DOTS for Braille Literacy (Development of Teacher Support) Volume 11, Number 1 Fall 2005

In this issue. . .

• From the Editor
  
  
• Free Online Course Teaches New Techniques for Transcribing Instructional Materials into Braille
  
  
• Responding to a Crisis
  
  
• Braille Bug® Is Going to Work!
  
  
• Dear DOT
  
  
• California State University, Northridge, Welcomes Blind Music Majors!
  
  
• A Braillist's Pledge of Professional Ethics
  
  
• Resource for Reading
  
  
• Sign Up to Take the 2006 Braille Challenge™
  
  
• Save the Dates!

From the Editor

"My, what big eyes you have!" This line from Little Red Riding Hood is familiar to many, and as I begin this issue of DOTS, I am reminded of Little Red Riding Hood's amazement when she discovered that "Grandma" was not what she seemed!

Although not a wolf-in-grandma's-clothing, DOTS for Braille Literacy has more going on than you might realize at first glance. Like Little Red Riding Hood, I am amazed at how former editor Frances Mary D'Andrea took wild bits and pieces of information and created a simple way to share resources, strategies, and stories about teaching braille reading and writing. Frances Mary's departure from the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) left this deceptively simple task for someone else. Now, being that "someone else," in my amazement, I think, "FM, what big shoes you had!"

As we look forward, we do so at a time when AFB is evaluating the newsletter to determine how to best meet the needs of readers. Inside, you will find a survey and we welcome your comments and feedback. What are the most important components of the newsletter? What needs to be continued? What needs to be changed? What are your thoughts concerning delivery of the DOTS newsletter?

I look forward to receiving your ideas about the future of DOTS. Feel free to send comments to literacy@afb.net or write the Editor at 100 Peachtree Street, Suite 620, Atlanta, GA 30303.

—Marie Amerson, Guest Editor, DOTS

Free Online Course Teaches New Techniques for Transcribing Instructional Materials into Braille

Braille transcribers offer an invaluable contribution to the education of blind and low vision school children. AFB is now offering professional development support to this important group with a new course, Using Source Files: An AFB Online Course for Braille Transcribers. AFB's free, one-of-a-kind, self-paced web course teaches braille transcribers the latest techniques for using publishers' source files to translate print educational materials into braille.

"We hope transcribers throughout the country will take advantage of this exciting, new program so they can more efficiently convert textbooks, tests, and other instructional materials into braille for students," said Carl R. Augusto, President and CEO of the American Foundation for the Blind.

The production of this informative and easy-to-access course was a collaboration in which AFB partnered with braille translation experts from across the country as well as faculty and staff from the National Center on Low-Incidence Disabilities at the University of Northern Colorado.

Check it out! Register for the class online. Participants simply choose a user name and password, and then they can work their way through course materials on their own time, at their own pace, and in a manner that suits their specific needs.

Responding to a Crisis

In September, the Association for Education and Rehabilitation for the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER), the U.S. National Library Service (NLS), and many others joined the nation in reacting to the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina. As relief agencies worked to restore basic necessities, it was clear that many schools and organizations that serve individuals who are blind or visually impaired may have suffered losses that impact the level of service they are able to provide. Many families were displaced by the hurricane and some families who took in children with disabilities may not have the resources to provide materials for them.

The NLS Talking Books program, a free program provided by the Library of Congress, helps provide eligible students with the reading materials they need to succeed. Through its national network of cooperating libraries, NLS mails books and magazines on cassette and in braille, as well as audio equipment, directly to students at no cost. For families displaced by Hurricane Katrina, NLS has noted that the Talking Book program offers a way for host families to provide materials and resources for newly adopted families. Host families may call 1-888-657-7323 for enrollment information or access an online directory of cooperating local libraries in the Talking Books program.

AER President Greg Goodrich announced the intent of AER to help coordinate an effort to work with schools and agencies trying to rebuild their infrastructures. He noted, "That will mean replacing braille books, low vision aids and examination equipment, daily living tools, and the seemingly endless supply of devices that allow people with visual impairments to be independent and children to attend school. It will also mean rebuilding the special education and rehabilitation facilities that serve the needs of this now vulnerable population."

To identify what is needed, AER has begun collecting information from schools and agencies affected by Hurricane Katrina. At the same time, AER asked members and interested individuals or groups to look around to determine if there are books, equipment, or other items that can be donated to this rebuilding effort. DOTS readers are invited to contact katrinarelief@aerbvi.org with their pledge of support or to request additional information.

As our hearts go out to all those displaced by the hurricane, the efforts of AER and NLS may help to put braille books back into their hands and bring some comfort through reading.

Braille Bug® Is Going to Work!

The theme for the 2005-2006 Braille Bug Reading Club® is "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Throughout the school year, the Braille Bug will be giving thought to jobs, careers, and occupations. Fortunately, readers participating in the Braille Bug Reading Club can check out success stories about adult workers with visual impairments through "Window on the Working World" at AFB's CareerConnect®. CareerConnect is a free resource for people to learn about the range and diversity of jobs that are performed throughout the United States and Canada by adults who are blind or visually impaired.

