Learn Braille Transcribing at Home: Formal Instruction for Minnesota Residents

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VOLUNTEER BRAILLE SERVICES
GOLDEN VALLEY, MINNESOTA
www.vbsmn.org

Formal Instruction in Unified English Braille for Minnesota Residents through Email Correspondence
Do you live or work in Minnesota and are hoping to find a purpose or something meaningful you can do at home? Interested in making a difference in the lives of children and adults in our Minnesota communities who love reading and learning as much as you? Looking for a worthwhile addition to your list of professional skills and abilities? -or just hoping to give something back to your community?

Share your gift of sight and help contribute to the literacy of people in our Minnesota communities who read by touch. Since 1968, Volunteer Braille Services has been training volunteers in transcribing print-to-braille. You can learn a unique professional skill and use your home computer to transcribe reading material into braille.

• Training is free and leads to national certification from the US Library of Congress in Literary Braille Transcribing.
• Certified Braillists use state-of-the-art braille transcription software in order to produce braille on home computers or laptops.
• The only compensation we ask is that you share these skills and a little of your time to transcribe print materials into braille for our agency which serves people who read braille throughout Minnesota.

-- LEARN THROUGH CORRESPONDENCE: We offer local formal instruction in the literary braille transcribing curriculum offered by the Library of Congress as an extension course using email correspondence and other direct one-on-one communication for registered participants residing in Minnesota.

Virtual classes and formal instruction are facilitated by certified instructors who specialize in Unified English Braille transcribing. Our instructors will guide you toward certification in Literary Braille Transcribing. National certification is a symbol recognized worldwide and qualifies you to transcribe general reading materials into braille.

ONE-TO-ONE MENTORING: To learn the rules of Unified English Braille, either through the email extension course, we combine self-study with one-on-one mentoring and direction. Students study at their own pace and complete exercises at home using training materials and braille editing software provided at no cost. You will learn to read braille dots accurately by sight. (You will not need to read braille by touch.) Exercises and tests are submitted through email.

CERTIFICATION: When training is completed after submitting a successful trial manuscript, you will be awarded a certification in Literary Braille Transcribing from the Library of Congress which qualifies you to transcribe books, periodicals, recipes, menus, and many other print documents into braille.
Our transcribers produce braille on home computers and e-mail their braille files to our non-profit agency for embossing. Volumes of embossed braille we produce are sent to braille users in your community or throughout the US.

The need for qualified volunteers or professional braillists is growing. Computers cannot do the work alone and quality braille can only be achieved by qualified certified braillists

Blind children who are mainstreamed in their schools must have their textbooks transcribed in braille. Blind adults, who are entering professional fields in greater numbers than ever, need math and science textbooks and other manuals in braille.

• Go to www.vbsmn.org to learn more.
• Call Volunteer Braille Services (763) 544-2880
• Email: vbsmn@comcast.net