dworthing
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I have attached a suggestion of how to handle page 107 from your question. I do not claim that this is the only way, or even the best way, to transcribe it. Perhaps with this starting place, you will be able to come to a solution that will work throughout your math book. I would be happy to hear from you about any changes or adjustments you might make to my suggestion.
That book looks like quite a challenge. For pages 167 and 168, I would not try to connect those notes with arrows to the spatial problem. After the spatial subtraction problems, I would list the comments detailing what is done. They are self descriptive. Trying to put them on the same line as the elements to which they refer, or drawing arrows connecting them to such elements, would make the example unreadable.
I am still thinking about page 107. I welcome suggestions from anyone who might have an idea for representing the concept shown. I will try out a couple of things and get back to you. Did you yourself come up with something that could work?
You are correct that Nemeth arrows are not pointing devices. The example you cite shows the result of a mathematical process. It's a little like balancing the equations and formulas in chemistry. The math process changes the original equation to the one that follows the arrow.
The BANA math committee has posted an update on the BANA website on the application of Formats to Nemeth transcriptions. Regarding arrows used in grammar:
17.12: For print arrows showing progression in word formation use Nemeth arrows. These arrows would not have to be listed on the special symbols page. If doing a literary transcription, of course you would use whatever is specified in Braille Formats. Even though word formation would probably never occur in a technical book it is still in the realm of "process", so does not violate the "no pointing" restriction.
If this is no help, please let me know. Dorothy
Your first question regarding blue highlighted digits:
Option (a) can get cumbersome and can also give away the answer. It is best at this grade level to follow print, substituting italics for the blue highlighting--option (b). BUT NOTE THAT the termination indicator is not used to end the italics in a number. A new numeric indicator signals the return to regular type. See NC Sec.32.d. which is illustrated further in the lesson book (An Introduction to Braille Mathematics) in lesson 4, Sec.42.b.Your second question regarding yellow highlighted vocabulary words throughout the book: It is important to retain distinction for these words. In the past we would have substituted the boldface type-form indicator for these words. In a literary transcription before BF2011 was published, the most common treatment was to use the boldface indicators. Since the literary boldface indicator is not used in a Nemeth transcription, we would use the Nemeth boldface type-form indicators in a math book. Although it is tempting to use the yellow highlight symbol, NC §35a specifically tells us NOT to use dots 456 with any other sign. Until BANA gives us a recommendation, we should continue to use the rules as we have done in the past which, in this case, is to use boldface type-form indicators for yellow highlighted words.
Please read the post nearby entitled"Colored Digits and Bulleted Lists" for Dorothy's answer to your question about color in Nemeth transcriptions.
Your final question has to do with general decisions made when formatting a textbook--you are smart to settle on a consistent treatment of these items when beginning a project. These items are headings. The colors are irrelevant to the understanding of the text. Keep it simple! In a math book, we get most of our heading rules from EBAE and BF. Here is one idea:
BF 4.8.4 suggests we consider changing paragraph headings to cell-5 or cell-7 headings. "A paragraph heading may provide better navigation for the braille reader when it is separated from the paragraph and changed to a cell-5 or cell-7 heading." I think this would work well with the "Mathematical PRACTICE 6" type headings. I have not been told that we cannot use cell-7 headings in a math book. Retain print capitalization as we do in any heading.
Then use regular literary italics for the boldfaced paragraph heading "Explain to a Friend."
BF 4.8.2 says "Italics may be used if all paragraph headings throughout the book have the same font attribute. This change is noted on the Transcriber’s Notes page."For Question 17, you could devise an icon symbol for the red question mark, and pull it and the red paragraph heading "Building on the Essential Question" out as a cell-7 heading.
I invite other ideas or arguments.
My computer went crazy there and posted before I was through.
If you want to use a tn, you might say something like: in the following exercise, the highlighted digit in each number is shown in parentheses following the number.
Highlighted vocabulary words can be a challenge since we have only bold and italic. It would be possible to explain in a tn that vocabulary words are both boldface and italic to distinguish them from all other words which are either boldface or italic.
The BANA math committee is recommending that Guideline 5 (Font Attributes) not apply in a Nemeth transcription.
Since I don't have the whole book to look at, as you do, I couldn't say if I agree or not with your belief that the attributes of the headings are necessary. They do have "icons" with each heading so perhaps you could create icons that would accompany or replace those headings that occur throughout your book, explaining their meaning on the transcriber's notes page.
Please feel free to ask more questions about the use of font attributes. Nemeth Code is to be followed if that code addresses an issue, and it does address the issue of typeform indicators.
Hi Tina. The BANA Math committee is making some suggestions regarding the application of the new Formats Guidelines to Nemeth transcriptions. Follow Formats guidelines for bulleted lists including using the symbol that the Guidelines show [braille]_4
Nemeth has its own rules for the presentation of typeform. Color is not included. In your example, it does not appear that color is necessary for the understanding of the expressions. Nemeth says not to indicate typeform if it has no meaning. If you decide that the color is necessary, you will need to devise a way to show that. Do not use the Formats symbols because they can too easily be confused with mathematical symbols (shapes).
I ordinarily leave out the color in situations like yours because it interferes with reading the math expressions, especially in the lower grades.
Generally this is constructed in a manner similar to the keystroke indicator. The transcriber uses the w to indicate that this is a calculator window, rather than a using k to represent key.
[braille]$w3.285714}
The shape indicator opens the display, and following the decimal (shown without the numeric indicator), it must be closed with the termination indicator.
BettyI wanted to add a question to this if I may.
What about the underline indicator for words? Would we use this in our Nemeth work or should we wait on this also?Thanks
Hi. I thought it would be easier to answer your question by showing the braille along with an explanation. So please check the attached document. Thank you for your question.
edited by dworthing on 8/28/2012
edited by dworthing on 8/28/2012It seems to me that [A] isn't actually the matrix itself, but rather the name it is given in the software program. Because they are embedded within a paragraph, I suggest that you use the usual square brackets. By the way, since this is dealing with a software program, is any of the material transcribed using Computer Braille? Generally anything that has to be entered into a field in the software program (i.e., keyed by the reader), should be transcribed in Computer Braille. You would probably have a better understanding of whether or not this is the case, based on the figure numbers that are referenced in the text.
BettySomeone more expert than I suggested the following:
456 is used as the vertical line in square roots, division problems and stem-and-leaf plots. Using it as the line in the matrices would be clear. It would be listed on SS page.
Another alternative is to spur the line, but that would require tactile pages.
Hi. Your question has one of three different answers, depending upon your transcription as a whole.
1. If this is a Nemeth transcription (if you are using the Nemeth Code throughout the book, volume, or chapter) then you follow Nemeth Code.
[simbraille]#2@*4[/simbraille]2. If this is a Literary Braille transcription and is for pleasure reading, follow EBAE Rule VII, Sec.28.j and substitute words for the common mathematical signs. In the example you have provided, rather than substituting "times" you would say "by" since this is how it would be read aloud.
[braille]#B 0#D3. If this is a Literary Braille transcription and is for use in a classroom, follow Braille Formats 2011 Guidlines 1.3.4, using the Begin and End Nemeth Code indicators, following Nemeth Code for the construction of the mathematical expression.
[simbraille]_% #2@*4 _:[/simbraille]
