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<div align="center"><b>Press Release<br><br>
March 2014<br><br>
For Immediate Release<br>
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CONTACT: Frances Mary D’Andrea, Chair<br><br>
Braille Authority of North America<br><br>
Phone: 412-521-5797<br><br>
Email:
<a href="mailto:literacy2@mindspring.com">literacy2@mindspring.com</a><br>
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<div align="center"><b>BANA to Hold 2014 Spring Meeting in Philadelphia,
April 3–5<br><br>
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The Braille Authority of North America (BANA), which meets face-to-face
semiannually, will hold its 2014 spring meeting April 3–5 in
Philadelphia, PA. This meeting will be hosted by Associated Services for
the Blind (ASB), a BANA member organization. Meetingsincluding an Open
Forum on Saturday, April 5will take place at ASB, which is located at
919 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19107. Items on the Board’s agenda
include updates of BANA’s numerous ongoing projects. The Board will
review formal reports from all of BANA's technical committees such as
music, math, foreign language, and tactile graphics and will take action
on recommendations when appropriate.<br><br>
BANA continues to plan the transition to Unified English Braille (UEB) in
the United States. In-depth reports will be presented by BANA’s UEB Task
Force, which is made up of Kim Charlson (ACB), Frances Mary D’Andrea
(AFB), Judy Dixon (NLS), Jennifer Dunnam (NFB), Cindi Laurent (NBA), Mary
Nelle McLennan (APH), and Sue Reilly (CTEBVI).<br><br>
As always, interested parties are invited to observe the BANA Board
meetings. If you are interested in observing the BANA meeting, please
contact BANA Chair Frances Mary D’Andrea at 412-521-5797 or by email at
<a href="mailto:literacy2@mindspring.com">literacy2@mindspring.com</a>.
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On Saturday, April 5, from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM, BANA will host an Open
Forum at ASB. This forum provides a venue for participants to discuss
braille with the Board and to learn more about the workings of BANA. Open
Forum participants are encouraged to express their views and suggestions
surrounding braille and its future. Braille readers, teachers, and
students as well as producers and distributors of braille are encouraged
to take advantage of this opportunity to participate in a round-table
discussion with the members of the BANA Board. To reserve your space at
the Open Forum and to help ensure accurate counts for handouts, contact
Frances Mary D’Andrea as indicated above.<br><br>
NOTE: This press release is available in HTML on the BANA website at
<a href="http://www.brailleauthority.org/pressreleases/pr-2014-3.html">
http://www.brailleauthority.org/pressreleases/pr-2014-3.html</a><br><br>
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For additional resource information, visit
<a href="http://www.brailleauthority.org">www.brailleauthority.org</a><br>
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<i>The Board of BANA consists of appointed representatives from seventeen
member organizations of braille producers, transcribers, teachers, and
consumers.<br><br>
The mission of the Braille Authority of North America is to assure
literacy for tactile readers through the standardization of braille
and/or tactile graphics. <br><br>
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The purpose of BANA is to promote and to facilitate the uses, teaching,
and production of braille. Pursuant to this purpose, BANA will promulgate
rules, make interpretations, and render opinions pertaining to braille
codes and guidelines for the<b> </b>provisions of literary and technical
materials and related forms and formats of embossed materials now in
existence or to be developed in the future for the use of blind persons
in North America. When appropriate, BANA shall accomplish these
activities<b> </b>in international collaboration with countries using
English braille. In exercising its function and authority, BANA shall
consider the effects of its decisions on other existing braille codes and
guidelines, forms and formats; ease of production by various methods; and
acceptability to readers.<br><br>
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_______________________________________________<br>
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BANA-Announce@brailleauthority.org<br>
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http://www.brailleauthority.org/mailman/listinfo/bana-announce<br>
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