[CALIBK12] Louis Braille's 200th birthday celebration

[Elizabeth Hart]

Our music director's (Wayne Siligo) new lyrics in honor of Louis Braille
have been published by the Council for Exceptional Children at
http://www.cec.sped.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/Conten
tDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=11618. Tune is "Louie, Louie"

Elizabeth Hart
Library Technical Assistant
California School for the Blind
Fremont, CA 94536
ehart at csb-cde.ca.gov


_____________________________________________
From: Elizabeth Hart 
Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2009 10:03 AM
To: 'LM_NET at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU'; 'calibk12 at listproc.sjsu.edu'
Subject: RE: Louis Braille's 200th birthday celebration


The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) has produced a
wonderful DVD on the life of Louis Braille. It has video description
that is very nicely done. 

You can download it for free from the following website: 

http://www.cnib.ca/en/living/braille/louis-braille/Default.aspx


Elizabeth Hart
Library Technical Assistant
California School for the Blind
Fremont, CA 94536
ehart at csb-cde.ca.gov


_____________________________________________
From: Elizabeth Hart 
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 8:31 AM
To: LM_NET at LISTSERV.SYR.EDU; 'calibk12 at listproc.sjsu.edu'
Subject: Louis Braille's 200th birthday celebration


January 4, 2009 marks the bicentenial birthday celebration of Louis
Braille, the man who invented the Braille dot writing system for the
blind.

You can find out more about the bicentenial celebration at:
http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/louis/index.html

Some facts about the braille code:

Braille is not letter for letter. There are 189 contractions used as
well (for more info see
http://www.afb.org/braillebug/braille_deciphering.asp;
http://www.dotlessbraille.org/index.html;
http://www.nyise.org/blind/barbier2.htm). That's why when you look at
signs on public restroom doors there are less braille cells than letters
--

For example: 
Women is wom and the contraction (en)
Handicapped is "h - contraction (and) - icapp - contraction (ed)"
Accessible is "a - contraction (cc) - essi - contraction (ble)"

Another good example is the lid on McDonalds sodas. There are two words
in braille on the lids -- diet (spelled out, no contractions) and other
-- spelled "o - contraction (the) - r"

Almost all braille books, including children's books, are published in
contracted (also called grade 2) braille. Very few books are published
in uncontracted (also known as grade 1) braille -- braille that is
letter for letter.

Some good websites about braille:

History of Reading Codes for the Blind:
http://www.nyise.org/blind/barbier2.htm
Braille bug (from the American Foundation for the Blind):
http://www.afb.org/braillebug/default.asp
Easy introduction to braille: http://www.dotlessbraille.org/index.html

Elizabeth Hart
Library Technical Assistant
California School for the Blind
Fremont, CA 94536
ehart at csb-cde.ca.gov

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