www.duxburysystems.com
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What Is Braille Software?
Product Range Overview
About Duxbury Systems
What's New In DBT 10.6
Duxbury Braille Translator (DBT)
TGD-Pro® (Tactile Graphic Designer)
MacKichan Software Scientific Notebook
Since the early 80's the Duxbury Braille Translator (DBT) has been the industry leading international Braille translator for anyone from the home user to professional Braille production centres. DBT allows one to create highly accurate Braille for textbooks and other teaching material, office memos, bus and train time tables, personal letters, signs compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), restaurant menus and more.
DBT translates MS Word, WordPerfect, HTML, DAISY and ASCII files and has an accessible interface for speech synthesizer and Braille display users. It has tables for all 11 South African languages as well as other languages used in Africa such as Swahili, Somali, Arabic, Hebrew, French and Portuguese. Besides English, it now also includes a French and Portuguese user interface and a handy 'Emboss Help Topic' and 'Print' Help Topic' feature.
South Africa has recently adopted the Unified Braille Code (UBC), as have Australia, New Zealand, Nigeria and Canada. The UBC will be implemented in the first three grades in schools in South Africa from the beginning of 2008. Currently DBT is the only Braille translator that supports the English UBC and similar unified codes will be developed soon for all other South African languages.
Although not written by Duxbury Systems, for mathematics and science Duxbury recommend that one uses MacKichan Software Scientific Notebook® and for the preparation of tactile graphics files, TGD-Pro® (Tactile Graphic Designer). The latter was originally published by Tactile Audio, an Australian company acquired by Duxbury Systems in 2003. With regards Braille music production, we recommend that one uses Optek Systems Toccata.
Scientific Notebook prepares files with mathematical and scientific text for use with the Duxbury Braille Translator (DBT). It is simple to use, yet powerful enough to facilitate teaching, communicating, learning, and exploring mathematics in the classroom. It is based on an easy-to-use word processor that completely integrates writing mathematics in natural notation.
Scientific Notebook is supplied with the built-in PC algebra engine MuPAD®. One can solve equations right in your documents with an easy-to-use interface. With Scientific Notebook one don't have to master complex syntax to be able to evaluate, simplify, solve, or plot mathematical expressions. Full PC algebra capabilities are available. One can compute symbolically or numerically, integrate, differentiate, and solve algebraic and differential equations. It is also possible to compute with over 150 units of physical measure. A handy Exam Builder permits one to construct exams algorithmically and to generate, grade, and record quizzes on a web server.
Scientific Notebook comes with reference manuals and an extensive online help system.
With TGD-Pro® a sighted person can import graphics, JPEG, BMP, GIF
or
WMF into DBT or create graphics using the drawing tools included. Graphics can then be modified with color and backgrounds removed. The most common use of these graphics is to make line diagrams that are used to create SwellTouch® masters for the Quantum Technology PIAF for the production of tactile teaching aids such as diagrams and maps. Any file created can be sent directly to a laser or inkjet printer or converted to a Braille graphic and embossed. Mathematical plots generated in Scientific Notebook can be imported into TGD- Pro, edited converted to Braille and then imported into DBT.
In all situations where one needs to be sure of an absolutely perfect Braille product, whether one is creating textual or scientific Braille, tactile graphics or Braille music, it is recommended that use is made of proof-readers in the same way one would proof-read print books. The ALVA Satellite 544 Traveller 40 cell and Nippon Telesoft Seika 40 cell Braille displays are recommended for proof-reading purposes.
What is known today as the Duxbury Braille Translator (DBT) started out almost three decades ago in 1970 as a program called 'DOTSYS', a Braille translator developed for the Atlanta Public Schools. DOTSYS was capable of translating not only contracted American English but also Latin, Italian, French, German and Spanish Braille in the "grade 1" form. One of the five members of the project team were Joe Sullivan, now Duxbury's president.
In 1976 the business formed by the members of the project team was incorporated under its present name, to reflect the "birthplace" of the Translator. Joe Sullivan and his wife Genevieve later bought out the interests of their partners.
In 1981, working with the South African Blind Workers Organization (SABWO), Ms. Lettie van Tonder, initially assisted by Joe Sullivan, began work on translation tables for contracted Afrikaans and several uncontracted African languages. Eventually this work was taken up by the late Anton Zeelie of SABWO's 'Braille Services' Braille production unit in Johannesburg. Further work in this area was carried out by Ms. Antoinette Botha at Pioneer School (now the Institute for the Blind) in Worcester and by Christo de Klerk. Both Antoinette and Christo are blind.
In 1982 a Translator was installed in Lusaka, sponsored by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). In the same year tables for contracted Arabic Braille were developed and installed at the Middle East Committee for the Welfare of the Blind in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In 1985 the first MS DOS version of the Translator was released.
in 1987 under the sponsorship of the Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind (Sight Savers), a Duxbury Braille Translator was installed in Nairobi, Kenya. Tables for a new grade 1 "African Braille Code" was developed to serve several peoples in Kenya and elsewhere in East Africa. in 1988 these were replaced by tables for traditional contracted Swahili.
In 1990 'Edgar' was added to Duxbury's product line. Edgar is a dots-on- screen editor with six-key input for Braille transcribers.
The 'Duxbury Printing Utility' was added in 1991 to the Translator and Edgar, allowing for the printing of simulated Braille, with optional interline print, on certain laser and dot-matrix printers. Later that year Duxbury released its first MS Windows products, the 'Braille Board' and 'Braille Font'. These are designed to help in the production of signage to meet the requirements of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act).
