Data were collected from 49 surveys completed by braille users in South Africa, regarding the individuals' use of braille, their opinions regarding suggested changes and additions to the braille code, and opinions regarding the symbols to be changed or added. Data were analyzed with the intention of both identifying trends in opinions regarding various changes in the braille code, and the specific characteristics of the braille users holding these opinions.
The opening portion of the survey asks respondents to describe their braille usage. Respondents identified themselves as either technical or non-technical users of the braille code, with 37% labeling themselves technical users and the remaining 63% non-technical users. Surveys for technical and non-technical users vary slightly, with technical users being asked to complete an additional section regarding symbols for use in the technical code. Respondents also characterized their primary interactions with the braille code as either reading, proofreading, teaching or transcribing. The largest percentage, 55%, labeled themselves readers, 22% proofreaders, 12% teachers, and the remaining 10% labeled themselves transcribers. The mean number of years the respondents had been using the braille code was 28. Additionally, the mean percentage of reading done in braille by respondents was 72%. Almost all of the respondents read braille by touch, with about 10% reading braille by sight. Approximately 63% of the respondents preferred to do all of their reading in braille, while from 30 to 50 per cent preferred to read recreational, technical, reference materials, or notes and labels in braille.
Data for technical and non-technical users were analyzed separately to facilitate making comparisons between the two groups. Several statistical techniques were applied. Frequencies of responses to survey items were calculated and the chi-squared statistic was utilized to test for significant differences in responses between the groups. OLS regression coefficients were not calculated, as their were an insufficient number of respondents in each group to produce reliable regression results.
The first 19 items on the survey consist of a series of questions in which the respondent is asked to rate on a scale of one to five, UBC features, such as capitalized passage indicators, or strategies, such as having a unified code for all reading matter. Question 20, regarding quotation mark symbols in UBC, is identical in format but was administered only to technical users. A score of one indicates the respondent felt the feature was completely unacceptable, while a score of two indicates the feature was judged simply unnecessary. A score of three indicates the respondent was neutral toward the feature. A score of four indicates the respondent felt the feature was a good idea, and a score of five indicated the respondent felt the feature was absolutely essential. A majority of respondents favored all of the UBC features or strategies in question. Some features received only marginal support from users, with those favoring the feature not constituting a majority, yet still outnumbering those opposed. Among technical users 22% were opposed to omitting spaces from one cell whole word contractions. Among non-technical users, 29% were opposed to indicators for special type styles such as sans serif type. Responses from technical and non-technical users were fairly similar. Using the chi-squared statistic to test significance, the two groups were found to have significant differences in their responses only to the item regarding indicators for special type styles. In this instance, non-technical users were significantly less likely to favor the indicators. Chi-squared values indicate that we can be 95% confident that these differences in responses between the two groups are so great that they can not be attributable to random chance or error. A summary of results of questions one through twenty may be found in Table 1.
Item 21 asks respondents to rate new and previously changed UBC symbols, and EBAE or British braille contractions not allowed in UBC, choosing from the following response categories: 1) symbol is acceptable, 2) symbol should be struck from the UBC code, and 3) symbol is all right but the wrong characters have been chosen for its representation.. As above, responses from technical and non-technical users were parallel. Responses from technical and non-technical users were not significantly different on any of the items. Among technical users a majority approved of all of the new symbols. Majorities of non-technical users were also in favor of the new symbols. Among technical users on average 1.2% of respondents felt the new symbols should be struck form the UBC and among non-technical users on average 2.7% of respondents were opposed to the new symbols. Technical users were most opposed to the non-directional double quote with 11.1% answering the symbol should be struck from the record, while 12.9% of non-technical users were opposed to the same symbol. The mean percentage of technical users who were in favor of the new symbols, but in a different representation was also 1.2%, while the mean percentage of non-technical users in favor of the symbol in a different representation was .9%. A summary of these results may be found in Table 2.
Respondents chose from the same answer categories to rate previously changed symbols. Responses from technical and non-technical users were again parallel, with no significant differences in responses between the two groups. Majorities of technical and non-technical users were in favor of all of the changed symbols. On the average 3.3% of technical users and 5.7% of non-technical users were opposed to any one symbol, feeling the symbols under examination should be struck from the code. The inch sign garnered the most opposition from technical users with 11.1% opposing the symbol. Almost 10% of non-technical users were opposed to the changed forward slash, decimal point and per cent sign. A summary of these results may be found in Table 3.
The last section of question 21 asks respondents to use the same answer categories to rate symbols for EBAE and British braille contractions not allowed in UBC. Results for technical and non-technical users were very similar with no significant differences in responses between the two groups. Majorities of all users were in favor of each of the contraction changes. However, among non-technical users, only 64.5% approved of both the contracted form of "into" when followed by a word, and the contracted form of "dd'. Higher numbers of both technical and non- technical users were opposed to contraction changes than had been opposed to the previously discussed symbol changes. On the average technical users were 82.2% in favor of the contraction symbol and were 17.7% opposed to the contraction symbol. Non-technical users had similar results with the average percentage in favor of the contraction symbol 70.24% and the average percentage opposed 23.9%. Table 4 provides a summary of these results.
