How to Become a Braille Transcriber
National Braille Press Offers New Braille Transcription Course
Sep 29, 2009
The National Braille Press (NBP) offers a new training program for those who wish to earn national certification in braille transcription from the Library of Congress. The 24-week course starts October 6, 2009 and is taught on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:45 p.m. at NBP’s offices at 88 St. Stephen Street, Boston (near Northeastern T stop; limited onsite parking is available). The training includes about 10 hours of independent study students do at home.
NPB Braille Transcriber Course
The NBP course is designed to teach the rules for using contracted braille in the preparation of braille documents. The focus of the course is the completion of Lessons 1-20 of the Instruction Manual for Braille Transcription.
NBP’s braille transcription course will teach students:
- How to transcribe standard print into contracted braille
- How to read and write braille by sight
- How tactile graphics (raised line drawings of pictures, graphs, diagrams, etc.) are created
- The differences among advanced braille codes
Skills Needed for Braille Transcriber Course:
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word
- Knowledge of other software programs, including Excel and Adobe Acrobat
- Familiarity with scanner programs
For successful completion of this course, students are required to submit a trial braille manuscript to the Library of Congress to receive certification as a braille transcriber.
The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), a branch of the Library of Congress, grants certification through an exam process. NLS certification is the standard requirement for braille transcribers in the US. With certification, skills can be marketed to any braille organization. The NBP course helps prepare students to take the exam.
Braille Transcription as Career
An average fulltime braille transcriber earns $40,000 annually, but depending on one’s speed and accuracy, one could earn $70,000. Home transcribers (independent contractors) set their own hours and are paid based on the number of pages transcribed.
NBP does not guarantee employment, though it does hire top graduates depending on in-house and subcontract work needs. NBP helps graduates identify the many national organizations that hire transcribers.
About the Course Instructor
Eileen Curran, M.Ed., is NBP’s Vice President of Education & Programs. From 2000 to 2003, she chaired the Braille Authority of North America (BANA), which publishes and interprets rules and renders opinions on braille and tactile graphics to ensure literacy for braille readers. Curran has been an instructor of teachers of the blind at Boston College, and has taught braille at Perkins School for the Blind as well as in public schools. She is the author of Just Enough to Know Better, a braille primer for parents, now in its 11th edition.
The cost of the program is $550 and about $25 for course materials. There is no registration fee. Sign up online or call instructor Eileen Curran (617.266.6160, ext. 417) for more information. Or fax registration forms to Eileen at 617.437.0456.
The relatively low cost of certification and high earning potential make braille transcription a viable career choice for those who love to read and wish to promote literacy and learning in a meaningful way.
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