News

INBAF Statement UEB
The Irish National Braille and Alternative Format Authority (INBAF) is delighted to announce the adoption of Unified English Braille (UEB) in Ireland.
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INBAF Launch on 3rd May 2012
National Braille Production at ChildVision, the Media Centre at the NCBI and the Braille Unit at Arbour Hill prison announce the launch of INBAF...
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NBPC exceeds 3,000
In the school year 2010/2011, the NBPC produced exactly 3089 full transcriptions of books and fulfilled 98% of all its guaranteed orders...
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The NBPC, provides a nationwide service to primary and secondary school children with a visual impairment. Textbooks are transcribed to Braille, tactile diagrams and large print formats using the latest scanning and translation software and special printers which produce Braille dots.

At present the NBPC has 45 volunteers working from home as text-scanning editors. Their input is invaluable for the centre and very much appreciated on a day-to-day basis. They scan printed materials using a standard pc and scanner to produce a text file, edit the text file and correct errors to create a true and accurate representation of the original. Finally they prepare the layout of the file for conversion to braille or large print. The in-house staff then work with this file, convert it into the formats required and edit the file according to the requirements of the format they are working on.

The NBPC maintains strict confidentiality regarding all its clients and hence no information regarding NBPC clients is shared with volunteers.

All of our volunteers have excellent computer skills, are self-motivated and are extremely conscientious in the work they do. On average, each volunteer works 5 hours per week from home, at a time that suits him/her best. Feedback is achieved in close liaison work with our volunteers' co-ordinator. Extensive training is given, once an application for volunteering has been accepted.

It is just over 3 years since the start of the volunteering program. Since then there has been a great increase in the amount of books produced in both braille and large print here in the NBPC. This increase is partly due to the valuable work done by our volunteers who give up their time so generously.

There is also time for social events, our yearly summer barbecues and Christmas parties and everyone is being kept up-to-date by the volunteers' newsletter.

If you are interested in volunteering with the NBPC, please contact Derval Nolan at dnolan@braille.ie or phone 01-837 36 35. We are looking forward to hearing from you!