[BlindMath] UEB Math History/Methodology

Sun Jul 9 00:43:16 UTC 2017

That's a good question.  I don't know offhand how public colleges and
universities work under this scheme.

Regardless, part of the point of my message was to indicate that there
really is no nation-wide standard in the USA for how to represent maths in
braille.  Whether they are moving from state to state -- or coming to the
US from another country -- to study may likely have to learn a new maths
code in order to pursue their educational goals.  It is perhaps another
barrier to STEM education for the visually-impaired and blind.

NFB's proposed AIM-HIGH act (https://nfb.org/aim_high) is intended to
provide guidance for more uniformity in accessible materials across
colleges and universities, and incentives (or removal of punishments) to
provide accessible materials.  However, the above-mentioned issue would
probably not be solved even if AIM-HIGH is accepted as law.

_don

On Sat, Jul 8, 2017 at 6:29 PM, David Andrews via BlindMath <
blindmath at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> One point of clarification, when you say "schools" you mean K-12 schools,
> not colleges and universities.  For higher ed, I think it would be between
> you and your institution of higher learning what code was used, or if they
> are getting the book -- what they can find.
>
> Dave
>
> At 02:12 PM 7/8/2017, you wrote:
>
>> Apologies for a diversion from the original question. However, the
>> following may help to characterize more aspects of the issues involved in
>> braille maths codes. In the USA, each state has the ability to set the math
>> code to be used in schools in that state. Schools are then required to
>> acquire transcriptions in that code. Many, but not all, states have
>> officially adopted UEB maths. Other states have not officially declared UEB
>> maths, which effectively means Nemeth is treated as the standard in those
>> states. The latter is the case in Idaho (where I live). The state school
>> for blind and visually impaired requires that transcribers (literary and
>> maths) have earned certification in the required code. Students in Idaho
>> are taught to use UEB for literary material, and Nemeth for maths. However,
>> as an example, Massachusetts has adopted UEB for both literary and maths.
>> This means that students moving between states may have to learn a
>> different maths code to continue their studies — students who attended
>> Idahoo public schools will have to learn UEB maths if they attend school in
>> Massachusetts, and vice versa. This also adds complexity and cost to
>> materials prepared by commercial producers of braille because they have to
>> hire certified transcribers for each code, and produce two different
>> versions for every title used in multiple states. Few other countries use
>> Nemeth, and in fact nearly every spoken language with a parallel braille
>> code has its own variant braille code for some elements of maths. This
>> leads to the very unfortunate fact that `the universal language` of maths
>> is not universal for braille readers. Most national organizations in the US
>> have recommended staying with Nemeth for maths, but have no strong means to
>> ensure uniformity. Regarding empirical research to inform a decision for
>> UEB maths or Nemeth, I know of only anecdotal arguments and no set of
>> studies that affords conclusive, peer reviewed data. We live in interesting
>> times! _don > On Jul 8, 2017, at 12:23 PM, Neal K via BlindMath <
>> blindmath at nfbnet.org> wrote: > > And just to make even more interesting:
>> > UEB was an international undertaking in order to have a single English >
>> braille code. > In the past the UK and North America had separate literary
>> braille codes and > very different math braille codes. > > To read more go
>> to the source so to speak: > http://Iceb.org/ueb.html > > For some of
>> the UEBC Research Project Information go to: >
>> http://www.iceb.org/ubc.html > > Sincerely, Neal > > -----Original
>> Message----- > From: BlindMath [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Steve > Jacobson via BlindMath > Sent: Saturday, July 8, 2017
>> 11:41 AM > To: sarah.jevnikar at gmail.com; 'Blind Math list for those
>> interested in > mathematics' > Cc: Steve Jacobson > Subject: Re:
>> [BlindMath] UEB Math History/Methodology > > Sarah, > > There isn't a real
>> simple answer to your question.  UEB math is an attempt > to make literary
>> braille and mathematical braille fit together better.  The > period and the
>> decimal point use the same symbol in braille as they are in > print, to
>> pick a very simple example.  We see more math in literary braille > now, so
>> it also means that other symbols that you might see in a novel or in > a
>> magazine article are the same in UEB math such as the plus sign.  It also >
>> means that internet addresses can be written using the same symbols with >
>> less of a need to use a separate computer braille code.  I think it is fair
>> > to say that there were mathematicians involved in the development of UEB
>> > math. > > However, UEB math is very different than the Nemeth Code which
>> has been used > for math in the United States for many years.  It is, in my
>> opinion, much > more difficult to move from Nemeth Code to UEB math than it
>> is to switch to > reading UEB for text.  Therefore, Nemeth Code is still in
>> use here in the > United States.  Having transcribers already familiar with
>> Nemeth Code also > plays a role.  There has been a good deal written
>> showing that Nemeth Code > is more compact than UEB math, but there are
>> legitimate questions about some > of the extreme comparisons.  This has
>> been an emotional discussion here in > the United States. > > I am a Nemeth
>> Code user but have tried to portray the two codes in as > unbiased way as I
>> can.  What probably determines which code you should learn > is where you
>> hope to get most of your braille texts.  It is going to be > worth learning
>> Nemeth Code if you will be getting math texts from the United > States.  If
>> you will be getting texts from Canada, then learning UEB math is > probably
>> what makes sense. > > Finally, I think learning either code is sometimes
>> made to sound harder than > it needs to be.  There are a lot of math
>> symbols that sighted people don't > learn at the outset.  If one learns
>> what one needs to perform the math at a > given level, the job isn't that
>> tough.  One can then build upon what one > learns as one gets into more
>> complex math.  It is, for example, hard to > remember the integral sign if
>> one does not know what an integral is. > > Perhaps others who have used UEB
>> math more than I will correct anything here > that is wrong.  I hope,
>> though, that we can avoid a long discussion of which > is best.  I
>> personally believe using the Nemeth Code in the United States > makes sense
>> for us, but I do not believe that means that UEB math is not a > valid and
>> useful code. > > Best regards, > > Steve Jacobson > > -----Original
>> Message----- > From: BlindMath [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Sarah > Jevnikar via BlindMath > Sent: Friday, July 07, 2017
>> 12:39 PM > To: 'Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics' > <
>> blindmath at nfbnet.org> > Cc: Sarah Jevnikar <sarah.jevnikar at gmail.com> >
>> Subject: [BlindMath] UEB Math History/Methodology > > Hi all, > I'd like to
>> better understand the thinking behind UEB math. While Nemeth > isn't
>> perfect, UEB math seems more cumbersome and convoluted. Please correct > me
>> if I'm out of line here. > > Canada has done a full change to UEB,
>> including mathematics. Therefore I'll > have to work with it at some point.
>> I'm concerned though that it's a step > backwards towards the inclusion of
>> blind students and professionals in STEM. > Again, I am willing to be wrong
>> here. > > My question is this: what are the benefits of UEB math? Who
>> created it? Were > they mathematicians/familiar with math? Is the move away
>> from Nemeth > something to be celebrated? Where does it leave
>> Braille-to-print > translation, which was imperfect for Nemeth as it was,
>> but at least it > existed? Does such Braille-to-print and print-to-Braille
>> translation have a > technological solution for UEB math? I know that LaTeX
>> is really the only > universally usable option for blind creators of STEM
>> stuff, but having a > Braille option would also be ideal. > > Thank you
>> very much for your insight. All the best to everyone attending > Convention
>> this year. I was hoping this would be my first, but summer school > got in
>> the way... > > Thanks again, > Sarah > > > I hope this makes > > > > >
>> _______________________________________________ >  BlindMath mailing
>> list > BlindMath at nfbnet.org >
>>
>
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