Braille Bug Reading Club selections for the fall include three titles that all have something to do with judges and justice. As you check those out, plan to visit the AFB CareerConnect site to read about an elected judge who is blind. Of course, the featured judge is not at all like the character in the first selection, a Caldecot Honor book by Harve Zemach. The Judge: An Untrue Tale tells the story of a horrible creature creeping closer and closer every day. But as each of the defendants facing the unjust judge try to tell him about it, he declares them guilty and decides not to listen. The judge has to discover the monster himself in this fun rhyming tale.

The second featured selection in the Braille Bug Reading Club is You Be the Judge by Sidney B. Carroll. The author presents 13 actual cases and asks the reader to make a fair judgment. The court decisions and the reasons behind them are given after each case, so readers can learn how the cases were considered.

The third selection that has been included in the Braille Bug Reading Club for the fall quarter, The Giver, by Lois Lowry is a Newbery Award Book and an American Library Association Notable Children's Book. It tells the story of Jonas, a young man living in a supposedly perfect world where there is no hunger, no disease, no fear. He eagerly awaits the Ceremony of Twelve when he will receive his assignment for his lifelong profession. Wondering if he will be assigned to the Department of Justice like his mother, or as a Nurturer like his father, Jonas is surprised when he is selected as a Receiver of Memories, one of the most highly honored positions in the community.

Visit the Braille Bug Reading Club site, to find out how to locate the books in braille and to find games and related activities. Later in the year, more titles featuring other professions will be announced, so stay tuned.

Dear DOT

Dear DOT,

All of a sudden, my duties at school now involve braille production and I really feel unprepared for the task. Our school just bought translation software and an embosser, but I feel that I need to learn some new skills. Where do I go from here?

Mrs. Nita Lott-Moore

Dear Nita,

Let's go to the kitchen! You probably realize, even if your administrator does not, that owning a stove doesn't make you a chef. Neither does having software and an embosser turn you into a braillist. But like a good chef, you can apprentice with others, have a good set of "cookbooks" and learn the tricks of the trade so you can prepare what your students need.

The nationwide shortage of trained personnel often means that schools struggle to get needed services and materials in place quickly for braille readers. You are certainly not alone. Not to worry—DOT has some suggestions for you.

The "kitchen rules" for braillists are embodied in A Braillist's Pledge of Professional Ethics which can be found below. This can be a basis for dialogue with your administrator about your job description, current capabilities, and professional development needs. Visit the San Diego City Schools web site or TSBVI's Administrator's toolbox for sample job descriptions for braillists.

Support systems for individuals in your position vary from state to state. You might want to touch base with other "chefs" who are knowledgeable in braille production and ask them to mentor you. How do you find such mentors? Check some of the following:

• The instructional materials center for the blind in your state (Access a list of such agencies)
• The outreach services at your state's school for the blind (Find out more at the Council of Schools for the Blind (COSB))
• Braille producers in your area or other braille producers

Another way to learn about braille is to begin collecting some of the "cookbooks" used by braille transcribers. The Braille Authority of North America (BANA) publishes various braille codes. The majority of these publications are available to your program if your student is registered with the American Printing House for the Blind. The books may seem unwieldy at first, but experience shows that if you look up formats as you need them, in time you can learn quite a bit.

The "recipe," or braille code, can be learned in several ways. You may enroll in a course at a university which offers courses in visual disabilities or you can obtain a Literary Braille Transcriber's certificate from the Library of Congress where you will learn the braille code along with a few basic formats. In time, you may wish to take the National Braille Association formats course that gets into most of the formats used in today's textbooks. You can even go so far as to complete a comprehensive course of study for Braille Textbook Transcriber at Northwest Vista College in San Antonio, Texas, and earn a certificate of completion.

Knowing the recipe is one part of a chef's skills; "cooking it up" is another. It's also true that knowing the braille code is only one part of the skill set you will need in order to produce quality braille for your students. Along with all the other skills, it is important to remember that material will need to be edited for braille. Connect with a mentor who can help you learn about the software and equipment your school purchased. Attend training events at meetings of the National Braille Association or other groups. Online courses can help you learn about translation software and methods for transcribing braille. (Be sure to read the article in this newsletter about Using Source Files: An AFB Online Course for Braille Transcribers.)

As you can see, producing quality braille for your students will be fairly simple—once you have all the skills in place. Let's get cooking!

Signed,
DOT

California State University, Northridge, Welcomes Blind Music Majors!

No matter how prestigious the reputation of a music school may be, a blind student is at serious academic risk without specialized and dedicated support—support specifically tailored to his or her needs.

The Southern California Conservatory of Music (SCCM) Braille Music Division in West Hills is located only minutes away from California State University at Northridge. SCCM has pledged its library resources, braille music training, transcription services, and academic preparatory support to Cal State Northridge music majors who are blind.

