Unified English Braille Code

Unified English Braille (UEB) is an international project designed to update the current braille codes used in English-speaking countries. The main goal is to bring ordinary literary braille and specialist braille (such as maths) into a single unified code. Adoption across different countries is also seen as a major benefit.

UEB proposes to delete a few contractions and makes some changes to the rules affecting others; a few braille signs used in literary braille are also altered. But for most braille readers the changes would not be great. On the other hand, for technical material such as maths and computing the differences are more wide ranging.

In April 2004, the International Council on English Braille (ICEB) General Assembly declared UEB to be substantially complete and that it could be recognised as an international standard and considered for adoption by individual countries.

By April 2008 UEB had been adopted and implemented by Australia and New Zealand as their official braille code; had been adopted and increasingly used in South Africa and Nigeria; and incorporated by some software developers into devices using braille technology.

The Braille Authority of the United Kingdom (BAUK) endorses UEB as a trial code for use in the UK, encouraging members to provide various examples of the code's use to enable braille readers to make an informed choice concerning it's potential future use. The trial period will expire on 31 December 2008, and BAUK will decide on the status of the code thereafter at its Autumn 2008 meeting. BAUK is currently conducting further evaluation of UEB in the UK.

Further information

Round Table on Information Access for People with Print Disabilities (n.d.) Unified English Braille (UEB). [accessed 22/09/08].
Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind (n.d.) Braille Authority of New Zealand. [accessed 22/09/08].

Acknowledgements

Braille Authority of the United Kingdom (n.d.) Current projects. [accessed 22/09/08].
International Council on English Braille (2007) Unified English Braille (UEB) Project. [accessed 22/09/08].
RNIB (2008) Braille could be changing - have your say. [accessed 22/09/08].
Wikipedia (2008) Unified English Braille Code. [accessed 22/09/08].