[NFB-Muslims] discussion of learning the Arabic braile code
heather Albright
kd5cbl at gmail.com
Mon Jul 26 07:06:27 UTC 2021
asalamu alaykum,
Inshallah that would be great just remember he is 7 hours ahead US EST time zone. But we can surely ask him inshallah if everyone agrees maybe we can change the time just for that meeting inshallah. Salaam wa-nor
Sister Heather
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
From: Yasmin Reyazuddin via NFB-Muslims
Sent: Sunday, July 25, 2021 9:21 PM
To: NFB Muslims Group list
Cc: Yasmin Reyazuddin
Subject: Re: [NFB-Muslims] discussion of learning the Arabic braile code
SalaamAlaykum brothers and sisters,
As Nasma stated in her email, I have a basic knowledge of the Arabic Braille code. I also have in print the Arabic Braille code from NLS World Braille usage book. The page has all the languages that use the same script. However, I know that different countries have different ways of having the same letter.
The Urdu Script is very similar to Arabic with some additional letters. The language is used both in India and Pakistan.
I got hold of a word document in Urdu. I used Duxbury software to print it in Braille. There were two Urdu options. I printed the document both ways. Most of the documents were the same but there were differences. It will be important to know what we will learn.
I suggest that we as the muslim group invite DR. Aydin to our meeting soon.
Yasmin
On Sun, Jul 25, 2021 at 3:45 PM heather Albright via NFB-Muslims <nfb-muslims at nfbnet.org> wrote:
Wa Jazaakum Allaahu Khair wa-Salaamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuh,
Brother Selahattin Aydin yes, this is wonderful to know.
My late imam used to use istishara when he was leading discussions in the muslim students association in their planning for events in our group.
Does IBQS use trained braille teachers who are familiar with the american English braille code?
I ask as it is important to know something about the code that most people are currently using. One needs to make a connection and or corlation between the codes for a frame of reference for the student.
For example, a student is trying to learn the letter sod in arabic so, one could say, "the letter sod is like the and sign in ENglish grade 2 braille." or one of the haa is like the braille w h sign and the other ha is like letter h. The other ha letter is like the it sign in english grade 2 braille. The lettter shen is like the braille symbol for sh sign. The vad is all 4 braille cells that is inglish braille a 4 sign. the ghrin sign is the gh sign in English grade 2 braille code. The vowel sign fatha is the english braille code for a comma and haza alif is the st sign, etc.
I read braille all the time and this made the connection for me as I wanted to be able to remember the Arabic code.
So my teacher when I was learning, made these connections for me mashallah.
I believe if you are teaching some the arabic code and they use French braille, the accent sign for the french letter e is like the arabic sign for the vod I think. So if one was working with some who one who is using French, that would be their frame of reference between the codes.
Is the course structured in to lessons? For example, each letter first and the next lesson would be the vowel signs and the next lesson would be other accent signs. Do they have rules you can learn like, in English braille, no dropped letters in grade one braille in the middle of words. One uses to dot sixs for all caps etc.
What type of materials, do they have plastic traning cards so one can use them for reference when learning the arabic braille code?
In American schools our VI, visually impaired, teachers often times had plastic cards to help guide the student in recognizing their braille symbols.
One can use these cards over and over so if they got wet, they simply wiped the card off again. The braille lasted a long time. Some teachers used thermoform plastic paper for older students trying to learn braille. Some felt like the cards were more geared to little children. So they would have the letters, punctuation symbols, how different letters look next to the punctuation symbols. And I remember they had one that showed the print letters and the braille below on this thermoform plastic paper. I do not have this as it belonged to the VI program that they used with their students.
I did see the nfb had something like what I am referencing to in their independence market and I just ran across a site that also has this:
https://www.cal-s.org/
Note, it is geared to English speaking students learning braille. I do not think they have other languages.
I used to love thermoform plastic paper when I read my books, I still have some at home and they look like knew and the braille stays sharp. The cards and thermoform plastic paper with the braille symbols was made in the 80's when I used it in school back in the 90s and I think they are still useing something like it today at the school. As it is quite easy to disinfect between students. Unlike regular braille paper that when it gets wet, it no longer can be read very well or not at all.
