[nabs-l] Character-Based Language Classes

[sarah at sarahblakelarose.com]

Duxbury supports these braille codes, but getting proper translations relies on proper document formatting. I teach Hebrew and we have similar problems. If the characters are input in the wrong order they still look correct visually but Duxbury does not recognize the translation order. 
IOS supports Chinese. I cannot guarantee how it sounds. I believe that JAWS may support Mandarin as well. Check the Vocalizer voices on their site.


Rev. Sarah Blake LaRose
http://www.sarahblakelarose.com
Accessible instruction in Biblical languages

-----Original Message-----
From: NABS-L [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Miso Kwak via NABS-L
Sent: Sunday, September 24, 2017 4:46 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Miso Kwak <misokwak12 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Character-Based Language Classes

Hi Ellana,
I know for fact that both Chinese and Japanese have Braille code.
That being said, I am not sure if any of popularly used braille note takers in the U.S. support any of East Asian languages.
I imagine JAWS and NVDA are capable of reading these languages. They are capable of reading Korean, although the pronounciation is not the best.
If you learn how to type and how to understand the screen reader I these languages, I think you can take these classes in mainstream setting.

On another note, if you want to learn Korean, feel free to message me off list. I am a native speaker and know the Korean Braille code as well.

Best,
Miso

On 9/24/17, Ellana Crew via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Afternoon friends,
>
> Recently, I have been thinking of taking courses at my college to 
> learn Japanese or Chinese, however I am not totally certain how to go 
> about doing this as a blind person considering that these are character-based languages.
> I much prefer to do things non-visually, however I do have a certain 
> level of residual vision that I could use if it came down to it. 
> Essentially, I am wondering if there is anybody who has taken classes 
> for character-based languages that may be able to give me some 
> pointers on how to get through such a class, given that the class will 
> almost certainly be teaching the basics of the written characters and 
> that assignments will most likely contain written characters fairly frequently.
>
> I know that there are braille systems for these languages, however I'm 
> not sure if that would be practical considering that the professor 
> would not have any knowledge of the braille form, so I feel it would 
> likely be quite difficult to try and learn the language in braille in 
> a class that teaches printed form and uses it for assignments. My 
> guess is that it would be much easier to learn the language first and 
> then learn the braille format, as trying to learn both simultaneously 
> does not seem very practical in a mainstream college class.
>
> I also know that I do have the option of attempting to learn a 
> language outside of the classroom setting on my own, first, in a way 
> that may be somewhat more accessible, though I would very much like to 
> take advantage of the classes offered through my school. It may be 
> that I may need to try and learn some basics on my own, first, and 
> then take the classes later on to be able to get the credit for them.
>
> If there is anybody who is taking classes for character-based 
> languages, especially if you have specifically taken either Japanese 
> or Chinese, I would really, really love to hear how you made it work 
> and what sorts of accommodations you used and what systems you had 
> with your professor to inshore that you were given the equal 
> opportunity to really learn the language. This is something I have 
> wanted to do since early high school, and would really like to find a 
> way to make it happen. Any experiences you could share with me would 
> be wonderful and feel free to email me off list if you would really like to start some real in-depth dialogue about this.
>
> Thank you all and have a nice afternoon!
>
> Ellana Crew, Vice President
> Maryland Association of Blind Students
> Website: nfbmd.org/students
> Facebook: facebook.com/mdabs.federation
> Twitter: @MDABS_NFB
>
> The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the 
> characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the 
> expectations of blind people, because low expectations create 
> obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life 
> you want; blindness is not what holds you back.
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--
Miso Kwak
University of California, Los Angeles | 2017 Psychology B.A. | Education Studies Minor | Disability Studies Minor
(909) 660-1897

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