Results of an Online Refresher Course to Build Braille Transcription Skills in Professionals

Abstract

Certified transcribers, non-certified transcribers, volunteers, paraeducators, and teachers of students with visual impairments transcribe braille materials for K-12 students (those in kindergarten through 12th grade), and their training and level of preparedness varies greatly (Corn & Wall, 2002; Herzberg & Stough, 2007; Rosenblum & Herzberg, 2011). With the exception of conference sessions, courses offered by the Hadley School for the Blind, and university courses, there is not a national vehicle for individuals to easily and inexpensively refresh their knowledge of braille formatting, tactile graphics production, and braille codes, including the Nemeth Braille Code for Mathematics and Science Notation (hereafter referred to as Nemeth code). In 1999, Allman and Holbrook advocated for refresher braille courses based on the analysis of pretest and posttest data from their successful regional braille refresher workshops (Allman & Holbrook, 1999). Amato's 2002 study of teacher preparation programs in the United States and Canada also supported the use of refresher courses (Amato, 2002). Forty-two of the 45 respondents in that study reported that refresher courses should be required at regular intervals or when a teacher thought it was necessary to update skills. Distance education provides access to learning without requiring one to simultaneously be with the instructor. Distance education avenues have been used as a part of braille instruction over the last two decades. In 1997, Kapperman and others developed a computer-based Nemeth Braille Code Tutorial, which is still used by individuals to refresh their knowledge (Kapperman, Henry, Cortesi, Heinze, & Sticken, 1997). Wormsley (2001) reported on a successful literary braille refresher course that incorporated video teleconferencing. Given the increase of distance education options, there was a need to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of online braille courses, including those that focus on Nemeth code, formatting, and tactile graphics. It has been anecdotally hypothesized that K-12 students who read braille receive materials that are not equal in quality to materials received by sighted peers (Corn & Wall, 2002). This hypothesis was supported by a direct examination of braille transcriptions of mathematics materials. More than half of the transcriptions contained errors (Herzberg & Rosenblum, 2014). In addition, in a recent study of 12 students in grades 6-12, 11 of the youths reported that there were times when they were not provided materials in braille at the same time sighted peers received print materials (Rosenblum & Herzberg, 2015). The data from the Herzberg and Rosenblum (2014) study regarding frequently occurring Nemeth code and formatting errors as well as variability in the production of tactile graphics were used in the development of an online refresher course. This article reports the results of a follow-up survey (referred to as the survey) of individuals who completed all course requirements. The University of South Carolina Upstate and the U.S. Department of Education (H235E090010) funded the development of the course. The following research questions were explored: 1. What knowledge about the Nemeth code, formatting of mathematics materials, and producing tactile graphics was gained through the completion of the online course? 2. What, if any, impact did the completion of the online course have on the way in which participants prepared mathematics materials in braille? 3. What course features were helpful? METHODS Participants The project was approved by the Institutional Review Committee at the University of South Carolina Upstate. Recruitment for the refresher course occurred through postings on electronic discussion groups in the field of visual impairment in early 2014. The course ran from March 1 to April 15, 2014, at no cost to individuals who were currently preparing mathematics materials for K-12 students and wanted to refresh their knowledge of some aspects of the Nemeth code, formatting, and tactile graphics production. …