Aloha Braille & Company

12/20/2024

Dockers in Corel Draw. The two dockers we deem most important are the Properties docker and the Objects docker. If you're unfamiliar with dockers in Corel Draw, go to the top and click on Windows (next to Help) and then click on Dockers. The first two should be Properties and Objects. Check them both and they'll appear on the right side of your screen. We'd love to hear your thoughts/comments/questions on these two dockers. Alooooha Friday!

12/19/2024

Corel Draw page navigation is so slow using the bar on the bottom.
Using the page docker is so much quicker and easier. Go to Window > Dockers > Page. While there, note how many other "dockers" there are ... This docker will appear on the right side of the page when activated.

12/16/2024

Fresh off the presses! The third edition of the Rules of UEB is here!

This edition introduces several new features including:

a comprehensive index of all rules;
use of Unicode braille patterns for all examples; and
the addition of many more cross references.
All changes to the UEB code since 2013 have been incorporated into this new edition. In particular:

the rules and terminology for quotation marks and apostrophes have been rewritten to facilitate more accurate automated translation;
medial capitals are now permitted around shortforms, e.g. DeafBlind, QuickTime, and LetterWriter;
new symbols have been added for the checkmark (tick) and German sharp s (eszett);
a clarification that the contraction for ‘th’ should be used in the name Beethoven has been added;
a word followed by the line indicator may now be brailled in contracted form;
the line indicator may now be used to indicate a column break in a table; and
a small number of words have been added to the Shortforms List.

Quick links: Unified English Braille, IPA Braille, Developing Braille Codes for Languages other than English: Best Practices, Committees, Contact Us, Site Map

12/14/2024

K-3 Inkprint pages, teacher's reference materials ... Do ALL tn's need to be listed? Volume breaks on TOC? end of volume statement? picture captions? What about keys? We've used the term "informative" tn's that note a change in print format but we do not include any of the other, non-informative tn's mentioned previously. Should we?

We've never used the title, "Teacher's Reference Materials" assuming it was not necessary but are rethinking that. Do you use a heading before the individual tn's "Individual Transcribers Notes".

11/29/2024

mahalo in Hawaiian: with heartfelt thanks, the spirit of being thankful.

Big big mahalo!

Pic shows mahalo in braille with its pronunciation and two definitions, with heartfelt thanks, the spirit of being thankful.

11/26/2024

This float marks the 200th anniversary of Louis Braille's invention of the "six dot" system.Subscribe to WCVB on YouTube now for more: http://bit.ly/1e8lAMZG...

11/26/2024

Need a job in the braille community? $23-$25 an hour with state benefits after 6 months? A braille program in North Carolina is looking to hire you!

11/20/2024

Old news but still GOOD news about the amazing BTAP, the Braille Training Apprenticeship Program at American Printing House for the Blind helping program participants transition safely and smartly back into society via braille. So amazing! As is the BTAP lead lady in charge, THE Jayma Hawkins. You are special!

This day we enjoyed 6 hours of training. Mind you, it was due to end at noon and by 3 PM they had to make us stop LOL We were deep in it and loving every minute. Our stomachs weren't so happy tho! Thanks Kayla Voller Kevin Zeldar Miller for joining the party! and to Cynthia Duncan Stubbs for being the awesome hostess with the mostest! Your desire and passion to help each and every one of those men is inspiring to behold. You are special!

In 2023 we went through a UEB Math course together for several months. Randy Davis was super proud to be a part of that and pass certificates out to the outstanding gentlemen who earned them.

Such good stuff :)



Picture is of a newsletter of the NCCE Scotland Braille Plant showing pics of the program and its participants and the rest of us in discussions, Randy handing a certificate to Jonathan and Jonthan talking to Jayma about BTAP.

11/14/2024

"Be the change you want to see in the world" -Ghandi

I am sure my actions aren't so noble. Perhaps I do what I do for selfish reasons. Perhaps I do it for the joy I receive. The happiness it gives me. That joy and happiness are addictive. Be careful when you start giving and helping others, you may not want to stop. Thank you NBA!

