[NFBP-Talk] FW: LAST CALL: UEB Public Forum Written Comment Period EXTENDED

[Drenth, Joe]

Hi Becky,

It is actually quite the opposite: The Nemeth Code was designed to optimize performance of students in STEM fields, since the literary codes (EBAE and UEB) are too clumsy and too inefficient to use when solving problems using braille, either by hand with a Perkins-style Braille writer or using an electronic refreshable Braille display.

Sighted teachers of the visually impaired and certain Dept. of Ed. Administrators say that UEB for math represents the printed math more closely and therefore should be used, but that does not help a student in the least when trying to solve a problem that already takes up so much space.

There are many, many reasons why we should continue to encourage the use of the specialized Nemeth Code for Math and Science Content, and the Braille Authority of North America promotes it for this use, as well.

Joseph Drenth
Senior R&D Software Engineer
JBT Corporation  |  Automated Systems
400 Highpoint Drive
Chalfont, PA  18914, USA
E: joe.drenth at jbtc.com<mailto:joe.drenth at jbtc.com>  P: 215 822 4457
www.jbtc-agv.com<http://www.jbtc-agv.com/>

From: NFBP-Talk [mailto:nfbp-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Becky Frankeberger via NFBP-Talk
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2018 10:19 AM
To: 'NFB of Pennsylvania Talk, state list'
Cc: Becky Frankeberger
Subject: Re: [NFBP-Talk] FW: LAST CALL: UEB Public Forum Written Comment Period EXTENDED

Please correct me if I misunderstood something. As I understand you can't use the Nemeth Code and excell in the STEM Courses. The Nemeth Code actually hurts a young person's progress in this field of study.

We are about to build a high school with the emphasis on STEM near my home.
Warmly,
Becky who wants to understand

From: NFBP-Talk <nfbp-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Drenth, Joe via NFBP-Talk
Sent: Wednesday, May 30, 2018 6:00 AM
To: nfbp-talk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Drenth, Joe <Joe.Drenth at JBTC.COM>
Subject: [NFBP-Talk] FW: LAST CALL: UEB Public Forum Written Comment Period EXTENDED

Hello everyone,

If you are not aware of the situation, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Special Education is trying very hard to get rid of the Nemeth Code for Math and Science Content in Pennsylvania and replace it with the vastly inferior UEB math notation.

The Bureau of Special Education is currently taking public input for a very short time on the matter of replacing the Nemeth Code with UEB math notation, so if you feel strongly about this issue, as I do, please submit your comments electronically by this Friday at noon by following the instructions in the email below.

Thank you very much,
Joe

Joe Drenth
First Vice-President, NFB of Pennsylvania


From: Lynn Fox [mailto:LFox at pattanpgh.net]
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2018 3:52 PM
To: Lynn Fox <LFox at pattanpgh.net<mailto:LFox at pattanpgh.net>>
Cc: Jennifer Edgar <jedgar at pattankop.net<mailto:jedgar at pattankop.net>>; Doug Williams <dwilliams at pattan.net<mailto:dwilliams at pattan.net>>; Natalie Sokol <nSokol at pattan.net<mailto:nSokol at pattan.net>>; Gombocz, John <jgombocz at pa.gov<mailto:jgombocz at pa.gov>>; Becky (Rebecca) Fogle <RFogle at pattankop.net<mailto:RFogle at pattankop.net>>
Subject: LAST CALL: UEB Public Forum Written Comment Period EXTENDED

Hello Vision Supervisors, Professionals, and Families ---

The Bureau of Special Education's (BSE) Public Forum on Pennsylvania's Unified English Braille (UEB) Implementation for Math and Technical Content period to submit written comment has been extended. Interested stakeholders now have till Friday, June 1, 2018 at 12:00pm to submit their responses to the three questions purposed for input.

Please forward this extension notice onto ALL stakeholders in your network -- vision professionals/colleagues, material specialists, IU/LEA supervisors, and students with visual impairments and their families.
Your immediate attention is requested to help spread the word regarding this extension announcement and
to encourage stakeholder participation.

In preparation to submit individual comments, Pennsylvania (PA) stakeholders should review the posted 20 minute video regarding the Unified English Braille (UEB) transition plan as well as the attached Penn Link regarding the opportunity to submit written comments. These resources are posted to the PaTTAN website at:
*         www.pattan.net<http://www.pattan.net/>
*         Educational Initiatives
*         Blind/Visual Impairment
*         Featured Resources
*         BVI/Braille Forum: Stakeholder Feedback

Written comments pertaining to which braille code or codes Pennsylvania students will use for braille math and technical materials in the future maybe submitted by email to ra-edbvibraille at pa.gov<mailto:ra-edbvibraille at pa.gov>, based on the following three questions under consideration:

  1.  What would be the impact of using UEB for math and technical materials?
  2.  What would be the impact of using Nemeth Code with UEB for math and technical materials?
  3.  What would be the impact if Pennsylvania continued to support both full UEB and the Nemeth Code with UEB for math and technical materials?

Thank you for your interest and timely responses.

Kind regards,
Lynn


Lynn A. Fox, Ed.D., COMS| Educational Consultant
Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN)
3190 William Pitt Way | Pittsburgh, PA 15238
412-826-6865 (direct line) | 800-446-5607 (in PA only)
412-826-1964 (fax)
www.pattan.net<http://www.pattan.net/>

The mission of the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) is to support the efforts and initiatives of the Bureau of Special Education and to build the capacity of local educational agencies to serve students who receive special education services.


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