Reply To: TN labels on tactiles
Thanks for your patience. I had difficulty reaching some of my committee members, perhaps due to summer vacation ... This, however, is the general consensus.
Although the practise of inserting TN symbols around any material added by the transcriber is emphasized in Braille Formats, there is definitely [u]no provision[/u] in Guidelines and Standards for Tactile Graphics for inserting TN symbols around labels added by the transcriber to clarify parts of a diagram. Tn the contrary, Guidelines and Standards emphasises the need to simplify graphics and reduce clutter.
[color=#003399]Example of the Circulation System (Pages 3-25 to 3-28)
From the description of what rules have been applied to the following graphic, it says
- addition of centered headings to clarify section presentation (Overview, Upper Body, Lower Limbs) (3.9.3)
- addition of label added to clarify presentation (head) (7.3.7)
Example of the Map of North America Pages 3-39 to 3-41
- addition of labels to clarify presentation: Canada, Mexico, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, Great Lakes, and Gulf of Mexico (7.3.7)
Page 7-3
7.3.7 Retain features that could be used as a point of reference even though they may not be labeled in print.
Example: The Great Lakes on a map of North America or the equator on a world map. [/color]
I assume from your question, that you are going to create a tactile of these images. Personally, I think I would try to go with a description instead. It becomes rather cumbersome is you have to label something such as the boy's nose! For example, you could write a TN such as the following:
Picture: A clear glass containing water and a straw. At the top of the water line, the upper part of the straw appears to be misaligned with the lower part of the straw.
Picture: Side profile of a boy’s head. Slightly behind, and offset to the left, is a smaller image of the boy reflected in a mirror.
Picture: The picture shows waves with a dividing wall which has a small opening. On the left side the waves are vertical lines. On the right side the waves are convex lines.
However, if you [u]do[/u] reproduce these images as a tactile graphic (as some committee members would prefer), you would need to add at least some explanatory labels.
Additionally, a transcriber [u]could[/u] explain this convention in a paragraph on the Transcriber’s Notes page stating that “Additional labels have been added to tactile graphics where necessary for the understanding of the graphic" (or some such thing). This might make some transcribers and/or agencies feel more comfortable about adding labels without TN symbols.
Betty