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id=AOLMsgPart_0_fd582660-3153-48bc-93b0-f0a29301e7f1>PRESS
RELEASE <BR> <BR>August 2009 <BR> <BR> <BR>FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE <BR> <BR> <BR>CONTACT: Judith Dixon,
Chairperson <BR> <BR>Braille Authority of North
America <BR> <BR>PHONE: 1-202-707-0722 <BR> <BR>E-MAIL:
<<A title="mailto:jdix@loc.gov>jdix@loc.gov?"
href="mailto:jdix@loc.gov%3Ejdix@loc.gov?">mailto:jdix@loc.gov>jdix@loc.gov</A> <BR> <BR> <BR>BANA
Sponsors Open Forum and Holds Fall Meeting <BR> <BR> <BR>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. <BR> <BR> <BR>A centerpiece of the two and a half
day meeting will be the Open Forum, which BANA holds during each of its
semiannual meetings. <BR> <BR> <BR>Saturday, September 26,
2009, 10:00 a.m-12:00 p.m. <BR> <BR>BANA Open Forum -- Tell it to
BANA! <BR> <BR> <BR>Location: <BR> <BR>5th Floor
Colloquium Room <BR> <BR>W.W. Posvar Hall (School of Education
Building) <BR> <BR>230 South Bouquet
Street <BR> <BR>University of
Pittsburgh <BR> <BR> <BR>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 <A title=mailto:fmd22@pitt.edu
href="mailto:fmd22@pitt.edu">fmd22@pitt.edu</A> no later than Monday,
September 14. <BR> <BR> <BR>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. <BR> <BR> <BR>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. <BR> <BR> <BR>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. <BR> <BR> <BR>For additional
resource information, visit <A title=http://www.brailleauthority.org/
href="http://www.brailleauthority.org/"
target=_blank>www.brailleauthority.org</A>. <BR> <BR></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>
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<DIV><FONT lang=0 size=4 face=Pegasus PTSIZE="14"><I>Lenora J. Marten,
President<BR></I>FOPBC NFBF-Parents Division<BR>NFB-Jacksonville Chapter
Secretary<BR>NOPBC/PLP<BR><A href="mailto:FOPBC@aol.com">FOPBC@aol.com</A>
<BR>904-777-5976 / 904-229-9554<BR><A
href="http://www.nfbflorida.org/parents">www.nfbflorida.org/parents</A>
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