Graphic Placement and Blank Pages

[Chris Clemens]

Please see the attached document showing an example of a cartesian grid and lengthy text. The transcriber wants to ensure he is adhering to guidelines and meeting the needs of the reader in the most beneficial way.

Thank you.
Marie Amerson

[dspence]

Diane Spence's response:
Is this transcription single-sided or interpoint? My answer is also coming from the "textbook" perspective and NOT from the perspective of this item as part of a "standardized test booklet."

1). For the convenience of the braille reader, is the transcriber allowed to move the question to a position on a facing braille page (similar to a graphic key placement)? DS: yes the transcriber is allowed to move the question to a facing page and have the graphic follow on an odd page. If this is a one time situation within the volume, you are correct in stating that you would place a TN at the point of the single presentation. However, if you had several instances of this situation and the book was a single-sided book, you may want to add a note on the TN page explaining the presentation throughout the volume.
2). Is there a preference? DS: I think it is in the best interest of the braille reader to have the question and diagram on facing pages when you can get it to fit. It keeps the braille reader from having to flip back and forth or read "sandwich" style (one hand on each page, on top of each other with the braille page in between). This philosophy was agreed upon by the BANA TG Committee and the primary reason we said that keys should be on a page facing the diagram if it wouldn't fit on the same page.
3). Also, according to the new guidelines, would the blank page be numbered? DS: If the material is for students in Grade 4 and above...and is double-sided, then you would account for the blank braille page just as you have done in your example. Every braille page (front and back) should be assigned a braille page number. It is an agency decision whether or not the even braille page numbers are printed on the page. Even if the even braille page number is not printed on the braille page, it is assigned or reserved for that braille page.
If this is for a single-sided braille transcription, then the backs of the braille page are not counted in the running page counts. In your example above, the "braille text from previous page" information would be printed on braille page 17, the question would be on braille page 18 (the facing page) and the graphic would be on braille page 19.
4). Sometimes in this same textbook, a grid will apply to more than one question and the questions will also fit with the above placement. But, other times the questions may be too long to be placed in this manner. Is consistency an issue? Is it one way or the other throughout the book… or is each set of questions considered separately when placing graphics? DS: I think consistency is always important, however, I think each set of questions should be treated individually. If you have a situation where one cartesian graph could be used for multiple questions, would you present the graph first followed by the questions or would you present the questions first followed by the graph? It may be difficult to make one decision for how to present graphics in an entire book, and then force each different graphic situation to fit into that decision. As long as you remember to keep the student informed about how the information is presented, so they don't have to "wonder" where things are, you should be fine.

[Author]

Posts