[nabs-l] Character-Based Language Classes

[Caitlin Best]

I have been taking Japanese for the last couple years. I have an XL spreadsheet with the Japanese braille code as well! I also have been using Jaws with a Japanese voice and it works great. Most note takers don’t support eastern Braille codes so I mainly stick with jaws. If you want to know more feel free to message off list. 
Cheers,
Caitlin 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 24, 2017, at 16:45, Miso Kwak via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 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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