[kdejute]

Janie,

Thank you for the question. You are right that when transcribing Chemistry, each capital letter in a chemical formula should be capitalized separately.

You are also right that contractions should not be used in chemical formulas.

Now, how do we convince Duxbury to do that? Good question.

Yes, you can use ExactTranslation to change the font to braille in print and essentially tell the program exactly what cells to use. You could also perhaps use the techniques employed in the attached DOCX file.

Also attached are an image of the print and braille we are talking about and a BRF of the braille.

Again, thank you for the question. Please post again if you have follow-up questions or concerns.

–Kyle

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[kdejute]

Please see the response to this query in the UEB Technical forum.

[kdejute]

We have all asked that question: "Should our transcribers focus on Nemeth within UEB contexts or UEB for technical material?" (or "Should I focus on Nemeth-within-UEB or on solely UEB?")

The answer is probably "Both." because every individual student must be provided with the transcription that best suits their training and abilities, and both codes are being used and will continue to be used for math and science materials. The training that a student receives depends mostly on where (i.e., in what U.S. state) they receive instruction.

 

The following are four notes about BANA’s (Braille Authority of North America) positions concerning UEB and Nemeth-in-UEB in the United States. (Canada has not retained Nemeth Code as an official code, so solely UEB is used for all Canadian materials.)

 

1. UEB should be used for all literary material.

 “… the Braille Authority of North America (BANA) adopts Unified English Braille to replace the current English Braille American Edition in the United States …”  (from the motion to adopt UEB, passed 11/2/12 http://www.brailleauthority.org/ueb/UEBpassed.html)

2. When material is technical (not just literary), Nemeth can be used to represent the actual math and technical notation within the material.

 “When Nemeth Code is to be used for mathematics and science, the actual math and technical notation is presented in Nemeth Code or the Nemeth-based Chemistry Code, as applicable, while the surrounding text is presented in UEB. ...” (from the Guidance for Transcription Using the Nemeth Code within UEB Contexts http://brailleauthority.org/mathscience/math-science.html)

3. The customer (or reader or teacher) and the transcribing agency (or transcriber) work together to determine if material is technical or literary. 

 

4. In material determined to be technical, whether Nemeth-in-UEB or solely UEB will be used is up to the customer (or reader or teacher). 

 “The Braille Authority of North America (BANA) recognizes and appreciates the genuine concerns from the braille community regarding the transition to Unified English Braille (UEB). BANA stands by our original motion to adopt UEB as a complete code as well as the implementation statement issued in 2014 in which we expressed that the Nemeth Code remains integral to braille in the United States. The Board of BANA could not reach consensus regarding the establishment of a single standard code for technical materials for braille in the United States. The decision to use UEB or the Nemeth Code within UEB context for technical materials should be made based on braille readers' individual needs.”  (from November 18, 2015 Press Release  http://brailleauthority.org/pressreleases/pr-2015-11-18.html)

 

Bama Braille, I suspect "Both." is probably not the answer you were hoping for. Nonetheless, it is the most honest answer we can give. Please share your follow-up concerns and questions here!

–Kyle

[kdejute]

Somer,

In my personal opinion (as an experienced transcriber but not a braille user), a Punnett square is best represented by a tactile graphic, as this emphasizes the combinatory nature of a Punnett square in a way that a table format does not. Still, to the best of my knowledge, all the information from a Punnett square can be communicated in a table format.

–Kyle

[kdejute]

Thank you for the question. I see that you have used the opening enlarged curly braces (as are used in print), a grade 1 passage for the function and its various qualifying expressions as well as for the intervening word “for,” and appropriate symbols of comparison. This is clearly a well thought out transcription.

Please let me suggest reviewing the points highlighted in the attached image.  Those are:

1. a grade 1 symbol indicator before a superscript indicator within a grade 1 passage
2. a lack of enlarged grouping symbol on a line with a runover within an expression printed to the right of the enlarged curly brace
3. a grade 1 symbol indicator before a letter standing alone within a grade 1 passage
4. a terminator for the square root placed after the point where the printed vinculum of the square root ends

I think we should do away with both of those grade 1 symbol indicators, place an enlarged grouping symbol on the runover line, and move the terminator after the x. How does that sound to you?

