Description
Duxbury Systems leads the world in software for Braille. The Duxbury Braille Translator (DBT) is used by virtually all of the world's leading braille publishers. No one supports more languages than Duxbury Systems. DBT supports over 170 languages in either uncontracted or contracted (when such rules exist) Braille. Our software can produce contracted and uncontracted literary, mathematics, and technical Braille.
DBT has a modern, flexible user interface. Whether you are blind or sighted, our software is fully accessible AND fully in tune with the latest advances in operating systems and sister applications.
Who uses software for Braille?
Our software is designed for two types of users--those who don't know Braille and those who do. Even if all the Braille you know comes from reading this page, the Duxbury Braille Translator (DBT) allows you to create highly accurate Braille for school books, teaching materials, office memos, bus schedules, personal letters, signs compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and more.
Where you need to be sure of perfection, (just as you would proof-read print books) we would certainly recommend that you also make use of proofreading by a knowledgeable Braillist. That Braillist may be a DBT user as well because DBT is just as important to professional transcribers--for swift conversion to braille from a wide variety of print sources.
What Does DBT Do?
DBT is a braille translation program. It takes your files: Word, text files, HTML, etc. and converts the text into Braille . DBT knows how to format the Braille for your braille embosser. DBT knows how to drive your Braille embosser so that you get exactly what you want. You need a computer and a Braille embosser. DBT does the rest. DBT handles over 170 languages and variants, math, and braille graphics.
Most people understand the basics about Braille: that it provides a reading medium for blind people, using "cells" made up of raised dots in various patterns instead of the characters used in regular print. But many people do not realize that the cells-for-characters substitutions are not, typically, one-for-one. The process is especially complicated in languages such as English and French where "grade 2" Braille is used, involving "contractions" that are based in part upon pronunciation. Formatting Braille pages also raises issues beyond those affecting print. DBT provides translation and formatting facilities to automate conversion from regular print to Braille (and vice versa) and also provides word-processing facilities for working directly in Braille as well as print.