Newsletter - December 2020

In This Issue

1. President's Message (Natalie Martiniello, BLC President)
2. Join us for the World Braille Day celebration - January 4, 2021
3. Save the date for our 30th Anniversary Presidential Panel - January 30, 2021
4. A note from Debbie Sitar (Debbie Sitar, a former president of the Canadian Braille Authority)
5. Ontario Regional Braille Challenge 2021 - Register by January 15, 2021
6. ICEB Press Release: Braille code grows to match ever-changing print
7. Connecting The Dots Presentation: My Life As A Braille Zoomer (Shelley Ann Morris)
8. A lot can happen in 30 years (Jen Goulden, BLC Past President)
9. How did CBA (now BLC) come to be? (Darleen Bogart, a former president of the Canadian Braille Authority)
10. Some thoughts on the early days of the Canadian Braille Authority (Betty Nobel, a former president of the Canadian Braille Authority)
11. 30 years of literary superheroes (Ashley Shaw, BLC Director)
12. A timeline of key events in BLC/CBA's history
13. A look back at refreshable braille devices and technology (Debbie Gillespie, a former president of the Canadian Braille Authority)
14. Roland Galarneau: A Canadian innovator in braille technology
15. Getting to know the BLC board of directors
16. Do you have an old Perkins brailler you don't need?
17. Free Braille Books Available
18. Social Media Updates

President's Message

By Natalie Martiniello, BLC President

Dear BLC friends,

For 30 years, the Canadian Braille Authority (Braille Literacy Canada) has represented the Canadian braille community, both in Canada and on an international stage. The impact of this legacy is all around us. As we look back on where we have been, this is a time to celebrate all that we have accomplished as a community. BLC continues to play a pivotal role in the world of braille. With our decision to adopt Unified English Braille in 2010, we joined other English-speaking countries in ensuring that braille will more easily be shared across borders and across subject matters in future years. Alongside the establishment of vital legislation like the Marrekesh treaty and the proliferation of low cost braille devices, these developments will bring braille into the hands of more people than ever before. BLC will continue to advocate alongside our fellow ICEB member countries, and the power of our voice is reflective of the passion and dedication each of our individual members bring.

Over the years, we have initiated and participated in numerous research projects which have made important contributions. Through our past board members and volunteers, we have explored the characteristics of braille reading children, put forth recommendations for the competencies that teachers of braille reading and writing should have, and drawn attention to the early factors which contribute to the reading achievement of braille learners.

Through the expertise of our many transcribers, proofreaders and code experts, we have developed and published numerous guidelines, including those on braille signage which take into account the unique context of both our official languages and guidelines on the development of transactional documents.

We have also evolved as an organization, though our core values and mandate remain the same. Through the advocacy of our members, we have engaged in consultations for the newly developed Accessible Canada Act, provided guidance to museums and libraries on the inclusion of braille and tactile graphics, and engaged in public education initiatives within classrooms across the country.

We now have a growing website, a social media presence on multiple platforms, and numerous committees which communicate both by email and through Zoom. We are more connected to our members than ever before, with the introduction of regular virtual braille workshops beginning in 2016, a bimonthly online newsletter for our members, and more recently, the establishment of the Braille Zoomers program which provides a virtual platform for adult braille learners to network and learn from each other. On December 4th we even held an online braille trivia night that more than 30 people attended!

Our Brailler Bounce program, initially established by Myra Rodrigues, continues to place braillers into the hands of braille users across the country, and our Edie Mourre scholarship, in tribute to a dedicated longtime member, supports those who are pursuing careers as transcribers and proofreaders.

Each of these initiatives began as a spark and idea of a member, and I have no doubt that this legacy will continue to grow in the next 30 years ahead.

At its core, our organization remains the same. While each of these initiatives are invaluable, there is something even more significant about what we represent. We are passionate about braille because we are passionate about literacy. It is as simple and as vital as that. The ability to read and write provides a convenient method for recording information, yet at a broader level, it also permanently entrenches the writer's place within history. History becomes the story of all those who have been in a position to write it. For these reasons, reading and writing is inherently distinct from other methods of communication. In every society, it is literacy alone (the ability to read and write) that is empirically shown to lift people out of poverty and to elevate the life chances of individuals. The introduction of braille not only gave us a method for reading and writing - it changed the course of our history. It brought true education and more gainful employment. It provided us with a forum to express our views and write our own stories. Freedom. Flexibility. Empowerment. Dignity. Privacy. Independence. Choice. That is why braille matters.

On behalf of the entire board, I would like to thank each of you for your contributions and for making BLC what it continues to be today. I especially celebrate each of our past board members, and in particular, the leadership shown by each of our Past Presidents.

As you will see in this newsletter, we are planning a very special Presidential Panel event in honour of this legacy and as a celebration of all that will surely follow in the next 30 years. In this issue, you will also learn about a very special World Braille Day event we are participating in alongside other organizations, through the leadership of the National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS). You will also gain a sneak peak on the impressive historical timeline several of our members have helped us to create, as a way to mark some of the key milestones of our organization.

Wherever you find yourself this holiday season, we send you good wishes for health, happiness, safety and a 2021 filled with positivity, new adventures, and of course, lots of fantastic braille books close at reach! And from each of us to you, happy 30th anniversary to Braille Literacy Canada!

Yours truly,
Natalie Martiniello, Ph.D.
President, Braille Literacy Canada

Join us for the World Braille Day celebration - January 4, 2021

In celebration of World Braille Day, Braille Literacy Canada (BLC), the Canadian Council of the Blind (CCB), the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA), the Canadian Federation of the Blind (CFB), the National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS), and Vision Impaired Resource Network (VIRN) are organizing an online event on Monday, January 4, 2021.