We are excited to announce that Randy Davis of Aloha Braille Company is the first-ever recipient of the National Braille Association's Guiding Light Award for Devotion (G.L.A.D.). This prestigious award, made possible by the generous contributions of Margaret 'Meg' Wagner's family and friends, honors individuals who embody the values Meg held dear in the braille transcribing community.

Randy is being recognized for his unwavering commitment to educating others, his extensive volunteer work, his focus on transcribing S.T.E.M. materials, and his dedication to giving back to an industry that has had a profound impact on his life.

Congratulations, Randy, on this well-deserved recognition! Your passion and contributions continue to inspire us all.

11/08/2024

Transcribers and TVIs: How often do you reference braille workshop materials, NBA's Ask an Expert or Bulletin articles, CTEVBI journal, conference materials, Journal of Visual Impairment, APH materials, and other documents and places to help with understanding a braille guideline or course work?

Is there value to having one location for all of these resources in a searchable format? Say you're looking to learn more about transcribers notes, you type that in and all resources, articles, workshops etc related to transcribers notes will be filtered and grouped for you.

Asking for a friend ...

11/07/2024

Introduction Professional development can assist individuals in learning a variety of new skills and refining their teaching practice. The purpose of this study...

11/07/2024

Braille On! To complete our Rock anthology tshirt series, we'll soon present this awesome shirt!

Pic shows Braille On! In a classic rock font with accompanying braille underneath and then that universal rock gesture with the index and pinkie finger up. Everything is raised line for tactile ability via puff ink.

Shop here https://alohabraille.com/product/braille-on/

11/07/2024

Let's Rock On yall!

Pic shows Rock On! In a classic rock font with accompanying braille underneath and then that universal hand gesture, to Rock On. Everything is raised line for tactile ability via puff ink.

Shop here https://alohabraille.com/product/rock-on/

11/05/2024

You Rock! is our latest t-shirt creation and is in honor of ... YOU. Because you rock. The print font for You Rock! harkens to the classic rock font with arrows at the end of every line. Under is the braille and under that is the hand gesture for, You Rock!

All of our shirts are high quality Fruit of the Loom HD cotton with raised puff ink for tactile ability.

10/31/2024

Which tiger shirt do you like? Blue with white ink, purple with white ink, red with black ink, grey with black ink, yellow with grey ink. All showing the "DO YOU HAVE in print with a pic of tiger eyes below and below that in braille it reads, "the eye of the tiger?"

10/30/2024

HELP please. Is everything on this shirt centered? I am being told it is but it looks off to me. Maybe I'm off?

10/29/2024

EXCITING first collaboration! Blind musician, singer, song writer, speaker extraordinaire, Rusty Perez and is most awesome shirt, "Feel the Music". It is in a funky print font and raised braille via puff ink underneath that you can ... feel. You see where I'm going. Everything Rusty does is from the heart and feels the music in his soul. Find out more about Rusty in the comments. Cheers to you my friend.

The shirts are Fruit of the Loom HD cotton, black in color and raised white puff ink for the text and braille. You can shop for this shirt in the comments as well.

Aloha

10/26/2024

G.L.A.D.?? What a great name for an award Randy Davis was surprised by and honored with this week at the National Braille Association conference. Crazy. Have you heard about Meg Wagner and the award called G.L.A.D? It stands for the Guiding Light Award for Devotion. It is to provide an annual award in her memory to honor someone who exemplifies many of Meg’s priorities: participating in braille organizations, transcribing STEM materials, mentoring those learning to transcribe including vision teachers and inmates, pioneering the use of new technologies, volunteering transcription work to support her local community, and having a passion to continue learning and helping until the end of her days. To learn more, visit here

EDUCATIONAL AWARDS The National Braille Association (NBA) is dedicated to acknowledging and bolstering the educational pursuits of individuals involved in braille transcription. To achieve this goal, it offers educational awards designed to provide crucial financial support for accessing NBA’s pro...