[duxuser] BANA Participates in International Council on English Braille General Assembly
- From: WarrenDFig@xxxxxxx
- To: duxuser@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 9 Apr 2004 18:54:18 EDT
PRESS RELEASE
April 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Kim Charlson, Chair
Braille Authority of North America
PHONE: 617-972-7249
E-MAIL: kim.charlson@xxxxxxxxxxx
BANA Participates in International Council on English Braille General Assembly
The Braille Authority of North America (BANA) participated in the Third
General Assembly of the International Council on English Braille held in
Toronto,
Ontario, from March 29 through April 2, 2004. Both Canada and the United
States, as the two countries comprising the voting membership of BANA, were
each
represented by a four-member delegation (with at least 50% of the delegation
consisting of individuals who were blind).
The U.S. delegation included Kim Charlson, BANA Chairperson; Eileen Curran,
Immediate Past BANA Chairperson; Warren Figueiredo, BANA Vice Chairperson; and
Frances Mary D'Andrea, Chair, BANA Unified English Braille Code (UEBC)
Research Committee. Alternate delegates for the U.S. were Mary Archer, BANA
secretary
and Ruby Ryles, BANA Unified English Braille Code (UEBC) Research Committee.
Mary Lou Stark, Chair of the BANA Bylaws Committee, served as ICEB
parliamentarian.
The Canadian delegation included Debbie Sitar, President of the Canadian
Braille Authority; Darleen Bogart, National Braille Convener for the Canadian
National Institute for the Blind; Frank Chennells, member of the UEBC Committee
II
Extension of the Base Code Working Group; and Debbie Gillespie, Immediate
Past President, Canadian Braille Authority. Phyllis Landon, a member of UEBC
Committee VI served as alternate delegate.
The ICEB General Assembly agreed that the Unified English Braille Code is
sufficiently complete for recognition as an international standard for
English-language Braille that may now be considered by member countries for
possible
adoption as their national Braille code.
BANA recognizes and respects the autonomy of other ICEB member countries. For
this reason both the U.S. and Canadian delegations voted unanimously to allow
implementation of UEBC in those countries that choose to use this newly
developed code. At this time, BANA has yet to take a stand regarding the
adoption
of UEBC for use in the United States. The decision on UEBC in Canada will be
made by the Canadian Braille Authority. BANA intends to monitor UEBC activities
around the world and will make a decision on local implementation of the code
only after due consultation with braille readers and other stakeholders.
The ICEB UEBC Project will continue under a new structure. The General
Assembly has directed its Executive Committee to set up a mechanism by which
UEBC
development, implementation, research, and promotional activities will take
place. The ICEB General Assembly acknowledged that further research was needed
on
the impact of UEBC on writing in general and math and foreign language in
particular. Additional research on contractions was identified as a priority if
rule simplification in the area of syllable bridging is to be achieved. While
ICEB accepted UEBC current design as outlined in the reader and transcription
rules, it did not adopt specific Braille format guidelines. Instead, it has
directed a working group to study various format systems and identify the
underlying principles and best practices that make for effective tactile
navigation.
The General Assembly also addressed other Braille-related issues including:
* The ICEB Tactile Graphics Committee should focus on information sharing
among member nations;
* ICEB member countries are encouraged to provide outreach to developing
countries that use English as one of their primary languages;
* The ICEB has requested specifically that BANA assist in identifying
activities that would eliminate barriers to the widest possible sharing of
accessible
formats between countries; and
* The ICEB has endorsed the establishment of the World Braille Council by the
World Blind Union.
For more information about the International Council on English Braille visit
www.iceb.org.
For more information about the Braille Authority of North America visit
www.brailleauthority.org.
Resolutions Passed by the Third General Assembly
International Council on English Braille
April 2, 2004
Toronto, Canada
[Prepublication Draft]
Resolution 1 was carried 6-0 with the United Kingdom abstaining. All other
resolutions were carried unanimously.
1.0 Whereas the Project Committee was charged with the creation of one
braille code for English which would expand the literary code in order to embed
in
it symbols for all technical materials (with the exception of music) this
General Assembly resolves that:
1.1 ICEB acknowledge that the Unified English Braille code is sufficiently
complete;
1.2 the Unified English Braille Code be recognized as an international
standard for English braille; and
1.3 respecting the autonomy of ICEB members acting at the national level,
this General Assembly refers the UEBC to ICEB members for consideration and
possible adoption by their national braille authorities after due consultation
with
their braille users and other stakeholders.
2.0 This General Assembly resolves that ICEB express its appreciation to the
Project Committee for its excellent work; that the Project Committee and its
working committees be dissolved; and that the Executive Committee be charged
with establishing whatever committees are required (including an overarching
committee) to complete the task of carrying on the work of the UEBC.
3.0 This General Assembly resolves that the Executive Committee be asked to
coordinate the development of UEBC-related training materials for transcribers,
teachers, and learners.