This celebration of braille literacy is open to people of all ages who are curious about braille, either practically, professionally, or somewhere in between! Target audiences include new braille readers, users, library staff, and educators. The celebration will be conducted virtually on Zoom.

Check out all of the details and find out how you can participate by visiting www.nnels.ca/WorldBrailleDay.

We'd love to have your participation at this event and would appreciate it if you could share this information widely with your networks. If you have any questions, contact braille@nnels.ca.

Save the date for our 30th Anniversary Presidential Panel - January 30, 2021

On Saturday, January 30th, 2021 at 1pm Eastern (11am Pacific/12pm Mountain/1pm Saskatchewan/Manitoba, 2pm Atlantic), Braille Literacy Canada will host a Presidential Panel in honour of BLC's 30th anniversary.

During this event, many of BLC/CBA's past presidents will join in an open conversation reflecting on where BLC/CBA and braille have been, and where BLC/CBA and braille will take us in the years to come.

More information to come - but put the date in your calendars!

A note from Debbie Sitar

By Debbie Sitar, a former president of the Canadian Braille Authority

As a Past President of the Canadian Braille Authority (now BLC/LBC), it is with pleasure I congratulate our organization on its 30th Anniversary.

I am looking forward to participating in the 30th Anniversary Presidential Panel in January. Over the many years since its inception, BLC/LBC has made major contributions to blind and visually impaired persons in Canada and the world.

It is an honour to be a part of this group of dedicated stakeholders!

Ontario Regional Braille Challenge 2021 - Register by January 15, 2021

The Braille Challenge is a national program of the Braille Institute and is the only academic competition of its kind in North America for students (grades 1-12) who are blind or partially sighted! This annual competition invites students to compete in Braille Challenge events throughout the United States and Canada. Contestants are divided into five age/grade levels and are tested on fundamental braille skills. Learn more about The Braille Challenge in this short YouTube video!

Learning Through Competition!

Regional Braille Challenge contestants are tested on fundamental braille skills such as reading comprehension, spelling, speed and accuracy, and proofreading. The top 50 students throughout North America (10 in each category) with the highest scores are invited to compete in the final round!

Ontario Regional Braille Challenge

From March 1-10, 2021 a variety of virtual and in-person testing options for students across Ontario will be supported. Taking into consideration future COVID-19 Health and Safety Recommendations:

• W. Ross Macdonald School for the Blind (Brantford) may offer students the opportunity for in-person testing at the school in early March.
• Toronto area students may have the opportunity for in-person testing at the CNIB Foundation GTA Community Hub.
• Students may compete from home or school (with either in-person or remote proctoring).

Save The Date: March 21, 2021

We are hosting an exciting virtual celebration of braille literacy and everyone is invited! If you love braille, know someone who does, or are braille curious, you will want to join us for fun foundational braille activities!

Ontario Regional Braille Challenge winners will be announced, and prizes will be awarded!

Registration Deadline: January 15, 2021

Have questions? Ready to register for the Ontario Braille Challenge?

Please contact Rhonda Underhill-Gray, Program Lead Beyond the Classroom & SCORE:

Ph: 647-535-8962
Email: rhonda.underhill-gray@cnib.ca

ICEB Press Release: Braille code grows to match ever-changing print

From 18 October 2020 through to 22 October 2020 the International Council on English Braille (ICEB) held its seventh General Assembly via Zoom. This event was proudly hosted jointly by the UK Association for Accessible Formats (UKAAF) and the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB).

ICEB has seven member countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom and the United States. The General Assembly welcomed attendees from 14 countries, and many other countries around the world benefit from ICEB's work through their use of Unified English Braille.

During the daily three hour sessions we heard presentations, participated in discussions and resolutions, welcomed a new ICEB Executive and during the breaks were treated to audio postcard sessions sharing information about places in the United Kingdom.

Please visit http://iceb.org/GA20.html to hear full recordings and to watch paper presentation videos on the topics of braille learning and literacy, braille technology and braille music. This event was an amazing and informative General Assembly.

ICEB Executive acknowledges the dedication and hard work to all those involved in making this Seventh General Assembly a great success.

As elected at the General Assembly, ICEB welcomes its Executive Committee for the next four year term:

• President: Judy Dixon (USA)
• Immediate Past President: Christo de Klerk (South Africa)
• Vice-President: Ilka Stäglin (Ireland)
• Secretary: Frances-Mary d'Andrea (USA)
• Treasurer: Jen Goulden (Canada)
• UEB Code Maintenance Committee Chair: Kathy Riessen (Australia)
• Public Relations Officer: Maria Stevens (New Zealand)
• Members at large:
  • James Bowden (UK)
  • Ntshavheni Netshituni (South Africa)
  • Jordie Howell (Australia)
• Invited expert: Mary Schnackenberg (New Zealand)

Connecting The Dots Presentation: My Life As A Braille Zoomer

By Shelley Ann Morris

The Braille Zoomers group is an initiative of Braille Literacy Canada that assists adults and older adults who want to refresh and renew previous Braille skills or, like me, learn about braille for the first time. This group meets on the first Saturday of each month, using the Zoom platform. I have been involved with the Braille Zoomers since its inception in April 2020. The pandemic has given me a perfect opportunity to learn a new skill.

I was born with no sight in my right eye, and 'tunnel vision' and poor acuity in my left. I was not given the opportunity to learn braille when I was a child as it was thought that kids like me with residual sight would never learn to use (and struggle with) the vision we have. For some tasks, it may have been easier and more efficient to use braille.

