I echo Jennifer. We are using UEB with Nemeth in Wisconsin, as are all of our
surrounding states.
Some say, as George has, that it is the older people who prefer Nemeth. I would
argue that it is those who have never used Nemeth well that prefer UEB math.
That's *my bias.
Regards,
Julie
-----Original Message-----
From: duxuser-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:duxuser-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On ;
Behalf Of Jennifer Haralson
Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2017 10:00 AM
To: duxuser@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [duxuser] Re: Future of Nemeth.
In Nebraska we are using UEB with Nemeth.
My high level students (honor roll, going to college) need the Nemeth. The
Nemeth language is much more accessible, faster and friendlier than UEB. UEB
takes up more space and needs more characters in many cases for simple items.
I would prefer to keep Nemeth.
Jennifer Haralson
-----Original Message-----
From: duxuser-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:duxuser-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On ;
Behalf Of Kuenga Chhoegyel
Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2017 8:26 AM
To: duxuser@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [duxuser] Re: Future of Nemeth.
Hi George,
Thank you so much for the wonderful explanation.
Here in Bhutan, we do not get materials from anywhere, but rather produce in
the country. We use DBT and maths type.
While the Braille format may not change, I am afraid, there are quite a number
of differences in the Braille symbols between the BANA Nemeth and UEB with Bana
nemeth.
So, we are left confused, not knowing whether or not should use the Bana Nemeth
or UEB with Bana Nemeth.
Based on your email, do I understand correctly that you advise us to use UEB
Bana with Nemeth rather than Pre UEB Bana with Nemeth?
Looking forward to hearing soon.
Should you fill uncomfortable answering in the mailing list, can you send me a
private email?
Kuenga chhoegyel.
On 7/12/17, George Bell <george@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Kuenga,
This may be rather a long tale, but I hope you will understand where I
am coming from.
I make no apologies for being biased towards UEB. That said, my
personal views have developed over what might appear to be unusual
circumstances.
When Duxbury began working with MathType and Scientific Notebook to
produce math braille, I have to admit that my own knowledge of
mathematics was very limited. I did not leave school with any math
certificates. However, when I became an apprentice Mining Mechanical
Engineer, one day at college was mandatory. Moreover, "Applied
Mathematics" was also mandatory, and just the very thought, scared me.
However, I very soon found that I actually began to understand much of
the theoretical math, when it was applied to a real life situation.
How can a
80 kilo man raise an object which is 10 times his own weight? The
theory is in the "Principal of Moments". In practice, you would use a
tool such as a crow-bar.
Many years later, and after I became involved in the braille world, I
met a sighted English Dominican Nun, Sister Catherine Jackson, who was
to change much of my thinking, although not in a religious sense.
"Sister Kate" as we affectionately called her, began the Dorothy
Duncan Braille Library in Harare, Zimbabwe. One of the questions Sr.
Kate raised was whether or not mathematics could in fact be taught to
braille users. Blind students in Zimbabwe were only taught simple
arithmetic, not actual mathematics.
Enter Duxbury, MathType and some willing young students who were
already proficient in contracted braille. With some personal tuition,
the students began to learn math braille, and to our absolute
amazement most of them loved it and understood it, some even better
than their sighted peers. One of the reasons was that braille math is
"linear", virtually as it is spoken.
However, braille allows the reader to review an equation far better
than have it read with speech.
And so now Mathematics with braille students is on the curriculum in
Zimbabwe. And I have to say that I found a similar pattern in many
other African countries which I have visited over the years, and they
too are beginning to do what Sr. Kare has achieved.
So back to UEB, and what math code to use. One deciding factor
relates to braille acquired from abroad. If you get material from the
UK and you use British Exam Boards, you will find that UEB will
usually be the literary standard, and it would be logical to use UEB Math.
With every major English speaking country having now adopted UEB, I
believe all but the USA have adopted UEB math as well. America
(excluding Canada) is the exception, but I am reliably informed that
some States are in fact choosing to use UEB Math.
In conclusion, the main purpose of UEB is to have one common English
braille standard world-wide. It doesn't change spelling, so words
like "colour"
and
"color" stay as they are. Formatting of braille is not covered by
UEB, and therefore no changes there to worry about. It's all about
standardisation and trying to keep braille production costs down.
All the best,
George
From: duxuser-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:duxuser-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Kuenga Chhoegyel
Sent: 12 July 2017 06:24
To: duxuser@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [duxuser] Future of Nemeth.
Importance: High
Dear George and the rest of the friends,
It is just a couple of years since Bhutan introduced Nemeth Braille.
Till then, we were using British Mathematics and Science Braille symbols.
Recently, we have come across yet another structure of Braille Codes
of Unified English Braille. There are some who believes that it would
take some more time for EUB to be implemented in all the nations of
the world using Braille. While others say that in a couple of years
from now, all may adopt using UEB. We are still in the early stage, a
situation where we can easily adopt. What would you suggest:
1. Continue using Nemeth Braille
2. Start using UEB with BANA Nemeth.
We earnestly look forward for your practical suggestion and advise for
long term Braille users.
Looking forward to hearing soon.
Kuenga Chhoegyel,
Muenselling Institute,
Khaling, Bhutan.
P.O. box 4203
Email: kuengachhoegyel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
kuengachhoegyel@xxxxxxxxx
Mobile: +(975)-17684860
Skype me: kuenga.chhoegyel
Follow me on facebook: Kuenga Chhoegyel.
Follow Muenselling facebook: Muenselling Khaling
e-mail: muensellinginstitute@xxxxxxxxx
Visit us at:http://www.muensellinginstitute.edu.bt/