Is the quranyour using just plain arabic letters or does it use extra markings for recitation purposes?.
I look forwerd to getting a sense of what these materials are and how they are being presented for an audience of English speaking blind students wanting to learn the Arabic braille code.
I have put a link to the use of thermoform paper for future reference. I did not know what other people call it over seas.
https://www.braillists.org/braille/consumables/
I read some where some one was complaining that this paper does not do well if your hands sweat. as I always advise even reading regular braille, to make sure your hands are clean and dry. The oils on one's hand can affect your reading of braille. Also as every blind person should know, keeping items away from inclement weather to preserve the braille is always recommended.
fee amanAllah
Sister Heather
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
From: nesma aly
Sent: Sunday, July 25, 2021 2:01 PM
To: NFB Muslims Group list; selahattinaydin2006 at gmail.com
Cc: heather Albright
Subject: Re: [NFB-Muslims] discussion of learning the Arabic braile code
salam all,
In 2011, my mom and I found a place where we purchased the Arabic quran in braille. I am not sure where we got it from, as it was a really long time ago. But since then, I have just kept the books as I don’t know how to read Arabic, I only know how to speak it.
I would love to learn Arabic braille.
I am sorry to be saying this publicly on this list, but I know that sister Yasmine knows how to read arabic braille.
On Sun, Jul 25, 2021 at 5:01 AM Selahattin Aydın via NFB-Muslims <nfb-muslims at nfbnet.org> wrote:
Wa alaikum salam dear sister,
I like being part of such brain stormings as they are a kind of
consultation that is called "istishara" in Islamic language. Istishara
is highly suggested by Prophet PBU.
I would like to come up a tangible proposal as below:
We at International Union of Braille Quran Services (IBQS) have been
carrying out online Braille Quran training programs for several years.
Currently we have several online platforms where we provide training
in religious topics including Arabic courses in English and French.
Thus, I can take responsibility on organizing Arabic Braille course
for brothers/sisters in this NFB Muslims group. I can provide Braille
materials needed including the Arabic Braille codes and licanced Zoom
account. IBQS has just prepared a Braille Quran training book
containing planty of examples for each topic and cleare explanations
for each concept. We can produce Braille copies of such document
easyly and share with participants. After completing the course, IBQS
can provide 1 set of Braille Quran with each trainee who has completed
the course. If the management of this group/community accepts, I would
like to suggest coming together online with sister Reem and propose a
very effective and simple plan to be discussed. Of course sister
Reem's approval is also crucial for my above proposal.
I will be looking forward to hearing regarding the above.
Salams to everyone.
Your brother Selahattin Aydin
2021-07-25 6:00 GMT+03:00, heather Albright via NFB-Muslims
<nfb-muslims at nfbnet.org>:
> Asalamu alaykum wa Rahmatullah inshallah, I hope everyone is well.
> I was just brain storming about how we can start an Arabic braille learning
> class via zoom.
> SO what do you guys think. First off, does anyone know where to obtain the
> Arabic code as the NLS here does not have a braille copy of the Arabic
> braille code, it is only in print!
> I had received my copy from the RNIB who got it from Bahrain in braille.
> Inshallah, if there is someone who can produce the Arabic braille code in
> the states, it would be much better.
> I did obtain a copy of the Arabic Braille Quranic primer however, it is
> lacking in coherent structured lessons.
> Even my Quran teacher who was teaching me the braille Arabic code did not
> like it. It did not make sense even to her a native Arabic speaker.
> One can not teach a code without teaching all the rules that go along with
> that code.
> I have read a few foreign braille language codes, French and Spanish. They
> all had structured lessons so your learning the process of the Language. The
> primer does not tell you what the lesson is and all the rules of why you
> read a letter a certain way, they left that part out.
> It would be like telling some one dot six is a capital sign but, if you
> have two dot 6s it means all the letters are capitalized. And in American
> English, the dot 6 goes before a sentence, proper names. While british
> braille, they do not use dot six at the beginning of sentences. At least
> when I had to read British braille, some correct me if this is no longer
> the case.