This group is the perfect place for adults who want to learn braille -- we are provided with tips, suggestions, resources, guidance and encouragement -- makes you feel like you can learn braille at any stage and any age. Talking with people all across Canada who are similar in age, learning (and in some cases, re-learning) braille is highly motivating. While there may be additional challenges to learning braille later in life, these too can be overcome. The Braille Zoomers Group includes all kinds of people whose braille stories are as different as they are. I can still read print and I do know what letters look like and how they are shaped so some of my references are different from those of someone who has never read visually -- some braille letters may look or feel like their visual counterparts.

The Braille Zoomers Program provides additional resources such as summary notes, links to helpful videos and other resources. Soon, we will have practice sheets of braille to keep up our learning. Many of the summary notes are generated from Zoomers' exchange and sharing of ideas and strategies to encourage and increase learning.

I want to learn braille because I am a lifelong learner and want to keep my mind active. It is unlikely that I will lose vision as my eye condition is stable, however, it is a good skill to have, in case my vision declines unexpectedly. Along with print and text-to-speech, having more ways to access words is best.

There are many practical uses for braille. Making labels for easy identification of items, sending greetings to my braille-user friends, accessing elevator buttons and signage (post-pandemic!). One of my biggest inspirations for learning braille was watching my co-host Kim Kilpatrick flawlessly reading announcements in braille when we were on the air co-hosting a radio show on CKCU FM. I hopelessly struggled to position a paper document and a microphone.

Through the Braille Zoomers, I became aware of excellent resources such as the Braille Superstore and the Hadley School-I have completed Hadley's Tactile Readiness course and will soon begin learning the braille alphabet. My instructor Angie is amazing, and has helped to design a very personalized learning approach that works well with the challenges I experience and the time that I have available.

I found out that learning braille is a lot like learning how to read print with my eyes. I'd have to go slow -- I was encouraged to take some small steps, to be patient and pace myself as my fingers will get tired just as eyes do when learning print. Like touch-typing, part of learning braille for me involves developing muscle memory for writing braille and the trust that my fingertips would some day allow me to translate the raised dots into meaningful words and numbers.

My next steps are to keep working my way through the excellent courses available through the Hadley school, continue to attend the Braille Zoomers monthly meetings and learn how to write braille, too.

I could not have taken part as a Braille Zoomer without first learning how to use the Zoom platform through the Canadian Council of the Blind's Get Together With Technology (GTT) program.

For general questions and more information about Braille Literacy Canada at info@blc-lbc.ca.

For information about Braille Zoomers, please contact Natalie Martiniello at president@blc-lbc.ca.

A lot can happen in 30 years

By Jen Goulden, BLC Past President

I was a high school student in 1990 when BLC (then the Canadian Braille Authority) was founded. To say that technology has changed since then is a huge understatement. Cellphones were still called carphones and only the very wealthy could afford them. This is equally true of braille transcription. In 1990 the process of converting print to braille was still primarily done with presses and Perkins braillers. Electronic braille software such as the Duxbury Braille Translator was still relatively new, and very few people had access to its benefits.

There are lots of things I could say on this topic so I will just highlight a couple of issues. A major difference between braille transcription in 1990 compared with 2020 is that advances in both braille and mainstream technology have made it possible for braille readers to play an active role in the process. Software such as BrailleBlaster and Duxbury are accessible to blind users and thanks to screen readers and braille displays, we actually have greater access to the original content as well.

In addition, automatic translation is now possible and though there are still some errors that need to be addressed by the manufacturers, this has undoubtedly revolutionized braille access.

In October of this year I presented a paper on automated braille at the ICEB 7th General Assembly and I'm including some of the text here in this article.

Whenever I discuss automated braille I usually refer to two different types. The first is achieved by means of an application developed specifically for a given brand and document type, such as bank statements or phone bills. The application extracts and processes text based on its location on the page in the source file. It also looks for specific text, font types or images and applies the tag that will produce the correct braille output. In this way a large number of files can be transcribed simultaneously, saving both cost and time.

The second type of automated braille is the kind of on-the-fly braille conversion that happens when pairing a braille display with an iPhone or connecting to a PC. In this case, the screen reader manufacturer builds braille support into the software so that the information spoken by the screen reader can also be read on a braille display. The reason I consider these to be two separate ways of automating braille is that application development focuses on specific documents and converts them to actual braille files. These can be either electronic or hard copy format. Screen reader braille support (sometimes called instant braille) is more generic. It takes a wide range of input - from emails and texts to Word and EPUB files - and renders it in braille as soon as the user accesses the content. Any braille user who has ever copied Word files to a notetaker or paired a display with an iPhone to read books and send text messages can attest to the many ways that instant access to braille has revolutionized daily life. The main disadvantage for braille readers is that we must all rely on manufacturers to ensure that their products conform to braille rules and that translation tables are updated as needed.

Regardless of the software used to generate braille output, the basic premise is the same. Braille rules have to be coded into the software so it will know how the output should appear. This is especially true for contracted braille. For example, the program needs to know that the "ea" in "tea" cannot be contracted but the "ea" in "teatime" can. It needs to know that "brl" represents "braille" but that this contraction can't be used in symbols-sequences such as print/braille and brailleliteracycanada.ca. Generally the application will employ a dictionary to deal with exceptions or issues that are difficult to code. A website such as rbthydro.com will use the "th" contraction and may have to be added to a dictionary to force uncontraction of these letters.

In both approaches, there is no certified transcriber making modifications to the content. Because of this, the braille output is dictated by the input received and the automated tool converting the original information into braille. Unfortunately this means that typos are not corrected and a poorly designed print document will directly affect the quality of the braille output. In other words, if the original document is convoluted and difficult to follow, the braille version will be the same. Because of this, certified transcribers and proofreaders will always play a critical role in making high-quality braille available.

