Unified English BrailleUEB

byChris Marshall

Betty Nobel

What is UEB

• One braille code which is able to be used in the reading and writing of  all literary as well as technical materials  (e.g. math, science, computer notation).

Why UEB• Ease of Access• Ease of Learning• The changes to print usage (email and web addresses)• Simplified rules• Expected lower cost• Better computability• Follow print to reduce ambiguity

What are the advantages

• Same code for all English speaking countries – for ease of mobility and sharing of resources

• Math is easier to read and learn• Fewer errors in automated forward and back translation

How is UEB different• Follow print spacing for words, and, for, of, the, with, no

longer best friends – To, into and by no longer joined to what follows.

• Five contractions eliminated to avoid confusion, ally, ation, ble, com, dd and ‘o’ clock.

• More liberal use of contraction rules around bridging syllables and diphthongs

• Some changes to shortforms

How is UEB different• Additional rules and symbols for font attributions,

typeforms, accents and modifiers• UEB uses one set of numbers – all upper numbers. • UEB symbols are created according to a pattern (prefix

and/or root) • UEB symbols are unambiguous regardless of context

Happening Already• All braille books being produced by CNIB library are in

UEB• Lesson materials for new transcribers available from CNIB• UEB update is a free self directed course from CNIB• Braille lesson material for adults now available as

Celebrating Braille, A Canadian Approach has been revised

• UEB parties for adult braille readers

Were are we Globally• Most major English speaking countries have adopted

UEB• Australia has completely implemented• New Zealand, Nigeria, Ireland and South Africa are well

on the way to implementing• April 2010 Canada adopted• October 2011 UK adopted• November 2012 USA adopted

Day of Celebration

• Braille Authority of North America (BANA) held an implementation meeting in Oct 2013

• BANA has set a day of Celebration for January 4th 2016, this is a day to make the announcements to the press and to celebrate how far we have come.

• We are not going to flick a switch and suddenly we will be all UEB – there will be a period when both formats are being used

Canadian Perspective• Braille Literacy Canada (BLC) has an implementation

committee and has liaison with CAER• Canadian Braille Authority (CBA) held a summit in

Vancouver in 2012• CNIB have worked on a number of resouces• CAER (Canadian Association of Educational Resource

Centres) have been looking at UEB from the outset

CAER Approach

• CAER commissioned a literature review• CAER created a Subcommittee to develop a national

implementation plan for school age population• Understanding that ALL Canada would move forward

together – continue to share resources, mobility of students from province to province

• CAER to take proposal to CMAC – Canadian Ministers of Education

• Individual Provinces develop their own plan and share with their ministries

Implementation Planning• Lots of Questions – plans are forming now – BC has

developed a draft plan.• We have good models from places where UEB has been

implemented• Should I be starting my grade 1 students on UEB?• Roll out over a number of years

Transition plans for BC• Transition will focus on earlier phases first; K-3, 4-7 and 8-12• In Canada CAER will begin training teachers and

transcribers from now on• Beginning and early grades students starting on UEB from

September 2014• Other grades to follow – for a transition period some

resources will be available in both forms• Exams will not be in UEB in 2015, but may phase in from

then

What Resources are Available• Transcribers UEB Update Course

http://www.cnib.ca/en/living/braille/Pages/Transcribers-UEB-Course.aspx

• UEB Rulebook http://www.iceb.org/The%20Rules%20of%20Unified%20English%20Braille20100617.pdf

• Technical Guidelines• http://www.iceb.org/Guidelines_for_Technical_Material_2

008-10.pdf

Useful Websites for more Information

• International Council on English Braille (ICEB) http://www.iceb.org/ueb.html

• UK Association for Accessible formats (UKAAF) http://www.ukaaf.org/

• Royal New Zealand foundation of the Blind (RNZFB) http://www.rnzfb.org.nz/

• Braille Literacy Canada http://brailleliteracycanada.ca/home

Questions