Comments on Certification and Braille

Comments on Certification and Braille

Future Reflections Spring/ Summer1989, Vol. 8 No. 2
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COMMENTS ON
CERTIFICATION AND BRAILLE
by Claudelle Stocker
Editor's Note: These remarks are reprinted
from the February, 1989, issue of The National
Federation of the Blind magazine, The Braille
Monitor.
Claudelle Stocker is the capable head of the
Braille Development Section of the National
Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped of the Library of Congress. She
recognizes the value of Braille and is working to
encourage teachers to become certified in Braille
through the Library of Congress program. Here
is what she says about it:
It is encouraging to note that the National
Library Service for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped, Library of Congress (LC) is
receiving inquiries from two important potential
sources for Braille transcribers. The Braille
Development Section is receiving requests from
teachers of visually impaired and blind students
who wish to enroll in the LC Literary Braille
Course, and LC-certified teachers employed in
graduate schools are inquiring about certifying
their student-teachers before graduation.
This interest in the LC certification has positive
aspects for teachers, future teachers, and
students. Teachers and future teachers can look forward
to more thorough knowledge of the subject
they are teaching. Certification will provide
more credibility and prestige to the teacher's
credentials. Students and parents will feel they
are in more competent hands with the knowledge
the teacher is LC-certified in literary Braille.
Special education teachers will have the convenience
of being able quickly and accurately to
transcribe class lessons, workbooks, and other
materials for the students, instead of having to do
without or send lessons to Braille groups who
are already overworked trying to keep up with textbook transcribing demands.
However, the greatest benefit will be for young
blind students and adults who have recently lost
their vision. There is a direct correlation between
proficiency of the teacher and the predictability
of the student's success. In this case, it can
make the difference as to whether or not the
blind student develops basic literacy skills or
remains in a veil of semi-illiteracy.
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