Given that the world of braille transcription and access has changed so dramatically since 1990, I can only imagine what the next 30 years will bring!

How did CBA (now BLC) come to be?

By Darleen Bogart, a former president of the Canadian Braille Authority

The time was right - not only in Canada but in the rest of the English-speaking world as well.

Integration of the students from the schools for the blind in Canada to their community schools was one of the reasons. Each of those residential schools were responsible for the resources used in their classrooms. Most of the textbooks used at the Ontario school were purchased from the American Printing House for the Blind in the United States and, as a result, were produced in English Braille American Edition. The school in Halifax had its own math code developed by one of its staff. CNIB Library, the primary source of leisure reading in Canada, purchased titles from the UK in Standard English Braille and used that code for Canadian books they produced for the collection.

BANA, the Braille Authority of North America, was founded in 1976. CNIB was one of the original members, and the only Canadian organization that joined.

In 1978 the CNIB National Board officially approved English Braille American Edition as the code to be used for all braille materials produced by CNIB. That not only included the leisure reading titles but also the textbooks for the integrated students in the braille code they knew.

CNIB established the Braille Standards Committee to facilitate the change to the American code for the volunteer transcribers and rehabilitation teachers across the agency. Reciprocal certification with the Library of Congress, National Library Services in the USA was established. The Braille Standards Committee made the decisions for CNIB on any code changes adopted by the Braille Authority of North America.

As education departments started to develop transcription units, invitations were issued to the meetings of the Braille Standards Committee held in conjunction with the CNIB Braille Conference every year to try to expand the representation and to realize one braille standard for Canada.

CNIB also brought together consumers, English and French, in forums to find out what they wanted with regards to braille in Canada.

The result of all of these meetings of Canadians interested in braille was the establishment of the Canadian Braille Authority (CBA). It was an organization to represent all of us: consumers, educators, parents, transcribers and braille producers. It was the organization to make the decisions on braille codes for all of Canada. There were three founding members: CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind), CCB (Canadian Council of the Blind - consumers), and INLB (Institut Nazareth et Louis-Braille) each of whom has its appointed membership on the Board.

BANA had been reaching out to its counterpart in the UK to see if there was interest in closer collaboration and working towards bringing the two English braille codes closer together. International meetings held in 1982 and 1988 resulted in the creation of the International Council on English Braille (ICEB) in 1991. ICEB's members were the braille authorities of English-speaking countries. CBA became the official member for Canada and it has been a strong participant ever since.

Some thoughts on the early days of the Canadian Braille Authority

By Betty Nobel, a former president of the Canadian Braille Authority

I found myself on a flight from Toronto to Vancouver with Fred Poon. He was an entertaining seat companion. When I asked him what he had been doing in Toronto, he said he was on the board of the Canadian Braille Authority (CBA) but about to complete his term. I think that this was sometime in the late 1990s. At that time, I wasn't serving on any volunteer boards. This is hard to imagine now, but Fred was the person who got me to think about volunteering and that started a long career of volunteer service for me. This was not something I had ever considered. I wondered what it would be like to join the CBA board.

I was anxious and excited about my trip to Toronto to attend my first board meeting and AGM. It was winter, and very snowy. We were all staying at the Novotel Hotel. I didn't know any of the other board members. I didn't know where to relieve my dog, and on the first night I almost got lost in a snowstorm.

The people I remember from that first meeting are Arnold Jones, Judy Renard, Mel Graham, Darleen Bogart, Pierre-Paul Boulanger and Edie Mourre. What I remember most is how much Edie laughed during dinner. She was so effervescent and full of life. Over the years I met many different people: Larry Carlson, Herb Essenberg, Pierre-Paul Boulanger, Bonnie Read, Linda Stirrett, Jacques Côté and many more. All of these people had very different personalities, but they all had one thing in common - they were passionate about braille.

There were many committees: English and French Braille Standards, Newsletter and others. In the early days, proceedings were quite formal and very organized. But things got really interesting when some wonderful educators joined the board. Cay Holbrook and Anne MacCuspie were able to provide the impetus for braille research. I learned so much from them. We started doing major projects such as the Tactile Graphics Standards, Braille Competency for Teachers, Standards for Teachers of Braille Reading and Writing, a manual for classroom teachers of braille-using students, the ABC Study, Characteristics of Braille Reading and Writing and the UEB project. So much wonderful work was done. They really "put CBA on the map".

Darleen Bogart introduced me to braille internationally through her work in ICEB. I very much enjoyed learning about the use of braille in other countries. It was a thrill to be a part of the shaping of UEB along with many other people dedicated to braille. Being a part of ICEB allows us to share expertise and resources. It makes the braille world seem bigger.

As we worked on braille projects we also had a lot of fun, and we saw a lot of our beautiful country with meetings held coast to coast. Somehow, one night, my dog and Debbie Gillespie's dog got switched. That was probably the funniest incident. I am sure that there were other crazy things that happened, but they haven't stayed in my memory. I remember Constance Craig showing me tactile graphics. Mary Anne Epp worked on CBA Publication guidelines and the guidelines for the production of electronic text that are still used today. The organization has achieved so much in its thirty years of existence.

I am grateful to have known many wonderful people like Debbie Sitar, Freya Martineau, Laura Roy, Roy McConnell and so many more. Being on the board was a wonderful experience. It taught me so much about braille and about life. What has also struck me as I have been thinking about the history of CBA is the dedication of all of the sighted transcribers I have met. They don't have to use braille, but they really care about it and love to produce it. They have made a difference for many people who are blind. Braille is important to all of us. Braille is literacy. What would sighted people do without print? The same is true for people who read braille. It is alive and well and very useful. CBA, now Braille Literacy Canada (BLC), has made it so.