In 1992: 'DUXWP' was added to Duxbury's product line, and included as part of the DOS version of the Translator. DUXWP provided a comprehensive bridge from WordPerfect files, allowing WP users to produce Braille output through a menu, without having to learn Duxbury codes.
1994 saw the development of tables for Hebrew Braille and installed at the Central Library for the Blind in Israel.
In 1995 'DBT Win', the first Windows version of the Duxbury Braille Translator was released.
2004 saw the release of version 10.5 of DBT Win. This version contained localizations for 8 languages as well as translation software for over 60 languages and DBT Win (now referred to as 'DBT') gained recognition as a truly international product.
August 2006 version 10.6 is announced, with a host of powerful features and improvements.
• Undo and redo features.
• Autosave feature.
• Change case feature using shift-f3.
• A margin bell can be enabled for manual Braille entry.
• Templates included for every supported language.
• Publishers page numbers can now optionally be read.
• Improved enhanced [folds] code supports more sophisticated fold lines.
• Customizable behaviour of alt 3 ('cbc'), ctrl-enter ('new page'), and enter.
• Vertical page centring.
• Graphics support for the Romeo Attaché.
• Improved PED plate maker support.
• Improved support for custom embosser definitions.
• Multiple embossers and setups can be installed and selected as required.
• New Arabic and Hebrew translation tables.
• DBT can now be used as a file-to-file translation tool.
• Support for new Unified English (UEB) rules.
• Improved WordPerfect imports.
• Improved handling of corrupted documents.
• Improved find and replace dialogs.
• Hard spaces can now be entered when searching and replacing.
• Swift - translate & emboss straight from MS Word.
• Create near perfect Braille straight from MS Word with new Braille template.
• Improved LaTeX import and translation.
• Braille table of contents generator.
• Cursor locator and cursor location retained on translation.
• All dialogs have been re-designed to conform to Windows standards.
• Improved coded view - they appear similar to xml/html tags.
• Braille fonts may be used in coded view.
• Many Unicode characters can now be displayed in DBT's editor.
• Search & replace style and/or code in addition to text.
• Improved copy & paste.
• A 'Check For Updates' option.
• 'Emboss Help Topic' and 'Print' Help Topic' buttons.
• Information about how a document is set up is now stored with each file.
• Helpful scroll facility for use of wheel mouse by sighted users.
Duxbury Braille Translator (DBT)
www.duxburysystems.com
Download Free Demo
Publisher's Price: US $595
• Excludes shipping & handling, VAT and local delivery.
DBT update (< 3 years old) to 10.6: US $195
DBT update (> 3 years old) to 10.6: US $295
• To request a free Duxbury Braille Translator demo CD or a quotation in Rands please write to .
• Visa, MasterCard and American Express welcome!
Key Features:
• Translates MS Word, WordPerfect, HTML, DAISY and ASCII.
• Swift - translate & emboss straight from MS Word.
• Accessible interface for speech synthesizer and Braille display users.
• Only Braille translator with tables for all 11 South African languages.
• Also has tables for Swahili, Somali, Arabic, Hebrew, French and Portuguese.
• Supports new Unified English (UEB).
• English, French and Portuguese user interfaces.
• Built-in interline printing to have ink-Braille and print together.
• Can include tactile graphics files for mixed text/graphic documents.
• Permits other languages to be embedded in the same file.
• Bidirectional (print-to- Braille and Braille-to-print) translation.
• Accurate WYSIWYG screen presentation of both print or formatted Braille.
• Switch between views of translated and untranslated text.
• Includes Duxbury Braille Font for viewing Braille in other programs.
• Six-key chording for Braille and print entry.
• Margin bell which can be enabled for manual Braille entry.
• Over 100 manual formatting & translation codes for full flexibility.
• Spell-checker with 300,000-word dictionary.
• Undo and redo feature.
• Change case feature using shift-f3.
• Multiple embossers and setups can be installed and selected as required.
• Braille table of contents generator.
• Cursor locator.
• 'Check For Updates' feature.
• Context-sensitive help.
• 'Emboss Help Topic' and 'Print' Help Topic' buttons.
• Includes manuals in print, Braille and on CD.
TGD-Pro® (Tactile Graphic Designer)
www.duxburysystems.com
Download Free Demo
Publisher's Price: US $359
• Excludes shipping & handling, VAT and local delivery.
• To request a free TGD-Pro® demo CD or a quotation in Rands please write to .
• Visa, MasterCard and American Express welcome!
Key Features:
• Ideal for the production of tactile teaching aids such as diagrams and maps.
• Permits creation of line diagrams for SwellTouch® masters for PIAF.
• JPEG, BMP, GIF
or
WMF graphics can be imported.
• Included drawing tools permit manual creation of graphics.
• Permits removal of Color and backgrounds.
• Mathematical plots generated by Scientific Notebook® can be imported.
MacKichan Software Scientific Notebook
www.mackichan.com
Download Free Demo
Publisher's Price: US $148
• Excludes shipping & handling, VAT and local delivery.
• To request a free Scientific Notebook demo CD or a quotation in Rands please write to .
• Visa, MasterCard and American Express welcome!
Key Features:
• Prepares files with mathematical and scientific text for use with DBT.
• Has RTF export enabling one to share work with other applications.
• Has built-in PC algebra engine.
• Easily evaluate, simplify, solve, or plot mathematical expressions.
• Full PC algebra capabilities.
• Compute symbolically or numerically.
• Integrate, differentiate, and solve algebraic and differential equations.
• Create 2-D and 3-D plots in many styles.
• Import data from graphing calculators.
• Compute with over 150 units of physical measure.
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