Posted by Joe Kesselman on 11/29/06 13:06

Braille (note spelling) is also more than just an encoding, if you're
doing it properly. Yes, there is a simplified braille which is a direct
conversion of the printed characters, but that's inefficient -- bulky
(not that braille is ever as compact as printed text anyway) and slow to
read. The desirable forms involve a set of contractions which improve
both factors, but my understanding is that these still require some
human intervention to make sure the rules are being applied correctly.
Software is already available to address the first and assist the second.

So, yes, a braille encoding would be a good thing to have, but it's only
part of the proper solution.

(Caveat: I don't read braille; I've just volunteered occasionally at
National Braille Press. My understanding may be faulty. Don't take the
above as unquestionable; do your research.)

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