[NFB-Braille-Discussion] Braille transcribers and perkins braillers

[Donald Winiecki]

Josh,

There is no expectation that the NLS certification process be entirely
accomplished on a manual brailler. While early lessons are supposed to be
accomplished using six-key (either manually, or with software) or on a
slate, about half-way through the training program the lessons begin to
introduce concepts associated with translation software and students are
encouraged to experiment with it.

Lessons for the certification process and the culminating document can be
produced on translation software. Personally I used the six-key software
and a plastic 40-cell slate all the way through because I value the
knowledge and skill required to use six-key and slate, and to become fluent
in necessary wordsigns, contractions, groupsigns, and shortforms. I still
use all three types of tools -- software, the Perkins, and various slates.
In fact, my 'small bag' (a kit I carry when my wife and I go shopping
because I often end up sitting idle) contains -- among other things -- a
small slate and stylus, and a set of index cards.

And as has already been indicated, visual acuity is absolutely not
necessary to be a certified braille transcriber. And it has been my
experience that regardless of one's visual acuity, there will always be
occasions when the diversity of print formatting introduces challenges for
the transcriber.

Best,

_don


On Tue, Dec 17, 2019 at 6:23 AM Josh Kennedy via NFB-Braille-Discussion <
nfb-braille-discussion at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Correct me if I am wrong, but when you take the transcriber certification
> course, you have to write a 35-page manuscript using a perkins brailler or
> a slate. So I am guessing that braille transcribers still use perkins
> braillers for some stuff?
> My next question is do you have to be a sighted person in order to be a
> braille transcriber? Or can totally blind people also be braille
> transcribers for certain material these days and either have their own
> transcribing business, or work for a company transcribing materials?
>
> Josh
>
>
> Sent from my iPod
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