[duxuser] BANA Press Release
- From: "George Bell" <george@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <duxuser@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 10 Apr 2004 00:29:15 +0100
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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