Now, it is people like Natalina Martiniello, Jen Goulden, Kim Kilpatrick and others who are making braille history. They have brought Canada's braille authority into the modern age by ensuring that the website is updated and that our Facebook and Twitter accounts are kept up. Braille users are now more connected. New learners are getting the help they need to learn braille.

And so, the legacy of the CBA lives on.

30 years of literary superheroes

By Ashley Shaw, BLC Director

The year Braille Literacy Canada was born, I was a 4-year-old growing up in central Ontario. Most children at that age are developing pre-literacy and early literacy skills in preparation for starting school, and I was no different. As I reflect on some of the puzzle pieces that have made my relationship with braille a successful one, I realize that it takes a team of literacy superheroes to help a braille learner succeed.

The first role I'd like to talk about is the learner's family or friends. My parents have been invaluable sources of support throughout my educational journey, especially when it comes to braille. My mother worked with early intervention and independent living specialists while I was a toddler to learn braille herself. A Perkins brailler was loaned to us, and she created braille labels for many of the common household objects I touched on a daily basis. These efforts meant that even before I learned to read, I was accustomed to touching text and paying attention to texture. As I started school and itinerant teachers of the visually impaired became involved, my mother worked with them to make sure I was practicing the braille skills they taught me at school while I was at home. Over the years Mom provided short-order transcription for last-minute worksheets at school, hymns at church, and other materials to support my literacy and learning.

The second role in my literacy superhero team was filled by braille educators. My first braille teachers were early intervention and independent living specialists who used toys, games, and books to activate my lifelong love of the written word. These folks were creative, innovative, curious, and loved opening up endless worlds of possibilities for children who are blind. Once I started school, itinerant teachers of the visually impaired continued my braille education, incorporating math codes and French braille. These amazing teachers supported me by transcribing from print to braille and braille to print, and teaching me to use tools ranging from a slayte and stylus to embossers and early braille note-taking devices.

Last but not least, I want to mention the braille transcribers, proofreaders and producers. My team of literacy superheroes would not be complete without these folks working tirelessly behind the scenes. Some of the braille I accessed as a child was provided by the CNIB library, or transcription specialists who worked for the board of education. Sometimes transcription and production simply required duplicating text, at other times it required the production of image descriptions, tactile graphics, music notation, and equations. Wherever the braille came from, I am beyond grateful for all the hard work and skill that has gone into every braille document I've read over the past 30 years.

Braille Literacy Canada has likewise been working for the past 3 decades to ensure that as many Canadians as possible have access to their own team of literacy superheroes.

Take the time today to thank your own literacy superheroes, and become a literacy superhero in the life of a braille learner.

Happy anniversary BLC!

A timeline of key events in BLC/CBA's history

Editor's Note: Here is a snapshot of the historical timeline that we are developing. More dates will be added in the weeks ahead!

Date	Event	Additional Details
June 1990	Inaugural meeting of the Canadian Braille Authority (CBA)	Held at Lake Joseph Centre, CNIB.
1995	CBA represents Canada at the first general assembly of the International Council on English Braille (ICEB)	Seven Oaks, Kent, UK - Held every 4 years, each member country can send a maximum of 4 delegates. Half of whom must be braille users.
January 2001	President of the Canadian Braille Authority attends the International Council on English Braille mid-term Executive meeting	Auckland New Zealand
April 2004	CBA hosts third ICEB general assembly in Toronto	Following the ICEB meeting, CBA board voted to begin UEB trial production and research across Canada. Conducting workshops on UEB, sessions were created targeting specific stakeholder groups. Braille users, educators, braille producers, proofreaders, and transcribers.
April 2005	CBA begins holding the AGM in cities across the country	First stop Halifax, in conjunction with the Canadian Vision Teachers' Conference
April 2007	Edie Mourre Scholarship launched.	Commemorating a long-time braille transcriber and teacher at CNIB Winnipeg. This later became a permanent endowment in November 2018.
April 2010	CBA voted to adopt UEB. Paving the way for implementation in Canada.
June 2012	UEB Summit, Vancouver	Brought together Educators, braille producers, proofreaders, and transcribers to develop workplan for rolling out UEB in Canada
2013	CBA rebranding, name changed to Braille Literacy Canada (BLC)	Launched new website including the ability to accept online payment of membership fees
May 2014	First virtual AGM, held via conference call
January 2015	Launch of the Brailler Bounce Initiative	A central repository was created. Donated Perkins braillers are refurbished and given to individuals who submitted a request.
September 2015	Launch of bi-monthly email newsletter
January 2016	BLC begins hosting bi-monthly teleconferences.	Topics range from technology of current braille devices to the Canadian copyright act pertaining to braille materials. Sessions designed for target audiences including Parents, teachers, new braille learners and zoomers.
January 2017	BLC holds Focus Group Consultation on National Disability Rights Legislation Under development at the time
May 2018	Launch of the President's award	Presented annually, the award is given to those who have made a significant contribution in the field of braille. The inaugural recipient was Darleen Bogart.
January 2019	BLC hosts a social media campaign in honour of World Braille Day	Hashtag #braille trends in Canada
June 2019	BLC participates in a consultation process on incorporating braille and museum accessibility at the Royal Museum in Victoria
April 2020	Launch of the virtual peer support program for adult braille learners (Braille Zoomers)
June 2020	BLC launches YouTube channel

A look back at refreshable braille devices and technology

By Debbie Gillespie, a former president of the Canadian Braille Authority

When the Canadian Braille Authority (now Braille Literacy Canada) was founded in 1990, there was not the plethora of choice for a braille display that we have today. The line length was 80 or 40 cells. Due to the steep price tag (around $7,000 for a 40-cell display) these devices were primarily found in work settings.

