[Blindmath] braille code changes and nemeth

[Jorge Paez]

The last point, regarding the lack of authority for the Braille
Authority is interesting--I didn't know that.
I for one would be happy to disregard the new rules and just stick to
the original ones, which is what I will continue to do.
I wonder though how many publishers will really pay attention to the
Braille Authority?
I mean any change will take years and if it makes life more
complicated for the transcribers, I can guarantee that most publishers
will be happy enough to stick to the original system, no matter how
much some individuals or organizations might insist that the UEB is
better--which I don't think it is.




On 3/20/15, Sean Tikkun via Blindmath <blindmath at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> I think your friend brings up good point, but I have more concern with
> representations of operation. Numbers as a raised or lowered dot is not that
> complex to adjust to. The different symbols in terms of operations however
> are a much larger change.
>
> Sean
>
>> On Mar 20, 2015, at 9:31 AM, HPS via Blindmath <blindmath at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Hi, I like to pick anyones brain on the proposed changes to the braille
>> code. I do not read braille but my daughter does, so in her behalf I'm
>> trying to get involved in finding out the pros and cons on this issue. I
>> have an acquaintance that has some good points and I'm sharing her take on
>> it below.
>> Thanks
>> Heidi
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Regarding the braille code changes
>> and  math, I think that several things
>> are going on that are causing people
>> not to react much. For one thing, the
>> Braille Authority of North America seems
>> to be good and reassuring people
>> that the Nemeth Code will be retained, and so
>> they have nothing to worry
>> about. What they are not saying in the same breath,
>> though, is that the
>> plan is for the Nemeth codeto be mixed in with Unified
>> English Braille.
>> Right now, when students encounter a math book, they will
>> find that the
>> entire book is transcribed using the Nemeth code, meaning that
>> numbers,
>> operation signs  such as the plus sign, and such look the same
>> throughout
>> the book, whether they appear in mathematical expressions or in the
>> text
>> surrounding those expressions. What is being proposed now is that the
>>
>> Nemeth code only be used for mathematical terms/expressions in those
>> books,
>> while Unified English Braille will be used for the rest of the
>> material in the
>> book. Since Nemeth and UEB have very different
>> representations for
>> mathematical symbols,  and even numbers are not the
>> same in the two codes, it
>> seems like this will create a much more
>> complicated system for students to
>> wait through or for transcribers to
>> create. Furthermore, there will have to be
>> an extra braille
>> character or two every time there is a switch between UEB and
>>
>> Nemeth. Imagine, for example,
>>
>> Let x be the number of nuts in the bowl.
>> After Jerry eats 1/4 of the
>> nuts, there are 15 nuts left. How many nuts did
>> Jerry eat?
>>
>>
>> In this kind of work problem, the terms x, 1/4, and 15 BE
>> considered
>> mathematical and would appear in mathematical expressions that are
>> used to
>> solve the problem. According to the guidance asked
>>
>> http://www.brailleauthority.org/ueb/nemeth-provisional/guidance.pdf, the
>>
>> fraction 1/4 in this problem will need to be written in Nemeth code,,
>>
>> preceded and followed by the appropriate indicators, while the number 15
>>
>> will be written in UEB.
>>
>> Another issue is that people seem to think that
>> braille code changes are
>> inevitable, not knowing that the Braille Authority
>> does not actually have
>> legal authority. They simply represent the consensus of
>> representatives
>> from a number of consumer, transcriber, and braille production
>>
>> organizations or companies. So, they have power only as long as the
>> masses
>>
>> agree to follow them.
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
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-- 
Thank you.




Jorge A. Paez

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