Resources to learn more about braille and accessibility
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- Free Training Courses for Braille Transcribers Working with NIMAS Files, Duxbury/NimPro: Textbook Transcription from Start to Finish Stacy demonstrates braille transcription of NIMAS files using Duxbury Braille Translator and NimPro in this 6-part training series.
- Sign up with the NIMAC to join the quarterly Duxbury User Group webinars. Stacy facilitates these online user group meetings. Each meeting starts with a short demonstration of a specific braille topic on how to successfully use Duxbury products for accurate translation followed by a discussion and Q&A. We have lots of fun! On the NIMAC site when signing up, in the field "Here is my question or comment:" ask to join the Duxbury User Group. There is also a Braille2000 User Group.
- Beyond Quests with Reck, talking about LitRPG Con and the accessibility of all the novels we love Stacy joined author Reck Well to discuss braille and ways authors can leverage accessible practices in their eBooks and online presence. Reck's series Stumbling Up is available in braille!
- Duxbury Systems transcription software DBT, SWIFT, and QuickTac Stacy uses Duxbury Systems products in her braille transcription practices and enjoys training others in their use.
- The BANA template is installed with DBT. The location on your Windows computer for Microsoft Word templates is C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates. Ensure "Hidden Items" is shown.
- DuxUser Discussion Group An online forum discussion for Duxbury users
- Braille code books are on the BANA Braille Authority of North America website: Braille Formats, Crafts and Hobbies, Early Learning Materials, Languages Other Than English, Nemeth Code, Graphing Calculator Guidelines (UEB), Music Braille, and Tactile Graphics.
- Braille certification courses at NFB National Federation of the Blind
- Braille2000 transcription software
- Braille Blaster transcription software
- Tactile Macros for CorelDraw Stacy uses these macros for a quick and effortless way to manipulate tactile graphics in CorelDraw. Change text to braille, change literary numbers to Nemeth and vice versa, create graphs, pie charts, and more. The instructions on this site for installing the macros are amazing and a breeze to follow.
- Editing Graphics for the Blind: A manual with examples, and for the interested layman a pictorial overview by Marco Schuffelen Excellent explanations and examples are on this site, such as omitting the opening of a container. Stacy has followed this practice ever since reading this site.
- Get the Braille29 font in the ViewPlus Tiger Font Installer.
- Tactile drawings using only braille cells is a fun way to liven up in-class materials for students! Mountbatten's website has Marie Porter’s book: “So What About Drawing?” (scroll down to the bottom of the page)
- Also, check out Creating Braille Art with a Perkins Brailler for even more.
Professional organizations, abbreviations, and definitions
- APH – American Printing House
- APH Hive & Access Academy
- BANA – Braille Authority of North America
- Sign up for Braille Refreshers
- BRF – Braille Ready File
- CTEBVI
- EBAE – English Braille American Edition (deprecated)
- eBraille
- ICEB – International Council on English Braille
- IPA – International Phonetic Alphabet
- NBA – National Braille Association
- NIMAC
- NIMAS – National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard
- OCALI
- TGIL – Tactile Graphics Image Library
- UEB – Unified English Braille