> I am hoping someone knows how to produce arabic braille plastic flash cards
> to show all the positions of the Arabic braille letters. I used to have a
> plastic print letter set and it last forever. If you spill something, you
> just wipe them off. Here is an idea from the independence market it is for
> little kids but the idea is still the same:
> "
> BRAILLE/PRINT ALPHABET FLASH CARDS WITH TACTILE ILLUSTRATIONS:
> Young Braille learners will enjoy interacting with these Braille flash cards
> with their tactile illustrations. Each of the twenty-six 7 × 7-inch white
> plastic cards features a tracking guide that leads to the Braille letter, a
> tactile illustration starting with the letter being introduced, and a raised
> representation of the print capital letter. The pictures are labeled in
> lower case uncontracted Braille. The cards are fastened by a removable ring,
> so they may be easily separated during use. AIG81B $22.00"
> I was thinking about putting the print arabic letter on one side how it is
> connected and the braille letter on the other side with the various letter
> positions.
> I wish we, the blind, had something like alif baa and al kitab for braille
> readers as it seems to me we read the Arabic braille code differently that
> someone trying to learn it in print?
> These two books are currently published by George Town Press and they are
> used by most universities and Islamic centers.
> I tried to obtain a copy when my Islamic center was going to use this book
> for their Arabic class and I thought we could use it for this group.
> Even though the USA sign the Marrakesh treaty in 2017, George Town Press,
> the publisher of these books, still refuse to give me the electronic copy
> to the books even though I offered to purchase a print copy of the book and
> send them the receipt.
> It was not my first time making this request to obtain a electronic copy of
> a print book.
> I noticed, if I am dealing with a publisher out of states like California,
> they are the most willing to accommodate my request.
> I would think a publisher attached to a world famous law school would know
> that, print disabled individuals in the USA have this right to obtain access
> to printed materials.
> That is when I thought about, how we the blind need to create our own
> teaching lessons to learn the Arabic braille code when Arabic is not our
> native language. We read it differently than print readers and we do not use
> symbols above letters.
> Correction, I believe Egyptian Braille still puts their vowel signs above
> the braille arabic letters.
> I am not sure but, I think they still have not joined the unified Arabic
> Braille code along with a few other countries.
> I am only basing it on what I have read online.
> I am hopeful for this thread to focus on the best way to teach non native
> Arabic speakers the Arabic Braille code.
> A code that so far is not being taught in North America.
> First, what is the best way to get a massive production of the Arabic
> braille code for anyone who is blind? Second, where is this class going to
> be tought?Thirdly, which Arabic Braille Qurans are going to be used? Some
> have miscellaneous markings for recitation purposes. I think the others do
> not have this marking, it is just the Arabic Quran. It would be good to know
> what the student has so they do not become confused with the extra
> markings.
> I would like to find out off our list, which Qurans have the markings and
> which do not so we can tell someone before they ask for an Arabic Braille
> Quran.
> It would be good to ask the braille Quran holders to let the individual know
> if they use the markings or if they do not.
> Please let me know what everyone thinks of this e-mail and is there an idea
> how we should proceed inshallah with teaching and learning the Arabic
> braille code in North America?
> Also who wants to teach the Arabic braille code, that can be another
> discussion for anyone who knows the Arabic braille code and thinks they can
> teach it to someone else most likely over zoom inshallah. And if they
> themselves can use the Qurans with the extra markings or prefer the ones
> without the markings. We also have to state which Arabic braille code we
> will be using as some nations have not joined with the usage of the unified
> Arabic braille code.
> fee amanAllah
>
> sister Heather
> "Blindness is a characteristic, not a handicap!" Dr. Kenneth Jernigan
> contact:
>
> 512 680 3985
> google number:
>
> 512 710 7667
> e-mail:
> halbright1981 at gmail.com
> sites
> National Federation of The Blind:
> www.nfb.org
> NFB blind Muslim devision page:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-muslims_nfbnet.org
> an accessible library for the blind:
> www.bookshare.org
>
>
>
>
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