[nabop] Fwd: [bana-announce] BANA Press Release

[David Andrews]

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>PRESS RELEASE
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>August 2007
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>CONTACT: Judy Dixon, Chairperson
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>Braille Authority of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />North America
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>PHONE: 1-202-707-0722
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>E-MAIL: <mailto:jdix at loc.gov>jdix at loc.gov
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>The Braille Authority of North America (BANA) held its Spring 2007 meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, from April 12-15, 2007. It was hosted by the American Printing House for the Blind.
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>An open forum was held at APH to discuss relevant braille topics, including: Are centered and cell five headings the most useful format for ease of locating information for the braille reader? What symbols should be included on Special Symbols pages? Should Special Symbols pages be used on high-stakes tests? Does the Literary Braille Code need directional parentheses so the reader can tell if a single parenthesis is opening or closing? Should a contraction be used whenever the combination of letters appears, regardless of pronunciation? What is the most appropriate role for uncontracted braille? Should braille transcribers correct errors in print materials? And more. Lively discussions ensued, but no conclusions were drawn. BANA will continue Open Forums at future meetings and conferences.
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>The BANA Board is pleased to welcome Gary Mudd as the new representative from the American Printing House for the Blind. Gary currently serves as Vice President of Public Affairs for APH. His responsibilities include communicating with members of the U.S. Congress regarding issues that relate to The Act to Promote the Education of the Blind and the unique educational needs of students who are blind or visually impaired. In addition, Gary oversees APH public relations efforts, as well as the APH Marie and Eugene Callahan Museum. Gary has been with APH since 1986. He is a graduate of the Kentucky School for the Blind (KSB) and the University of Louisville. A braille reader for over 40 years, Gary is an advocate for the blind and visually impaired, providing educational programs to community groups and professionals in a wide variety of fields. He is a graduate of Leadership Louisville (1997), and was awarded the University of Louisville's Disabled Alumni of the Year award in 1998. Gary currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Kentucky School for the Blind Charitable Foundation (KSBCF) and on the AT&T Consumer Advisory Panel.
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>BANA accepted the application for membership and welcomes a new member organization to its board. The Canadian Association of Educational Resource Centers for Alternate Format Materials (CAER) is a consortium of provincial educational service centers that provide alternate formats and technology to Canadian students with print disabilities through a mandate from the respective provincial ministries of education/advanced education. The Mandate for CAER is to: promote the sharing of resources; encourage the use of new technology, particularly in relation to alternate format production; extend and share this knowledge with all CAER members; provide the opportunity to discuss and study points of common interest, in particular provincial, regional, Canadian and international issues; significant developments in members’ centers; information on policy, procedures, statistical data etc.; discuss and adopt common procedures and practices in such areas as production quality standards and interlibrary lending; advise and provide input to educational ministries on evolving issues and trends; establish and maintain linkages and to speak as a unified voice to such association organizations as the Canadian Braille Authority, the Canadian Braille Literacy Foundation, Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, the National Library of Canada and the Library of Congress; communicate with publishers, vendors, suppliers and individuals to develop positive relationships and to publicize members’ services; and to provide the opportunity for participation in learning activities or professional development. 
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>The Fall meeting of the BANA Board is scheduled for November 14-16, 2007 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Associated Services for the Blind will be the host. An Open Forum is scheduled for Thursday evening, November 15th.