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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Good afternoon,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The following message is being shared with you on behalf of the National Braille Association (NBA), and the California Transcribers and Educators of the Blind and Visually Impaired (CTEBVI). I urge you all to consider taking part and asking BANA for a postponement of the vote on UEB until more research can be done. Please consider using the attached letter to<b> write your own message </b>and get it sent before the vote in November! <b>Please do not just forward the message!</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you have questions, you may contact National Braille Association at <a href="mailto:nbaoffice@nationalbraille.org">nbaoffice@nationalbraille.org</a> or Dorothy Worthington, President, National Braille Association at <a href="mailto:dworthing@comcast.net">dworthing@comcast.net</a> or Patty Biasca, President, California Transcribers and Educators of the Blind and Visually Impaired at <a href="mailto:patbiasca@aol.com">patbiasca@aol.com</a> .<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>----------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In the United States and Canada, a privately run organization, the Braille Authority of North America (BANA), has appointed itself as the authority to make decisions regarding changes to the complex codes governing the process by which print is converted to braille.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>In August of 2012, BANA issued a press release announcing that it would be voting in November of 2012 to adopt a new braille code for use in the United States called Unified English Braille (UEB). This decision is very controversial, especially relating to STEM materials (Science,<span lang=EN> Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)</span>.<span lang=EN><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span lang=EN>Since 1965, transcribers of technical material in the United States have followed the rules of the Nemeth Braille Code for Mathematics and Science Notation, a code specifically designed to efficiently present those technical materials to the braille reader. If BANA approves this new braille code we would be adding considerably more braille cells to the transcription making the reading process cumbersome and awkward for the reader. <b>This is a step backward, not forward.<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span lang=EN><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='color:#C00000'>WHO WOULD BE AFFECTED?</span> • Blind students • Teachers of the Blind and Visually Impaired •State agencies that provide materials for blind students • Braille transcribers • The Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='color:#C00000'>WHERE IS THE FUNDING? </span>With state budget cuts in education across the nation, this is an inauspicious time to implement such far-reaching changes with no financial plan of action.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><span style='color:#C00000'>HOW CAN YOU HELP?</span></b><span style='color:red'> </span><b>Our position is that, until a code is devised that will provide adequately for both recreational and technical materials the vote should be deferred.</b> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Wingdings'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>Ø<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Contact the <span lang=EN>Chair of the Braille Authority of North America requesting that the vote be delayed until further research can be implemented.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Wingdings'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>Ø<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span lang=EN>Contact the United States Department of Education and Rehabilitative Services garnering their support in this urgent matter.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:-.25in;line-height:115%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Wingdings'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>Ø<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><span lang=EN>Share this message with others who have an interest and request that they also contact these organizations.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span lang=EN>Our ultimate goal is to promote a system that allows individuals who are blind to have a fair chance to compete with their sighted peers in the classroom, in the workplace, and in their personal lives. Too many questions remain unanswered regarding the adoption of a new code at this time, and we cannot rightfully support a decision that may negatively impact our ultimate goal of helping blind readers. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you have any questions for the National Braille Association, we can be reached at <a href="nbaoffice@nationalbraille.org%20">nbaoffice@nationalbraille.org</a> or at my personal email address, <a href="dworthing@comcast.net">dworthing@comcast.net</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dorothy Worthington, President, National Braille Association<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Chair of the Braille Authority of North America: <a href="literacy2@mindspring.com%20">literacy2@mindspring.com</a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>BANA's press release regarding the upcoming vote:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:22.5pt'><a href="http://www.brailleauthority.org/pressreleases/pr-2012august.html">http://www.brailleauthority.org/pressreleases/pr-2012august.html</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas'>Jana Hertz<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Consolas'>Certified Braille Transcriber/Alternate Media Specialist <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:JanaBrailles@aol.com">JanaBrailles@aol.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p><br>
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