Although SCCM is not authorized to grant college credit, the special preparatory and braille music literacy skills developed and taught there are available to all blind students. The Center on Disabilities welcomes inquiries and visits by appointment. Contact SCCM-West Hills at 818-704-3819, or call the Center on Disabilities at 818-677-2684.

A Braillist's Pledge of Professional Ethics

Braille literacy could not happen without quality braille to read. One might wonder where quality braille comes from. The answer, of course, is that quality braille is created by professional braillists!

The National Braille Association has developed a code of ethics for braillists. This pledge can be used by everyone who produces braille—ranging from the beginner just learning about braille and braille production software to the most experienced transcriber fluent in specialty codes.

I pledge to:

• prepare braille materials in an accurate, timely manner, without personal interjection,
• refrain from using any information obtained in the performance of my duties in a manner that would be detrimental to the agency or person for whom the material was transcribed,
• treat all material transcribed as confidential unless the material is publicly available or an agreement has been obtained in writing that the information may be disclosed,
• conduct business in a professional manner with dignity, respect and courtesy,
• accept assignments as dictated by my knowledge of the subject matter, braille skill competency level, and ability to complete the assignment on a mutually agreed upon date, and
• continuously develop the highest levels of knowledge and skills through professional development in my chosen specialty.

For more information, contact:

National Braille Association
3 Townline Circle
Rochester NY 14623-2513
585-427-8260
FAX 585-427-0263
www.nationalbraille.org

Resource for Reading

BrailleInk. is a new nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the experience of reading by providing materials with both print and braille in a unique, easy-to-use format that encourages shared reading and promotes braille awareness. The BrailleInk. format maintains the original print and illustration in the top portion of the page and adds braille in the bottom portion. Corresponding print characters are placed directly above each braille cell so the braille reader's hands don't block what their sighted reading partner is trying to see.

BrailleInk. recently announced its first two titles. View sample pages of Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram and The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. For more information, contact Bruce Curtis at 800-324-2919, 2401 E. McKinney Street, Suite 1526, Denton, TX 76209.

Sign Up to Take the 2006 Braille Challenge™

This will be the fifth year that a unique academic contest, the Braille Challenge™, will be offered to students throughout North America. It is a program designed by Braille Institute of America and implemented by an array of academic and community partners to motivate school-age braille readers to excel in this vital medium. Registration forms will be available from October through early December for teachers and their students interested in taking this year's Braille Challenge™.

More than 325 contestants from 40 states and 7 Canadian provinces took part in last winter's preliminary round. The 60 top-scoring contestants earned a three-day trip to Los Angeles as finalists vying for top honors, savings bonds and assistive technology prizes, provided by Freedom Scientific.

The preliminary round contest period for the coming year will be from January 1 to March 6, 2006 and is open to all braille readers from first grade through high school. The final round will be held in Los Angeles on June 24, 2006.

Contestants are divided into 5 age groups and asked to complete a series of exercises demonstrating proficiency in braille reading and writing, reading speed and comprehension, spelling, proofreading, and use of tactile graphics. The preliminary round contest may be individually proctored for students by their teacher or given as part of a regional day-long Braille Challenge event.

Teachers can register online to receive contest packets or may have order forms sent to them by calling 1-800-BRAILLE. Preliminary Contest Packets should be ordered by December 9, 2005. Visit the Braille Challenge™ website for details and for a list to fun-filled regional challenge events. Parents are also welcome to contact Braille Institute directly for information on how to have their child participate.

Save the Dates!

Getting in Touch with Literacy

December 1-4, 2005

Denver, Colorado

www.gettingintouchwithliteracy.org

Assistive Technology Industry Association 2006 Conference

January 18-21, 2006

Orlando, Florida

www.atia.org

Josephine L. Taylor Leadership Institute

March 3-5, 2006

Atlanta, Georgia

www.afb.org

California Transcribers and Educators of the Visually Handicapped

March 10-12, 2006

Anahiem, California

www.ctevh.org

Council for Exceptional Children

April 5-8, 2006

Salt Lake City, Utah

www.cec.sped.org

AER International Conference

July 14-19, 2006

Snowbird, Utah

www.aerbvi.org

This newsletter is published by the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and funded in part by contributions to the National Literacy Center. However, information contained herein does not necessarily reflect the position or policy of AFB or its contributors and no endorsement by AFB or its contributors should be inferred.

© 2005 American Foundation for the Blind
Contents may not be reproduced without permission.

DOTS for Braille Literacy is published three times a year (October, February, and June), and is available in regular print, braille, via e-mail, or on disk. If you'd prefer to be reading this in a different format, please contact the editor at:

DOTS
American Foundation for the Blind
100 Peachtree St., Suite 620
Atlanta GA 30303
Telephone: 404-525-2303
Fax: 404-659-6957
E-mail: literacy@afb.net

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