Reading is one of the primary means of
gaining information about the world. Through newspapers, magazines,
signs and more, people acquire details about the world by decoding
printed words and determining their meaning. Blind people, however, are
unable to gather visual signals and cannot access this type of
information. The blind have just as much need for this information as
anyone else. Whether it is a detailed knowledge of current events or a
simple understanding of what room to enter, the blind have just as much
need for printed information as those with normal vision. To make
information more accessible, many printed items are also available in
Braille. Braille is a tactile information system that allows the blind
to read information using their fingers rather than their eyes.
There are multiple ways to transcribe text into Braille. The simplest way is known as Grade 1 Braille. In Grade 1 transcription, each letter is substituted with its braille equivalent. While this is an effective, easy way to write things in Braille, and while even the untrained can easily accomplish this, there are multiple drawbacks to Grade 1 Braille. Braille characters are quite large, so direct transcription takes up a large amount of space. When transcribing a simple sign, this may not seem like a limitation, but for larger documents, space is at a premium. Using the full, large character for every letter is often not the ideal choice.
An alternative method is Grade 2 Braille. This form of Braille uses a wide range of contractions to conserve space. Twenty-three of the most common words are represented by a single letter rather than by the full word. For example, the word "can" is written simply as "c." This reduces the number of letters that need transcribing, as these words are likely to appear frequently in documents. Similarly, some common combinations of letters are shortened in words, and some other words are abbreviated. The entire set of conventions underlying Grade 2 Braille is quite comprehensive, covering hundreds of pages of text.
While Grade 2 Braille is typically sufficient to make transcription of text feasible for even long documents, Grade 3 Braille is sometimes used. This form of Braille incorporates even greater abbreviations and is considered informal. Typically, this Grade 3 Braille is used only by individuals writing notes to themselves. It is rarely used in formal documents or texts. For most purposes, braille production transcriptionists should focus on Grade 2 Braille.
The need for trained Braille transcription is quite high. With the massive volume of printed material available, there is a high demand for people who can transcribe this text into viable linguistic material for the blind. However, as is apparent from the voluminous size of the list of conventions for transcribing Grade 2 Braille, performing these transcriptions is no simple task. Braille transcriptionists must undergo thorough training to familiarize themselves with these conventions. They must also complete certification tests to be considered effective transcriptionists. Braille print is a primary means of contact with the world for a wide swath of the population, so highly reliable and consistent transcription is essential for effective comprehension.
There are multiple ways to transcribe text into Braille. The simplest way is known as Grade 1 Braille. In Grade 1 transcription, each letter is substituted with its braille equivalent. While this is an effective, easy way to write things in Braille, and while even the untrained can easily accomplish this, there are multiple drawbacks to Grade 1 Braille. Braille characters are quite large, so direct transcription takes up a large amount of space. When transcribing a simple sign, this may not seem like a limitation, but for larger documents, space is at a premium. Using the full, large character for every letter is often not the ideal choice.
An alternative method is Grade 2 Braille. This form of Braille uses a wide range of contractions to conserve space. Twenty-three of the most common words are represented by a single letter rather than by the full word. For example, the word "can" is written simply as "c." This reduces the number of letters that need transcribing, as these words are likely to appear frequently in documents. Similarly, some common combinations of letters are shortened in words, and some other words are abbreviated. The entire set of conventions underlying Grade 2 Braille is quite comprehensive, covering hundreds of pages of text.
While Grade 2 Braille is typically sufficient to make transcription of text feasible for even long documents, Grade 3 Braille is sometimes used. This form of Braille incorporates even greater abbreviations and is considered informal. Typically, this Grade 3 Braille is used only by individuals writing notes to themselves. It is rarely used in formal documents or texts. For most purposes, braille production transcriptionists should focus on Grade 2 Braille.
The need for trained Braille transcription is quite high. With the massive volume of printed material available, there is a high demand for people who can transcribe this text into viable linguistic material for the blind. However, as is apparent from the voluminous size of the list of conventions for transcribing Grade 2 Braille, performing these transcriptions is no simple task. Braille transcriptionists must undergo thorough training to familiarize themselves with these conventions. They must also complete certification tests to be considered effective transcriptionists. Braille print is a primary means of contact with the world for a wide swath of the population, so highly reliable and consistent transcription is essential for effective comprehension.
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Regards,
Sonera Jhaveri
http://www.sonerajhaveri.com