[Blindtlk] BANA Fall Open Forum Announcement

[Kim.Charlson at Perkins.org]

PRESS RELEASE


August 2009



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



CONTACT: Judith Dixon, Chairperson

Braille Authority of North America

PHONE: 1-202-707-0722

E-MAIL: <mailto:jdix at loc.gov>jdix at loc.gov




BANA Sponsors Open Forum and Holds Fall Meeting



The Braille Authority of North America (BANA) will hold its fall 
meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from September 25-27, 2009. This 
meeting is being hosted by the American Foundation for the Blind 
(AFB), a BANA member organization.



A centerpiece of the two and a half day meeting will be the Open 
Forum, which BANA holds during each of its semiannual meetings.



Saturday, September 26, 2009, 10:00 a.m-12:00 p.m.

BANA Open Forum -- Tell it to BANA!



Location:

5th Floor Colloquium Room

W.W. Posvar Hall (School of Education Building)

230 South Bouquet Street

University of Pittsburgh



Judith Dixon, BANA Chair, and the other members of the Braille 
Authority of North America are extending an invitation to this forum 
because we want to hear from braille readers (of all ages) and from 
educators, transcribers, proofreaders, and parents regarding their 
thoughts about braille. There will be plenty of opportunity for 
participants to learn more about how BANA functions and about current 
BANA projects. Don't miss this opportunity to ask questions and voice 
your opinions on braille by attending this Open Forum. To reserve 
your spot at the Forum and to help ensure accurate counts for 
handouts, contact Frances Mary D'Andrea at 412-521-5797 or e-mail 
fmd22 at pitt.edu no later than Monday, September 14.



The three-day fall board meeting of the Braille Authority of North 
America will be held at the University of Pittsburgh, in Posvar Hall 
in the 5th Floor Colloquium Room. The BANA meeting begins at 9:00 
a.m. on Friday, September 25, and ends at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, 
September 27th.



Guests are welcome to attend any portion of the BANA meeting and 
observe the deliberations. Space is limited, so to reserve a seat, 
please contact BANA Chair Judith Dixon to register your desire to 
observe any or all of the BANA proceedings.



The mission and purpose of the Braille Authority of North America are 
to assure literacy for tactile readers through the standardization of 
braille and/or tactile graphics. BANA promotes and facilitates the 
use, teaching and production of braille. It publishes rules, 
interprets and renders opinions pertaining to braille in all existing 
codes. It deals with codes now in existence or to be developed in the 
future, in collaboration with other countries using English braille. 
In exercising its function and authority, BANA considers the effects 
of its decisions on other existing braille codes and formats; the 
ease of production by various methods; and acceptability to readers.



For additional resource information, visit www.brailleauthority.org.