Getting the Words Down in Braille

Getting the Words Down in Braille

The Braille Monitor

January 2003

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Getting the Words Down

in Braille

by

Bill Kaufman

Sheila

Amato

From the Editor: The

following story is only the latest of several that have appeared informing the

world about an exciting, and thus far unique, course being taught at East Islip

High School in New York. It is a two-year Braille transcription course conducted

by Dr. Sheila Amato, a truly dedicated professional in the blindness field and

a real Braille enthusiast. In an era painfully short of good Braille transcribers,

Dr. Amato set out to provide high school students the opportunity to acquire

highly prized job skills in Braille transcription and at the same time to educate

young people about the wonders of this elegant code.

This story appeared

on November 17, 2002, on <newsday.com>,

a Web publication associated with the Newsday publications. Here it is:

With the goal of providing

the blind access to a wider scope of learning materials, students at East Islip

High School are enrolled in a course in literary Braille transcription, believed

to be the only such high school program in the nation. Literary transcription

refers to transcription of books versus other materials such as brochures or

signs. The course, which is being taught by its originator, Sheila Amato, focuses

not only on the long-used mechanical Braille-writing machine but on emerging

technology using computers and special printers to transcribe material into

the traditional system of touch‑sensed symbols. Amato explained that there's

a shortage of Braille transcribers to produce textbooks, and "many schools

are not able to obtain the increasingly wide variety of new textbooks they need."

"In

addition to learning the Braille code, students in this course are being exposed

to the college and vocational opportunities that are available to them upon

high school graduation," said Amato, who was brought in for the course

and holds a doctorate in blindness and visual impairment education from Columbia

University.

The

elective full‑credit high school course runs for a school year, with a

follow‑up year in advanced Braille transcription available. Currently

fifteen students at the high school, all sighted except one, are enrolled in

the course. Amato said she designed it not only to offer transcription training

"but also the opportunity to learn about people who are blind and to develop

a level of comfort with them and respect for their capabilities."

Students

who complete the advanced course can go on to receive certification from the

National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, which will

boost their chances of finding a job in the field.

Mary

Ann Siller, co‑chairwoman of national education programs of the nonprofit

American Foundation for the Blind in Dallas, said the East Islip course is "as

far as I know, the only one being taught in a high school for credit."

Siller

added that her organization has teamed up with Verizon in a three‑year

campaign "that promotes the new career, Braille textbook transcriber, at

the federal and state levels and raises general awareness of the needs of blind

and low‑vision schoolchildren for timely access of textbooks and learning

materials."

The

course has attracted national attention. Recently Barbara MacNeil, program manager

for students with vision impairments of San Diego's public schools, visited

East Islip to observe the training. She said that her school system plans to

implement a similar program next year.

A

transcribing student, Michael Conlon, nineteen, who is blind and hearing impaired,

said in a typed note that he learned Braille when he was four years old, "just

like the other children in my class who were learning print." A junior,

he said he enjoys reading books in Braille, "especially adventure stories

or stories about animals," adding, "I try to read a chapter in my

book every night before I go to sleep." Conlon does all his homework in

Braille, "and I hardly make a mistake," he noted. He's attending the

course to keep abreast of developments for the blind.

Another

student, Erica Zampardi, sixteen, a junior, said via a typed message, "I

took this class because I'm deaf and am friends with a boy who is blind. I want

to learn about their culture."

Some

of the students take the class for sheer pleasure. "I love Braille,"

said Shannon Brew, sixteen, a junior. "My favorite part of the day is Braille

and sign language classes. I go home and show my family, and they are so proud.

It's amazing, and I'm so happy I'm learning it."

Schools Superintendent

Michael Capozzi hailed the two-year curriculum developed by Amato. He said she

has "created a wonderful environment for children to learn Braille transcription.

This is a tremendous opportunity for our students to learn a world-class skill."

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