–Kyle

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[kdejute]

Susan,

That's quite a practical question. When using only UEB (and no Nemeth), what do we do with single-digit addition problems arranged spatially for calculation?

I would do exactly as you have done, beginning the summation line one cell to the right of the plus sign with those one-digit numbers starting one more cell to the right so that the column above the dot 5 of the horizontal line is empty.

Unrelatedly, please let me suggest that you use a consistent number of cells between the rightmost part of one column of spatial problems and the identifier of a problem placed to the left. (In your example, I think there are two blank cells between the first and second problems but three blank cells between the second and third problems on each line.)

Thank you for your diligent questions and clear examples. Braille on!

–Kyle

[kdejute]

You're not the only one concerned about formatting for math transcriptions using only UEB.

The Guidelines for Technical Material give some formatting guidelines. These include:

• The line above and below spatial calculations should either be blank, or should only contain the numeric passage indicator or terminator.
• Where horizontal lines are needed within children's sums, horizontal line mode should be used.
• The layout of the calculation can follow print, though feedback from teachers working with students should also be taken into account.

I have found helpful the examples in Braille Course 1.3 U​EB Technical​, from CN​IB​ (available in P​​DF​ and BRF).

I see what you mean about the identifier seeming to be distant from the spatial problem itself. If you have a series of division problems all within one numeric passage, you might consider using the format exemplified in the CNIB course mentioned above for items 4-7 on page 8 (numeric indicators for identifiers even within a numeric passage). That would be different from what's in your example and more like Nemeth Code formatting.

In other words, Can you point to a rule that prohibits putting the item identifier on the same line as the line which contains the dividend in a division arrangement? If not, then I would do it (making sure to use a numeric indicator with each identifier) with the goal of making the transcription less cumbersome for the reader.

–Kyle

[kdejute]

Thank you for the questions, Fred. Please see below for responses and the attached BRF for examples.

1. A list (in which each item has a bullet) within an exercise is a good candidate for formatting according to Braille Formats 2016. So, either it gets formatted as you did in your first example (1-3 with a blank line before and after) or, in a less word-for-word interpretation of BF2016, it gets formatted as literary displayed material (with an adjusted left margin two cells to the right of the preceding material's runover and blank lines before and after).
   • If the list is subitems, then it must be formatted in 3-5, according (as you said) to Nemeth Code §191 (including update to wording from 2012), pp. 193 & 195. I would need more context around your examples to know for sure, but it certainly seems to be a list and not subitems.
   • The last sentence in BF §9.2.2 can help us choose the best layout: "The goal is to provide clarity and readability while reinforcing the distinction from the surrounding text."
2. A list (in which each item has an identifier) within an exercise is likely subitems and so must be transcribed in 3-5.
3. Transcription of a binomial coefficient has a specific Nemeth Code rule. See §90, which says, "The two expressions which constitute a binomial coefficient must be separated by the directly-under indicator. The expression which follows the opening parenthesis and precedes the directly-under indicator corresponds to the upper sign in the binomial coefficient; the expression which follows the directly-under indicator and precedes the closing parenthesis corresponds to the lower sign of the binomial coefficient." So, the binomial coefficient with n as the upper sign and k as the lower sign must be transcribed
   ⠸ ⠩ ⠀⠷⠝⠩⠅⠾ ⠀⠸⠱ The parentheses are not brailled as enlarged signs of grouping.
4.  Neither of the verbal descriptions in your last example is a label, and neither should be transcribed within Nemeth Code switch indicators. ( "n choose k" and "number of combinations of n things taken k at a time")

Again, thank you for the questions.

–Kyle

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[kdejute]

Sally,

Yes, the equation "question-mark-in-a-box = 2+3" must all be in Nemeth Code (with the general omission symbol, a full cell, used for the question-mark-in-a-box).

Yes, the equation "question-mark-in-a-box = shaded-diamond +1" as well as the equation "shaded-diamond = 4" must be transcribed in Nemeth Code.

Yes, the right-pointing arrow that indicates continuation of a series is best transcribed in Nemeth Code; including the numbers of the series within the Nemeth Code switch indicators necessitated by the arrow is probably the best transcription.

Yes, the pairs of numbers enclosed in square brackets with right-pointing arrows connecting the members of a pair are best all transcribed in Nemeth Code (with the general omission symbol used for the question marks).