4.0 This General Assembly resolves that ICEB establish a committee to
coordinate unified English braille-related research among the member countries,
generate a list of topics for research, and assign them a priority rating.
5.0 This General Assembly resolves that the impact of the proposed UEBC on
writing generally and on the learning of foreign languages and mathematics
needs
to be researched as a matter of urgency.
6.0 This General Assembly resolves that the ICEB support research in the area
of the use of contractions in syllable bridging and its impact on readability
in all English-speaking countries; and that the Executive appropriate an
amount to be dedicated toward expenses for conducting such research; and that
ICEB
work in collaboration with other entities (such as the International Braille
Research Center, the American Foundation for the Blind, the Canadian National
Institute for the Blind, the Royal National Institute of the Blind, etc.)
interested in and committed to conducting research on braille reading and
writing
and which are willing to contribute additional funding as needed to complete
such research.
7.0 This General Assembly reaffirms its support for the principles of rules
simplification, reduction of exceptions to rules wherever possible, and
maximizing consistencies in braille usage across English-speaking countries;
that to
facilitate adherence to these principles a plan be introduced aimed at common
usage of contractions and the elimination of differences in the use of
bridging syllables, prefixes and suffixes, diphthongs and rules dependent on
pronunciation, etc.; that a working group be established to progress this and
priority
be given to examining current rules and determining a way forward to resolve
this issue.
8.0 This General Assembly agrees that, although format guidelines are not a
prerequisite for the implementation of UEBC, braille formatting methods impact
on the readability of braille. Good formatting practices in different
countries have common elements relating to the need for effective tactile
navigation.
Therefore, this General Assembly resolves that a working group should be
established to formulate these principles of best practice covering materials
for
children and adults including elementary educational materials.
9.0 The General Assembly resolves that the working group set up under
Resolution 8 establish a sub-group to gather information from all participating
countries on current format practice for elementary educational materials; and
that
the sub-group continue the work of developing format guidelines and encourage
their use in the production of materials intended for young readers.
10.0 This General Assembly recognizes that the charges given to the ICEB
Tactile Graphics Committee in resolution 14 of the 1999 General Assembly have
not
been accomplished and that a new approach is needed. This General Assembly
resolves that a Tactile Graphics Committee be re-established by the Executive
with an initial focus on information sharing between ICEB countries.
11.0 This General Assembly resolves that the Braille Promotion Committee
facilitates the sharing of ideas, promotional and instructional materials,
together with implementation strategies for the UEBC; and that the Public
Relations
Officer’s duties include responsibility for enhancing the ICEB web site
accordingly.
12.0 Whereas the executive committee of ICEB has found it difficult to
establish communication with developing countries that use English as a second
language, in line with resolution 1.0 of the 1999 General Assembly; given the
limited resources available to these countries which make face to face meeting
impractical; recognizing the increased access to Internet services in
developing
countries and the urgent desire of ICEB to reach out to them, this General
Assembly resolves that:
12.1 ICEB seeks to identify those involved in the use, production, and
teaching of braille in developing countries and communicates with them;
12.2 ICEB encourages and assists those who respond and show commitment to the
aims of ICEB, and helps them to establish their own braille councils;
12.3 ICEB encourages such braille councils to establish regional
communication with each other;
12.4 current member countries of ICEB be encouraged to establish a one-to-one
relationship with a fledgling braille council to provide appropriate support.
13.0 This General Assembly affirms the principle of unrestricted
international interlending of reading materials in alternative formats among
recognized
blindness agencies. Therefore the Executive Committee of ICEB should work
through the Braille Authority of North America and with other relevant
non-governmental organizations and governmental agencies to give non-citizens
of the United
States access to braille and other accessible format materials produced in
the United States through the development of appropriate international
protocols
and legislative change if necessary.
14.0 This General Assembly resolves that ICEB endorses the proposed
establishment by the World Blind Union of the World Braille Council and
requests the
ICEB Executive Committee to facilitate participation in the WBC by ICEB and its
affiliated braille authorities as it deems appropriate.
15.0 This General Assembly of the International Council on English Braille
wishes to put on record its warm thanks to the following:
15.1 the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, particularly for the
hospitality, valuable resources and well-chosen hotel accommodation with
well-briefed staff;
15.2 the Canadian Braille Authority for hosting this Assembly and, in
particular, to Darleen Bogart, Jill Cooter, and the excellent braille
transcribers
for all their efforts that ensured a successful meeting;
15.3 the observers for their participation and contributions to the success
of the meeting;
15.4 the observers who provided assistance that contributed to the smooth
running of the meeting;
15.5 Mary Lou Stark who provided parliamentary advice, and Anita Munshi for
exemplary secretarial services; and
15.6 the ICEB President, Dr. Fred Schroeder, for fair and good-humored
chairmanship of the proceedings.
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