[Blindmath] Call to action on math accessibility and the impact of UEB

[Susan Jolly]

Thank you Steve for the important update.

I understand that math accessibility is much more than just braille but I 
also think that math cannot be said to be accessible if braille is not one 
of the options.

The information you've presented about trying to convince people at the 
highest levels of the importance of STEM accessibility has given me two new 
and very serious concerns as far as the current likelihood that the Braille 
Authority of North America (BANA) will adopt Unified English Braille (UEB).

(I don't think I need to explain to the members of this list why the UEB is 
not a good braille system for representing technical material.)

BANA is a consortium of a dozen or so of the leading blindness organizations 
in the US including the NFB.  While I realize that BANA does not necessarily 
speak for these various organizations nor for their individual members, it 
would not be surprising if outsiders were to view BANA as reflecting a 
consensus of the needs and desires of the braille community. One of my 
concerns is thus that if BANA were to adopt the UEB, this action could have 
a serious negative impact on the credibility of any call to action as far as 
STEM accessibility.

My second concern is a practical one: it would require very significant 
resources if the US were to undertake a switch to UEB.  So how would it be 
reasonable to expect outside resources to support STEM accessibility while 
we are simultaneously expending resources on a project that will have the 
opposite effect?

We need to ensure that our own house is in order before we go to others.

Sincerely,
Susan Jolly