Last, but not least, it would be quite acceptable to include the answer choices, which consist of nothing but simple numerals, within the Nemeth Code switch indicators used for the pairs of numbers connected with arrows.

Does that cover most everything and set you up to feel more comfortable moving forward?

–Kyle

[kdejute]

Sally,

It's tempting to think that 50 mL requires Nemeth Code; however, in the Guidance, #5 under Additional Guidelines says (italics added), “Abbreviated measurement units (e.g., ft., min) adjacent to related numbers transcribed in Nemeth Code are part of the technical expression and are transcribed within the Nemeth switch indicators.”

So, any number that is in Nemeth Code (e.g., because it has a decimal, superscript, symbol of currency, etc.) must pull into the Nemeth Code with it a related abbreviation that is next to it, even though that abbreviation would otherwise be transcribed in UEB. But, 50 does not require Nemeth Code, and its abbreviated measurement unit does not either.

 

As for the degree sign, yes, it does need to be in Nemeth Code.

Happy to help.
–Kyle

[kdejute]

In the illustrations in your attachment, the measurements written on the measuring cup include fractions and mixed numbers, and those must be transcribed in Nemeth Code. So I would suggest putting the whole tactile graphic of the measuring cup within Nemeth Code switch indicators.

The measurements written on the graduated cylinder and on the beaker do not contain anything that needs to be in Nemeth Code, so their tactile graphics should be in UEB. [They could be within Nemeth Code switch indicators that are required for something else (e.g., the measuring cup)]

Does that make sense and help?

Oh, please don't beat yourself up! We are all learning, feeling like we know it, and then learning some more!!!

–Kyle

[kdejute]

Fred,

When an equation contains words between operation signs, there is no call for using any code switch indicator. The words are part of the equation (or expression)

So, your example would be transcribed as follows.

_% #13 years@*@s2,176 per year
.k @s28,288 _:

13 years × $2,176 per year = $28,288

–Kyle

[kdejute]

Hullo, Fred

Thank you for the question and the sample file.

You're right that the expressions should be brailled all in Nemeth, because the words are as much a part of the math as are the numbers.

Please see the attached BRF, noting the few differences from  your sample, namely:

1. abbreviation p. (for page) must be on the same braille line as its associated number (Nemeth Code XXV.195.c)
2. comma following the word years within the first expression must be a literary comma (dot 2) (Nemeth Code VI.38.iv)
3. abbreviation SD (for Standard Deviation) should be capitalized with the double capitalization indicator and not have its letters capitalized individually, because its letters do not have separate values
4. opening Nemeth Code indicator should be placed after a blank cell on a line with the text that precedes the displayed material, because the displayed material spans more than one braille line
5. the indention of the displayed material should be 3-5 (displayed to narrative text), with the Standard Deviation expressions treated as runovers and not separate expressions.

Cheers!
–Kyle

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[kdejute]

That is a correct transcription. I would do it the same way.

So, the answer to the question of "Can I use a single-word switch indicator for a word immediately following an opening grouping sign?" is "Yes." And, if you do use a single-word switch indicator for a word immediately following an opening grouping sign then the closing grouping sign should be preceded by Nemeth Code material and so also be in Nemeth Code (as it is in your attachment).

Neat question. Thank you for sharing!

–Kyle

• This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by kdejute. Reason: Removed "And, if you do use a single-word switch indicator for a word immediately following an opening grouping sign then the closing grouping sign should be preceded by Nemeth Code material and so also be in Nemeth Code (as it is in your attachment)." because that is not required
• This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by kdejute. Reason: Return response to original

[kdejute]

Shelley,

Thank you for passing along this question, and thank you for outlining it before referring to the attachment.

A reader-friendly place to put the Nemeth Code terminator after a tactile graphic is following a blank line in cell one on a line by itself. This is in line with section 9.b under Additional Guidelines in the Guidance for Transcription Using the Nemeth Code within UEB Contexts (Approved April 2018) and also section 5.1.2 of the Guidelines and Standards for Tactile Graphics, 2010.

(As always, when an updated Tactile Graphic Guidelines that includes guidelines for transcriptions using Nemeth Code within UEB contexts is published by BANA, whatever it says overrides anything in these Ask an Expert forums.)

–Kyle

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