Topic 1.2: Rationale of Advanced English Braille
The advanced English Braille was designed to deal with a wide range of subject matter at all levels of complexity while not drastically changing what makes the original six-dot Braille script easy to understand. It is systematically constructed so that as new symbols are introduced into the code, they don’t conflict with those already in the code. It is also well-suited to technical use, so it is amenable to computer translation either from Braille to print or from print to Braille without the inaccuracies of previous Braille systems.
1.2.1 The reasons of advanced English Braille for individuals
Advanced English Braille makes it easier to learn, read and write math in Braille for both primary and secondary school students. It retains the familiar single-cell signs for outer quotes, and offers a range of symbols for inner quotes. It uses specific two-cell signs for accent marks, rather than the non-specific accent sign (Papasalouros and Tsolomitis, 2017).
It bears more consistency, less ambiguity, and fewer exceptions to Braille rules that will make Braille easier to produce and may remove some barriers people have while learning Braille.
- Advanced English Braille shows more symbols in Braille that gives the Braille reader better access to the same information that is available to print readers.
- Computer translation and back-translation could be produced more quickly and with less human intervention.
- It reduces errors and ambiguity experienced by those who read contracted Braille on refreshable Braille displays. Braille displays are the equivalent of a screen on a desktop computer or mobile device.
- Improve back-translation of Braille that is written using electronic devices, so that Braille users can write in Braille to communicate easily and accurately with non-Braille users.
- Increases the timeliness of many types of Braille production by permitting transcribers to put more focus on the advanced aspects of Braille production rather than spending time on routine matters.
- Reduces the labor required with Braille production, giving teachers more time to spend with the students instead of Brailing materials for them.
- Minimize, to some extent, difficulties experienced by a reader who is required to read computer-produced Braille that has been transcribed by someone who has not been properly trained in Braille transcription.
1.2.2 The major changes of Advanced English Braille
Advanced English Braille retains the general-purpose literary code as its base, while allowing the addition of new symbols, providing flexibility for changes as print changes, reducing the complexity of certain rules, and allowing greater accuracy in back translation.
The major changes include:
Spacing: Words that were written together such as "and the" were mandated to have a space between them as they do in print.
Elimination of some contractions: Owing to translation difficulties and confusion with other symbols, "ally," "ation," "ble," "by," "com," "dd,” "into," "o'clock," and "to" were removed from Advanced English Braille.
Punctuation: A few punctuation marks, such as parentheses, were changed, while symbols for brackets, quotation marks, dashes, and others were added.
Indicators: Bold, underline, and italics each has its own indicator in Advanced English Braille.
Math symbols: Operational symbols such as plus and equals were incorporated. The code for letters and numbers are the same as they are in the literary code
