Braille and Accessible Formats FAQs

The braille code was developed by Louis Braille in the 1820s. A full history of Louis Braille and the braille code can be found here.

For the answer to this question, we defer to the Braille Authority of North America (BANA). The word "braille" should be capitalized when referring to Louis Braille. The word "braille" should not be capitalized when referring to the code developed by Louis Braille. For the full text of the position statement, click here.

No. Neither of these methods produce a large print document that is considered accessible. Only certain fonts are considered accessible and generally formatting changes are required. For a full set of the rules regarding large print documents, please click here.

That depends. If the PDF is searchable, it can be used in the reader. If it's not searchable, it can't be used.

A PDF is an optical image of a file; the text is not recognized separately. A searchable PDF has the text added to the file so it can be searched and read. One way to think of the difference is a PDF is a picture of the document/book and a searchable PDF is a picture of the page with words in a separate layer added to the picture.

The easiest way to know is to open the PDF and try a search. In the search bar of the PDF viewer, search for a word that you know is in the document. If the text is found, it's a searchable PDF. If not, it's an optic PDF.

Yes! Contact our office for pricing.

Given the prevalence of audiobooks and the lower cost, we understand that audiobooks may be an option for the blind and visually impaired. However, not all books are available as audiobooks. In addition, public signage for the blind and visually impaired is in braille. Reading also uses a different skill set than listening. Just as it isn't acceptable for a sighted student to not learn to read, it shouldn't be acceptable for a blind or visually impaired student to not learn to read. Illiteracy, in any form, should never be acceptable.

Imagine if you, a sighted person, sat down in a restaurant and, instead of handing you a menu, the server read your options to you. Personally, as an adult, I would be insulted. I am capable of reading the menu on my own; I don't need help. It's the same for a blind or visually impaired (BVI) person. She or he can read the menu independently – they just need it in a form they can read. This also allows the BVI person, as a self-sufficient person, the chance to read the menu at their leisure and, if they like, go back and reread options without occupying the server.

Yes and no. First, this method produces uncontracted braille (see the answer below regarding contracted vs. uncontracted braille). Second, the translation may not produce the correct braille character for symbols other than the alphabet. It's always best to have a certified transcriber look at the braille to determine if it's correct.

No braille transcription program is perfect. Even the best and latest transcription programs make errors in transcriptions. A certified transcriber should look at the transcription and correct any errors before the material is given to the BVI person.

All braille should be checked by a certified braille transcriptionist, preferably a certified braille proofreader. Ask if your sign producer has their braille checked for accuracy by certified personnel. If not, our office is here to help. Contact us for pricing.

A NIMAS file is is an electronic version of a book in XML format.

A NIMAS file is considered a pre-production product, not an end result. Some conversion required and a direct transcription would not be the best product available. For more information on NIMAS files, please click here.

Yes! The current English braille code is Unified English Braille (UEB). English braille has two forms: uncontracted and contracted braille. Technical materials, including math and science, can be transcribed using UEB Technical or Nemeth code. In addition, each foreign language has its own braille code with special characters for letters that don't appear in standard English, for example, accented letters. Music is transcribed using the Braille Music Code. IPA Braille is used to transcribe materials written phonetically. Prior to UEB, the code for English braille was English Braille, American Edition (EBAE). UEB was adopted by the United States as the standard braille code in 2013 and implemented in 2016.

Uncontracted braille is braille in which every word is spelled out letter for letter. In contracted braille, certain words and letter combinations are represented by a special braille character. Uncontracted braille is generally used only by beginner braille learners. Contracted braille is used by proficient braille readers and is the standard for transcriptions. Contracted braille is also used for all braille signage.

 Yes! Braille itself is a fixed-width font meaning each braille character, also called a cell, is always the same size. There are guidelines indicating the size of each braille cell, which can be accessed here. There is also Jumbo, or large cell, Braille. Jumbo braille cells are larger than regular braille cells. Jumbo braille was developed for beginner braille learners and persons with reduced sensitivity in their fingers. 

 Since braille is a fixed-width font, a braille book cannot have the font size adjusted to make the book smaller.