Back then, you connected the braille display using a cable to a computer through a serial or parallel port. No USB or Bluetooth. Cursor routing was patented in the US in 1991. With the original Dutch patent in 1987. The Piezoelectric braille cell was used by most manufacturers. There were no braille input keys on the display to edit text. This was done using the PC keyboard. And those PC's were primarily desktop computers running DOS.

Popular Braille devices at the time:

• VersaBraille from Telesensory Systems,
• Braillex from Papenmeier, and the
• Braille 'n Speak and later the Braille Lite with a refreshable display from Blazie Engineering.

By the mid-90s, laptops replaced desktop computers. They were heavy and bulky with a battery life of about 4 hours, making it necessary to carry the AC adapter for charging, and possibly a second adapter to power the braille display. Cables were still required to connect the laptop and braille display together, adding to the weight you had to carry! Imagine going to a meeting, hauling your display and laptop on your back. And when you arrived, reconnecting the display and laptop to read the agenda, or take notes in braille.

As the braille notetaker market developed and technology improved, the braille user was no longer tied to a computer if opting for a notetaker, eliminating the need for those annoying cables. Though laptops had a battery, some braille displays did not, making it necessary to sit near an outlet to plug in the braille display. I used an Alva 340 and thanked my lucky stars it had a battery power supply that simply recharged when you returned to your desk and plugged in the AC cord. Marvelous! However, there was a real tradeoff. Though Notetakers were more convenient, they did not use off-the-shelf technology and relied on customized software.

Today, there is so much choice available to the braille user.

• Storage media: Onboard memory or SD card
• Pairing your display to a phone or PC
• Choosing a Bluetooth or USB connection
• Input method: Braille screen input on your phone or using a braille or qwerty keyboard
• The number of cells on the display, and even more than one line of braille is available on the Canute 360 braille display. Great for determining format of a document or reading a calendar.

The future is looking great for braille, particularly when you factor in lower cost braille devices.

You may well ask, what would I like to see next? A flexible page refreshable braille display, that when needed, I could take out, fold when done and put in my pocket or bag when not in use.

Roland Galarneau: A Canadian innovator in braille technology

By Daphne Hitchcock, BLC Vice-President

Take a step back in time and visit with Roland Galarneau, a remarkable Canadian whose ground-breaking ingenuity forever changed the way people thought about the production of braille. Galarneau, born in 1922 in Hull, Quebec, attended L'Institut Nazareth, the Canadian school for the blind. On graduation he put his plans for post secondary education on hold, as funds were not available to pursue a university degree. However, this did not stifle his creativity nor deter Galarneau from developing his ideas.

With a keen interest in engineering, Galarneau took to his basement workshop, and was instrumental in creating a number of inventions. Much of his knowledge was self taught, and he also went on to complete post-secondary courses in engineering while attending the University of Ottawa. Working a day job, Galarneau was employed as a machinist. During his free time he continued to develop his plans at home.

Galarneau had an idea: if print could be "electronically" converted into braille, than the transcription of books could be done faster. During the 1960s, Galarneau deconstructed braillewriters and learned how different models worked. He applied this knowledge and developed a prototype - a machine he called the Converto-Braille. Others became interested in his work, invested in his project and started to work with Galarneau. A company was formed and the Converto-Braille was produced.

The resulting Converto-Braille machine had many components, including an electromagnetic tyoewriter, a number of radio relays and more than 100,000 connections. It was capable of scanning print and then transforming the print into braille at a speed of approximately 100 words per minute. In the years that followed, the Converto-Braille evolved and moved to using computer chips as well as a computer, and it acted as a braille terminal. This was revolutionary. Galarneau's invention caught the interest of Telesensory Systems Inc. in California. After acquiring the rights for Galarneau's invention, the machine was soon marketed as the Versapoint Printer. It was in great demand and marketed around the world.

The Converto-Braille machine is part of a collection found at the Canadian Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa, Ontario.

In 1976, Galarneau received the Order of Canada in recognition of his dedication to increasing accessibility for blind and low vision students who were attending post-secondary institutions. Roland Galarneau was a true pioneer in accessibility and a Canadian of note, advancing the mass production of braille. He died in 2011.

For more information, please see https://envisioningtechnologies.omeka.net/exhibits/show/roland-garlaneau-and-the-conve/roland-galarneau-and-the-conve.

Getting to know the BLC board of directors

Braille Literacy Canada is governed and the day-to-day operations overseen by a volunteer board of directors representing consumers and other braille users, transcribers, producers, educators, and our founding organizations (CNIB, CCB, and INLB). In this edition of the newsletter we are profiling three of the current board members. Watch this space in future editions to learn more about other members of the board!

Natalina Martiniello - President

Who are you?

My name is Natalie and I am the President of BLC and a lifelong, enthusiastic braille reader. I taught braille for several years as a rehabilitation specialist, and now am a braille and blindness researcher at the University of Montreal.

When did you start learning braille? Tell us your favourite braille related memory.

I started learning braille in the first grade. At the time (and until about age 14) I still had some usable sight and could also read print, though my sight deteriorated over time. I remain eternally grateful that my parents had the foresight to advocate for me to learn braille. It meant that I could continue reading and writing and doing all the things I wanted to even after I lost the rest of my sight. It also meant that I had the choice to use braille when it was a better option than print, even when I was still a dual print and braille user. I have so many great braille memories, because I have always loved reading.