Question 22 asked users to rate new and previously changed symbols for use in the technical code. While identical in format to question 21, question 22 was administered only to technical users. Majorities of technical users were in favor of all of the new symbols examined. On the average, 95% of respondents were in favor of the new symbols, while 3% were opposed and 2% were in favor of a new symbol in an alternative representation. The symbols for degree sign had the weakest support with only 77.8% favoring the new symbol, and 22.2% opposing the new symbol. Results of opinions regarding changed symbols were nearly identical to those regarding new symbols, with on the average 96% approving, 3% opposing, and no one favoring the changed symbol in a different representation. Summaries of these results may be found in Tables 5 and 6.
Results of Survey Questions 1 - 20; given in % Opposing (answering unacceptable or unnecessary) and % Favoring (answering good idea or essential)
| Question | Technical Oppose | Favor | Non-Technical Oppose | Favor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unified code for all reading matter, except braille music | 0 | 88.9 | 0 | 90.4 |
| All characters should be 6 - dot, 8 - dot not considered | 5.6 | 94.4 | 3.2 | 83.9 |
| UBC should encompass both grades I and II braille | 0 | 94.4 | 0 | 83.9 |
| No major changes in grade II contractions | 16.7 | 66.7 | 3.2 | 77.4 |
| Both beginning and advanced readers should be able to use UBC | 0 | 100 | 0 | 83.9 |
| Accuracy of computer translations should not be increased at the expense of readability of braille | 0 | 100 | 6.5 | 80.7 |
| UBC should have base code and method for creating technical extensions | 5.6 | 88.9 | 0 | 87.1 |
| All persons learning the base code should be required to learn common technical extensions | 5.6 | 94.5 | 0 | 96.8 |
| Symbols of multiple characters constructed with determinable beginnings and endings | 0 | 94.4 | 0 | 100 |
| Rules for making extension symbols should provide that those symbols are not ambiguous | 0 | 100 | 0 | 87.1 |
| Braille text should accurately reflect printed text, even if it is necessary to change some symbols | 11.2 | 88.9 | 12.9 | 80.6 |
| Some EBAE / British braille contractions have been dropped for rule violations or ambiguity | 11.1 | 66.7 | 16.2 | 64.5 |
| Spaces should not be omitted from one cell whole word contractions in the UBC | 22.2 | 72.3 | 16.2 | 51.6 |
| Contracted form of by must have a space before the word that follows and be distinguishable from was | 11.1 | 88.9 | 13 | 64.5 |
| Contracted form of to must be followed by an intervening space, despite ambiguous cell position | 11.2 | 77.8 | 6.5 | 71 |
| UBC has more symbols than UBAE / British braille and can more accurately represent printed text | 11.2 | 66.7 | 0 | 77.4 |
| UBC Grade I indicators clearly show the boundaries of a Grade I passage in a Grade II passage | 0 | 94.5 | 6.5 | 80.6 |
| Capitalized passage indicator eliminates clutter of having only capitalized word indicator | 0 | 100 | 6.4 | 74.2 |
| UBC provides indicators for special type styles such as sans serif, bold and underline | 0 | 94.4 | 29.1 | 51.6 |
| UBC provides six different quotation marks | 5.6 | 94.5 |
Results of Survey Question 21 regarding New Symbols; given in % Favoring symbol, % Opposing symbol, and % Favoring the symbol in a different representation
| Symbol | Technical Favor | Oppose | Change | Non-Technical Favor | Oppose | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Begin capitalized passage indicator | 88.9 | 0 | 0 | 90.3 | 0 | 0 |
| End capitalized passage indicator | 100 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Begin italicized passage indicator | 100 | 0 | 0 | 87.1 | 9.7 | 3.2 |
| End italicized passage indicator | 94.4 | 0 | 5.6 | 90.3 | 9.7 | 0 |
| Non - directional double quote | 83.3 | 11.1 | 5.6 | 83.9 | 12.9 | 0 |
| Ampersand | 88.9 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 96.8 | 3.2 | 0 |
| Begin boldface passage indicator | 100 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| End boldface passage indicator | 100 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Times sign when indicated in print by an "x" | 100 | 0 | 0 | 96.8 | 0 | 3.2 |
| Plus sign | 294.4 | 0 | 5.6 | 96.8 | 0 | 3.2 |
| Minus sign when distinguished in print from hyphen | 100 | 0 | 0 | 96.8 | 0 | 3.2 |
| Division sign when indicated in print by horizontal line between dots | 100 | 0 | 0 | 9.68 | 0 | 0 |
| Equals sign | 100 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Dot locator | 100 | 0 | 0 | 96.8 | 0 | 3.2 |
| Umlaut over following letter | 100 | 0 | 0 | 93.5 | 3.2 | 0 |
| Grave over following letter | 100 | 0 | 0 | 96.8 | 3.2 | 0 |
| Circumflex over following letter | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 | 96.8 | 3.2 | 0 |
| Acute over following letter | 100 | 0 | 0 | 96.8 | 3.2 | 0 |
Results of Survey Question 21 regarding Changed Symbols; given in % Favoring symbol, % Opposing symbol, and % Favoring the symbol in a different representation
| Symbol | Technical Favor | Oppose | Change | Non-Technical Favor | Oppose | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Left parenthesis | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 | 93.5 | 6.5 | 0 |
