Over 45 transcribers and proofreaders ensure the highest quality braille materials.
All of our transcribers are certified by the Library of Congress and have competencies
in one or more of the following codes: literary, Nemeth, computer, and music braille.
Our proofreaders are braille readers, also certified by the Library of Congress, and
collectively bring over 80 years of experience to the job.
Eileen Curran, M.Ed., is Vice President Education & Programs and Chief Braille Officer at National Braille Press, where she has worked since 1985.
Eileen Curran was Chair of the
Braille Authority of North America
(BANA) from 2000 to 2003. BANA publishes rules, interprets, and
renders opinions on braille and tactile graphics to ensure literacy
for braille readers. As Chair, Curran worked thoughtfully with the
International Council on English Braille
(ICEB) to develop a unified
braille code that would set the standard for all English-speaking
countries. After 13 years of analysis, research, and debate, it was
approved by the ICEB this year.
Passionate about braille,
Eileen has been an instructor of teachers of the blind at Boston College, and previously
taught braille at Perkins School for the Blind as well as in public schools. Ms. Curran
is the author of a braille primer for parents entitled
Just Enough to Know Better, now
in its 9th edition.
The nationwide demand for high-quality braille transcription -- especially in
math and science -- far exceeds the supply. Our Mentoring Program for Braille Transcribers
addresses this need.
The program works by pairing a newly trained transcriber with a highly qualified transcriber who proofreads and advances the work of the trainee. Training is progressive, from simple
textbooks to graphics to the Nemeth Code and, in some cases, becoming
qualified to produce braille tests.
The pilot year is being funded by
Verizon Foundation.
If you are interested in learning more about braille transcription as a career, go to the
Library of Congress website
or call 1.800.424.8567.