I remember sitting on the kitchen floor in my parents house, flipping through my favourite braille stories, or reading a braille book under the covers, even after bedtime. I remember bringing my first braille book home - a print braille book with a raised picture of a hand. I remember placing my hand over that picture (my hand was much smaller!) and thinking: I am just like the character in this book. I can read braille, too! I remember my first TVI helping me make braille Valentine's cards for my classmates to decipher, and feeling like the classroom superstar because everyone wanted to learn how the braille code worked. I was so excited each summer, waiting for the CNIB summer reading program braille catalog to arrive. All in all, memories of braille are just synonymous with memories of joy, comfort, pride and a lot of fun!

Anything about your braille background you'd like to share?

Before my election as BLC President in 2018, I served as BLC's secretary since 2014. I have also served on various committees over the years, and have been inspired by all the hard working and dedicated members I have met along the way.

Just a few weeks ago, I successfully defended a Ph.D. where my research focused on the learning and use of braille in adulthood. This was a very exciting milestone for me, and I look forward to pushing this work forward in future years.

Tell us a bit about what you do for BLC, and what you like about it?

As President, I oversee all of our board work and committees, and I am empowered by the dedication that our members and volunteers show each day to push our initiatives forward. I also serve as the Canadian representative on the research committee of the International Council on English Braille (ICEB). You can always contact me by writing to president@blc-lbc.ca.

I am excited about all of our initiatives. One new project BLC launched this past year is the Braille Zoomers initiative. This is a virtual peer-support program for adult and older adult braille learners. We meet monthly to share tips, resources and to network, and we also host a listserv for members to continue communicating between sessions. We recently also started providing "braille starter kits" to adult braille learners, thanks to the generosity of our donors. BLC believes strongly that braille training should be provided by qualified professionals and through publically funded agencies, but we hope that this program provides that vital link to fellow adult braille learners that is so important, though sometimes lacking. We are excited to see how this initiative evolves in future years, and I thank all those who have volunteered to make it a success. Write to us to learn more on how to participate or support this program: info@blc-lbc.ca.

Tell us about one gem (e.g. a page or resource) on the BLC website you want members to know about

There is so much on the website! I encourage you to browse through the pages at www.brailleliteracycanada.ca. There, you will also learn more about how to follow us on social media. We invite you to follow us on Twitter (@brllitcan), like us on Facebook, and connect with us on LinkedIn. This is a great way to stay up to date about upcoming news and events. You can also follow the "become a member" link, to complete your membership online (individual membership is $20) - and this is a good reminder - the membership year begins on January 1st each year!

What do you want parents, classroom teachers or the general public to understand about braille?

Sometimes we are asked by the general public whether braille is still relevant in a technological world, where audio is more available than ever before. This question reveals more about what others unconsciously think about blindness than it does about braille. We would never ask this question of print. I would encourage others to think about the unspoken meaning behind these questions. Replace the word "braille" with "print". If the question no longer makes sense, then it is the wrong question. Braille is equal to print for the sighted.

What are your thoughts about BLC as you look back on the past 30 years? Any BLC accomplishments or braille advancements you would like to especially highlight?

We have so much to celebrate! I am especially excited to see the steps BLC has taken over the past few years to engage more directly with braille readers, through social media, our online newsletter, and virtual workshops. We have also harnessed these platforms to educate the public about the importance of braille and literacy, and to connect with our fellow ICEB braille authorities.

What are your thoughts on braille and BLC as you look ahead to the next 30 years?

Opportunity! As legislation, technologies and research continues to expand and evolve, we are finding new ways to ensure that all those who can benefit will have access to braille. When the Canadian Braille Authority was first established in 1990, the ability to purchase a book in electronic braille on the day it is released in print was a dream. Today, it is a reality for many. BLC will continue working alongside all those in the international braille community and I can only imagine what will be possible 30 years from now. More and more sophisticated multiline braille displays. The capability to create and read refreshable tactile graphics. The possibilities are endless!

Anthony Tibbs - Treasurer

Who are you?

My name is Anthony Tibbs, and I serve as Treasurer for BLC. I live in Montreal, Quebec. I am not a braille user per se, but I have been in the past, and I know EBAE, UEB, and the Nemeth code. Some day, I may finish that transcriber's course, too.

When did you start learning braille? Tell us your favourite braille related memory.

I have albinism and technically have low vision (although I do not meet the 'legally blind' threshold). That vision is supposed to be very stable. But for reasons unbeknownst to anyone, I experienced a sudden drop in vision near the end of high school. And so I found myself entering the world of white canes, guide dogs, and braille. I read most of the first Harry Potter book in braille as my first "practice exercise". Trial by fire, as they say. (My vision has since recovered, and so I do not use braille particularly for my own uses....but I am very, very appreciative for what it did for me when I needed it.)

Anything about your braille background you'd like to share?

Coming from a very technical/programming background, from time to time I contribute to the Liblouis project with small fixes surrounding translation issues.

Tell us a bit about what you do for BLC, and what you like about it?

As Treasurer, my primary role is managing money -- handling incoming donations, new member sign-ups, membership renewals, paying the bills, and doing the accounting that goes with that. I also oversee fundraising and grant application activities, which have over the past few years provided BLC with significant support for its programs. I also provide most of the organization's "technical support" in terms of the web site, e-mail, mailing lists, and so forth.

Our forthcoming revamped web site is definitely the one project about which I'm most excited, even though the 'day job has delayed progress on that front.

Tell us about one gem (e.g. a page or resource) on the BLC website you want members to know about.

I am obliged by my position to direct everyone to http://www.brailleliteracycanada.ca/en/donate-now.

Seriously, if you aren't already contributing, consider whether you could be in a position to make a one-time or a monthly contribution. Even $5 a month -- if 100 people did that -- adds up to a significant amount of support for our little organization. We don't need millions to do what we do, and every little bit helps!

