RESOURCES FOR BRAILLE TRANSCRIBERS AND TEACHERS

Below is a list of references and resources that Wisconsin Braille Inc. has put together. If you have additional items you think would be useful, please contact Sandy Adams (email). Please see our Links page for more information and easy access to other web sites.


TEACHING AND REFERENCE MANUALS

LITERARY BRAILLE TRANSCRIBING

Instruction Manual for Braille Transcribing, UEB Edition 2016

Under a contract with the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, Library of Congress, the National Federation of the Blind offers a course in literary braille transcribing to teach students to transcribe print materials into braille. It is not appropriate for learning braille as a personal reading and writing skill.

Students can take the course through a locally sponsored braille class or through correspondence from the NFB. For information about local groups that sponsor braille classes, consult the Library of Congress directory Directory of Producers of Accessible Reading Materials or call NLS at 800-424-8567.

The course is comprised of 20 lessons. Successful completion of the course culminates in certification in literary braille transcribing from the Library of Congress.

After certification and six months' experience, a literary braille transcriber may enroll in a course in mathematics braille transcribing, music braille transcribing, formatting or proofreading. A background in math is helpful in transcribing mathematics. In-depth knowledge of print music is a prerequisite for the course in music braille transcribing.

How to Enroll

Applicants can enroll in the course either by completing an application online or mailing a complete print application (Word doc) to:

National Federation of the Blind
Braille Certification Training Program
200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place
Baltimore, MD 21230

Free of charge.

For more information, email the braille certification training program at transcribers@nfb.org or call 410-659-9314, extension 2510.

The Rules of Unified English Braille Second Edition 2013
(UEB Rulebook)

A necessary reference text for every transcriber. Each section assumes that the reader has a good working knowledge of braille, and that it will be consulted about the fundamentals of Unified English Braille and to answer specific rule-related queries.

UEB Rulebook available at www.brailleauthority.org/ueb

Ashcroft's Programmed Instruction: Unified English Braille

Used for many years in university programs. Provides an efficient, learn-by-doing way to attain proficiency in braille. Not for transcribers - does not include in-depth study of italics, foreign words, abbreviations/symbols, or formatting instructions.


SCALARS Publishing
1665 Newsum Dr.
Germantown, TN 38138
(901) 737-0001
scalars@icloud.com


TEXTBOOKS

Braille Formats Principles of Print-to-Braille Transcription, 2011

Provides a foundation for transcribing content and lay-out in an accurate and consistent manner. This document is a set of guidelines that are to be used when making structuring decisions.

American Printing House for the Blind
P.O. Box 6085
Louisville, KY 60206-0085
(502) 895-2405, (800) 223-1839
info@aph.org

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Provisional Guidance for Transcribing Foreign Language Material in UEB

A nine-page publication showing several methods allowing a range of approaches for transcribing foreign language text.

Braille Authority of North America (BANA)
BANA Provisional Guidance

MATHEMATICS

Learning the Nemeth Braille Code: A Manual for Teachers and Students, 1987

Codebook from the Braille Authority of North America (BANA).

Guidance for Transcription Using the Nemeth Code within UEB Contexts

Braille Authority of North America (BANA)