[duxuser] Re: Dilema, How to Train Sighted Staff to Do Braille using DBT

  • From: JHawley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • To: duxuser@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2003 13:12:27 -0600 (MDT)

Not all areas have Braille users that can produce Braille so perfectly. Wyoming 
for instance I am the only Braille reader within a 2 to 5 hour drive. I do the 
best I can for my one student. Juanita

Quoting Kaizen ESL Program <kaizen_esl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

> Hi George,
> 
> No, I am not a partner of Betsy's way out in the Pacific, although I
> would
> really like to be in a nice warm sunny place during the winter, when
> Seattle
> Washington is chilly and rainy, similar to London. But, I am in the
> heart of
> urban Seattle, which has its interesting aspects too.
> 
> In any case, I want to let you and everyone else know that I didn't mean
> my
> remarks about the problems of automatic translation into braille to be
> a
> criticism of Duxbury. As far as I am concerned, Duxbury is a very good
> tool.
> I think it could be improved, and I hope that some of the problems I
> mentioned can be dealt with. I also hope that more easy-to-read and
> understand manuals and tutorials can be prepared. But, Duxbury is quite
> good
> already. And,  the Duxbury technical support staff is the most
> responsive
> and the most helpful technical support staff of any software program I
> am
> familiar with. They respond quickly when we contact them, and they
> keep
> responding by e-mail and even by phone until they have succeeded in
> helping
> us learn what we need to know or solve whatever problems we are
> encountering. On top of that, this list is the best users' list I have
> encountered. Everyone shares their knowledge generously without too
> much
> tech talk, and everyone is pleasant and polite. I learn a little from
> it
> every week, even when I am not having problems. And it gives me courage
> to
> experiment with new things to get more refined results.
> 
> My main gripe is with people who are not braille users who think that
> they
> can produce perfectly adequate braille texts  just by using the
> automatic
> features of a braille translation program. It is not possible now, and
> I
> don't think that it will ever be possible, because the best braille
> translation program will be just that, a computer program, not a
> thinking
> person. Even when people use Microsoft Word the correct way, there are
> a
> number of things that work well in print but not in braille, like
> tables, or
> are different in print and braille, like the best ways to set off text
> or
> make it easier to read ... not to mention maps and other graphics. I
> think
> that producing good readable braille is truly an art, as is producing
> good
> readable print for that matter. The software can help, but it can't make
> all
> of the decisions. I think we need more braille users involved in
> producing
> braille for other braille users. I think that mainstream educational
> and
> other programs that have embossers and Duxbury should understand that
> they
> need some braille users involved in the production of the braille in
> order
> to get decent quality. No matter how many rules and cautions we give
> them,
> new  incongruities are always popping up that are only noticed by
> braille
> users.
> 
> Thanks for all your help, and thanks for reading this.
> 
> Sylvie Kashdan
> Instructor/Curriculum Coordinator
> KAIZEN PROGRAM for New English Learners with Visual Limitations
> 810-A Hiawatha Place South
> Seattle, WA  98144
> phone:  (206) 784-5619
> email:  kaizen_esl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> 
> 
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