| Right parenthesis | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 | 93.5 | 3.2 | 0 |
| Left bracket | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 | 93.5 | 6.5 | 0 |
| Right bracket | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 | 93.5 | 6.5 | 0 |
| Left directional double quote | 83.3 | 5.6 | 0 | 93.5 | 6.5 | 0 |
| Right directional double quote | 66.7 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 83.9 | 6.5 | 0 |
| Right directional single quote | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 | 87.1 | 3.2 | 0 |
| Asterisk | 83.3 | 0 | 0 | 83.9 | 6.52 | 0 |
| Forward slash | 88.9 | 0 | 0 | 87.1 | 9.7 | 0 |
| dash | 100 | 0 | 0 | 80.6 | 3.2 | 0 |
| decimal point | 77.8 | 0 | 0 | 80.6 | 9.7 | 0 |
| British pound sign | 94.4 | 0 | 0 | 77.4 | 0 | 3.2 |
| Dollar sign | 100 | 0 | 0 | 93.5 | 3.2 | 0 |
| Ellipses | 100 | 0 | 0 | 87.1 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Inch sign | 88.9 | 11.1 | 0 | 93.5 | 6.5 | 0 |
| Per cent sign | 100 | 0 | 0 | 90.3 | 9.7 | 0 |
| Italicized word indicator | 88.9 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 96.8 | 3.2 | 0 |
Results of Survey Question 21 regarding Contractions Not Allowed in UBC; given in % Favoring symbol, % Opposing symbol, and % Favoring the symbol in a different representation
| Symbol | Technical Favor | Oppose | Change | Non-Technical Favor | Oppose | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contracted form of "ble" when followed by a word | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 | 80.6 | 19.4 | 0 |
| Contracted form of "into" when followed by a word | 72.2 | 27.8 | 0 | 34.5 | 35.5 | 0 |
| Contracted form of "by" when followed by a word | 88.9 | 11.1 | 0 | 83.9 | 16.1 | 0 |
| Contracted form of "com" | 88.9 | 11.1 | 0 | 87.7 | 12.9 | 0 |
| Contracted form of "dd" | 66.7 | 33.3 | 0 | 64.5 | 35.5 | 0 |
Results of Survey Question 22 for Technical Users regarding New Symbols; given in % Favoring symbol, % Opposing symbol, and % Favoring symbol in a different representation
| Symbol | Technical Favor | Oppose | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capitalized terminator within passage or word | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Begins San Serif passage indicator | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 |
| End sans serif passage indicator | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 |
| Boldface word indicator | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Boldface terminator within a passage or word | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Italicized terminator within a passage or word | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Begin underline passage indicator | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| End underline passage indicator | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Begin Transcriber defined passage | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 |
| End transcriber defined passage | 88.9 | 5.6 | 5.6 |
| Transcriber defined terminator within a passage or word | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 |
| General fraction line | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 |
| General fraction open | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| General fraction close | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Superscript | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 |
| Subscript | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 |
| Left braille grouping symbol | 94.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Right braille grouping symbol | 94.4 | 0 | 0 |
| Radical open indicator | 88.9 | 5.6 | 5.6 |
| Radical close indicator | 88.9 | 5.6 | 5.6 |
| Copyright | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 |
| Registered trademark (circled R) | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 |
| Registered trademark (circled TM) | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 |
| Dagger | 88.9 | 5.6 | 5.6 |
| Double dagger | 88.9 | 5.6 | 5.6 |
| Degree sign | 77.8 | 0 | 22.2 |
| Section mark (interlocked s's) | 88.9 | 0 | 11.1 |
| Female or Venus sign | 94.4 | 0 | 5.6 |
| Male or Mars sign | 94.4 | 0 | 5.6 |
| Bullet (large dot) | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 |
| Caret | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 |
| Foot sign | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Minus sign | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Non-directional single quote | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 |
| Visible space in computer notation | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 |
| Space - digit | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 |
| Continuation indicator at end of line of computer notation | 100 | 0 | 0 |
Results of Survey Question 22 for Technical Users regarding Changed Symbols; given in % Favoring symbol, % Opposing symbol, and % Favoring symbol in a different representation
| Symbol | Technical Favor | Oppose | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital Greek sigma | 100 | 0 | 0 |
| Greek sigma | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 |
| Right directional single quote | 94.4 | 5.6 | 0 |
| Numeric fraction line | 94.4 | 0 | 0 |