[il-talk] Length of a Document: UEB vs. Grade 2

[Robert Gardner]

I sent out a post to Il-Talk several days ago passing on some information
indicating a UEB hard copy Braille book would be 30% longer than the
equivalent Grade 2 Braille book. This was based on feedback from a
commercial source for Braille books, they indicating that was why a UEB book
ordered from them would be 30% more expensive than the same book in Grade 2.


 

I've received some correspondence from Steve Jacobson of the NFB Metro
Chapter in Minneapolis in which he gives some hard analysis done on the
subject. That research, done on several different styles of documents, shows
that UEB will generally make the document only 2% to 5% lengthier than the
same material in Grade 2. Steve is extremely knowledgeable about UEB, and I
am sure these numbers are more accurate than those given by the commercial
seller of Braille books. 

 

I believe the company selling Braille books that I quoted has had little
experience with UEB, and took a very simplistic approach in what to charge
for UEB books. In reviewing carefully what they state on their website, they
decided to charge the same for a UEB book as the same book in Grade 1
Braille. Obviously, a Grade 1 book will be larger than a Grade 2 book, but a
UEB book is not necessarily going to be as long as a Grade 1 book. 

 

So . . . my apologies to UEB. 

 

Bob Gardner

Chair, Braille Literacy Committee