[nabs-l] Character-Based Language Classes

[Emmanuelle Lo]

I'm currently learning Mandarin Chinese with a tutor. Voiceover reads Chinese correctly for the most part, and it is possible to type but I haven't been able to do that efficiently yet, partly because I don't know enough vocabulary to differentiate which is the correct character when I select it. 

Emmie
> On Sep 24, 2017, at 4:58 PM, Caitlin Best via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 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ft 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 <mailto: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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