What do you want parents, classroom teachers or the general public to understand about braille?

Braille provides the kind of direct access to language (and mathematics, for that matter) that is impossible to get with the same precision and efficiency with audio. Sure, one could read an entire document letter by letter to make sure that there have been no spelling mistakes or confusions among there, their, or they're, but that is not very practical. And no spell checker will pick it up. For anyone writing professionally -- this is an important consideration.

What are your thoughts about BLC as you look back on the past 30 years? Any BLC accomplishments or braille advancements you would like to especially highlight?

I have been very, very impressed by BLC's "transformation" over the past ten years or so. While I'd love for us to get back into some of the research work that we did in the 1990's, because that is important and crucial work, over the past 5-10 years we have seen a real expansion of BLC's mandate into also more directly supporting the needs of braille readers. We have the support of many important players in the Canadian braille landscape, and we are being recognized by other organizations as a leader in this area. The Brailler Bounce program has also been a phenomenal success -- thanks Myra!

What are your thoughts on braille and BLC as you look ahead to the next 30 years?

Research tells us that there will be a significant increase in the number of older adults who experience vision loss in the decades to come. Many of those may never need or want to use braille for reading a novel, but it could be very, very useful for more mundane tasks like distinguishing between spices in the spice rack. Swap chili powder for ginger and see how that Christmas baking turns out! BLC will have a role in the years to come in helping to make braille relevant, accessible, and acceptable to this growing population.

Jen Goulden - Past President

Who are you?

I am Jen Goulden from Ontario and I am Past President of BLC. With regard to braille I'm a reader and a certified transcriber/proofreader.

When did you start learning braille? Tell us your favourite braille related memory.

I learned braille as a child and don't really remember the process. For me braille has always been a means to an end: reading books.

Is there anything about your braille background you'd like to share?

I serve as treasurer on the Executive Committee of the International Council on English Braille and am also CNIB's representative to the Braille Authority of North America.

Tell us a bit about what you do for BLC, and what you like about it?

One of the things I do for BLC is monitor the info mailbox. It's a great way to be in touch with members, and we get all kinds of interesting braille-related questions.

Tell us about one gem (e.g. a page or resource) on the BLC website you want members to know about

I really like the braille-related quotes we have included on our site. Here is an example: "Audio recordings and synthesized speech are useful tools, but they can't replace the ability to read and write."

What do you want parents, classroom teachers or the general public to understand about braille?

Braille is to the blind what print is to the sighted. Questions about the value of braille should be considered in the same light as they would if they were being asked about print.

What are your thoughts about BLC as you look back on the past 30 years? Any BLC accomplishments or braille advancements you would like to especially highlight?

BLC has indeed changed a lot over the past 30 years. I think what I would like to highlight is that we are now much more connected with our membership. Social media, teleconferences and the newsletter are just some of the ways that we are able to provide support to members of BLC.

What are your thoughts on braille and BLC as you look ahead to the next 30 years?

I believe that when it comes to braille and BLC things will change even more in the next 30 years than they have since 1990. It's hard to speculate on details, but I am convinced that both the code and the organization will be even more vibrant than they are today.

Do you have an old Perkins brailler you don't need?

Braille Literacy Canada believes that everyone who can benefit from braille should have access to it. Our Brailler Bounce program takes unused Perkins braillers, makes any necessary repairs, and gets them into the hands of blind students, adults, and seniors who need them.

If you have an extra Perkins brailler sitting around that you no longer need, please consider donating it to BLC's Brailler Bounce program! Even if it isn't in perfect working order, we'll see if it can be fixed and find it a new home with one of the many Canadians eagerly waiting for a brailler.

Please contact us at braillerbounce@blc-lbc.ca for instructions on where and how to donate your brailler.

Free Braille Books Available

The following books are available free of charge. If interested please email info@blc-lbc.ca.

In contracted braille:

• The Adventures of Captain Underpants - one volume
• Messed up - 2 volumes
• The Running Dream - 3 volumes
• Goodbye Stranger - 3 volumes

In uncontracted braile:

• Little Raindrop - in one volume

Social Media Updates

Here are just some of the gems posted on the BLC social media pages since the last issue. To receive these updates instantly, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

• From ICEB: "Fresh Living Braille," a braille version of a popular lifestyle magazine, won Best Publication Innovation category in the 2020 South Africa Publication Forum Awards: https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/39/210408.html?fbclid=IwAR1Z3LlpHJcQkcUoyCf35IF_bIiIMXCGlqj0KzDAqhAeLgnC4nsGGO92rzc

• Research on braille and aging by BLC President Natalina Martiniello: The association between tactile, motor and cognitive capacities and braille reading performance: a scoping review of primary evidence to advance research on braille and aging

• Boy, 9, creates Christmas cards with braille to raise money for after-school program: https://abc7news.com/christmas-2020-cards-braille-hudson-weisner/8305678/

• From ICEB: 10 year old Abby Walz has her own YouTube channel explaining assistive tech and braille: "It's just six dots": https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/abby-walz-visually-impaired-community-1.5819079

• Hadley has launched an Embracing Braille Facebook group for adult braille learners. Join their weekly call as the group discusses various topics and issues related to learning, reading and writing braille: https://www.facebook.com/groups/840706869704934

• New research on the enablers and obstacles encountered by adults and seniors who learn braille by Natalina Martiniello, BLC President: Enablers and barriers encountered by working-age and older adults with vision impairment who pursue braille training

• A new French website devoted to braille literacy and the education of children with visual impairments has been launched and can be visited at AbracadaBraille.org. Using translations of more than 150 articles from Paths to Literacy to get started, their hope is to create a similar type of website for teachers and families in French-speaking countries!