbooks
become
more
visually-enriched, Braille must adapt to reflect complex visual information
being conveyed tactually. He said "Braille literacy is clearly the best
indicator
of employability for blind school and college graduates. As users of
Braille
we can readily testify to the positive difference it has made to our
lives."
Unified English Braille allows the transcription into Braille of literary
and mathematics texts using a single code, and facilitates the
international
exchange
of Braille books.
Speaking about the endorsement of Unified English Braille, Jean Obi,
Co-ordinator of the Nigerwives Braille Book Production Centre said:
"Unified
English
Braille is a great step forward for educational opportunities for blind
children in developing countries such as Nigeria. Braille is their key to
literacy,
but there is still so much to be done as less than 5% of blind children in
developing countries ever receive the gift of literacy through Braille."
The International Council on English Braille brings together
representatives
of Braille authorities and other experts from Australia, Canada, New
Zealand,
Nigeria, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. Its Third
General Assembly, jointly hosted by the Canadian National Institute for the
Blind and the Canadian Braille Authority, addressed Braille research,
international Braille book exchange and outreach to developing countries in
addition
to Unified English Braille.
For more information contact Darleen Bogart, CNIB National Braille
Convenor,
darleen.bogart@xxxxxxx
William Jolley, ICEB Public Relations Officer,
wjolley@xxxxxxxxxxx
International Council on English Braille,
www.iceb.org
This page last updated on April 3, 2004.
E-mail: (
info@xxxxxxxx)
ICEB home page
Shelley L. Rhodes and Judson, guiding golden
juddysbuddy@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Guide Dogs For the Blind Inc.
Graduate Advisory Council
www.guidedogs.com
Never let mistakes or wrong directions, of which every man falls
into many, discourage you. There is precious instruction to be
got by finding where we were wrong.
-- Thomas Carlyle
