Hi, mayrie! No, it is the nature of the beast; they are "smaller" and naturally don't "touch" the adjoining one, unlike the underscores. Between the placement being mid-letter as opposed to underneath it and the natural spaces it looks like a bunch of minus signs. I know that is no help probably, just an explanation of why it doesn't convey a missing word/phrase. Wish I was better at describing things... Valerie Keep up with Nichole's recovery: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/nicholemaples ________________________________ From: Mayrie ReNae <mayrierenae@xxxxxxxxx> To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Tue, December 27, 2011 6:52:01 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Refresher on fill in the blanks Hi Valerie, I didn't mean spaces between the hyphens. I meant that a blank to fill in should look like ---- that. Is that any better? Mayrie ________________________________ From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Valerie Maples Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2011 4:14 PM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Refresher on fill in the blanks Mayrie; I was afraid you would say that. No, hyphens are located higher and with spaces and would do as much harm as good and be confusing, but if it chokes Braille, I guess we have to defer to that and lose the fewer sighted readers. Ugh! Oh, well, that si why I ask ... Valerie Keep up with Nichole's recovery: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/nicholemaples ________________________________ From: Mayrie ReNae <mayrierenae@xxxxxxxxx> To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Tue, December 27, 2011 5:54:09 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Refresher on fill in the blanks Hi Valerie, Underscores choke the braille translator. Will dashes not work for sighted people? Mayrie ________________________________ From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Valerie Maples Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2011 3:15 PM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Refresher on fill in the blanks The standard for sighted is underscores, and usually 10, but I think 5 would still give a dighted reader the idea; could that be a workable compromise or are underscores tough in Braille? Thanks for the help; this book will be alot of work, but a great resource! Valerie Keep up with Nichole's recovery: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/nicholemaples ________________________________ From: Mayrie ReNae <mayrierenae@xxxxxxxxx> To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Tue, December 27, 2011 5:11:11 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Refresher on fill in the blanks Hi Valerie, Were it me, I would use four hyphens together, surrounded by spaces to indicate the blanks that need to be filled in. Is that what you are asking? Mayrie ________________________________ From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Valerie Maples Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2011 12:18 PM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Refresher on fill in the blanks We are working on a bible study guide and I cannot remember the best practices for displaying/conveying fill in the blanks in the study sections. Thanks! Valerie Keep up with Nichole's recovery: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/nicholemaples