[Unified Braille For All] Why did NZ adopt UEB?

[Christopher Gray]

It's probably also important to remember that both Australia and New Zealand 
are relative newcomers to the use of the Nemeth Code.  It would be easier for 
them to give it up for a math code more like the British code.

Chris

On Tue, 8 May 
2012, Susan Jolly wrote:

> Chris, I agree that it appears that the NZ transition process is going smoothly. But this is not surprising given that something like only 100 people were directly affected and they already had a very strong centralized structure. (They did not mention post-secondary issues.)
>
> Chris asked why NZ adopted UEB despite some experts there understanding that Nemeth was better for math.
>
> The few reasons I've heard relate to the advantage of Trans-Tasman unity.  (The Tasman Sea is what the part of the Pacific Ocean between Australia and New Zealand is called.)
>
> However, my guess is that another reason is that NZ did not feel they could rely on the United States not to adopt the UEB and didn't want to be the only ICEB country left with Nemeth.
>
> The underlying issue, which is more important for us, is to understand the BANA decision process and the legal ramifications.
>
> My contact in Australia told me that there was significant opposition to the adoption of UEB there during the decision process and also at the last open meeting held on the topic which I think was in 2005. (The contact was at the meeting and stayed afterward.) But the Australian Braille Authority decided what they wanted to decide nonetheless.
>
> By the way, here in New Mexico there was recently a mayoral vote held at a meeting.  More people wanted to get into the meeting than the fire marshal would permit.  So even though the people at the meeting did elect a mayor, the election was ruled invalid as being in violation of the state's open meeting law.
>
> Susan Jolly
>
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----------------------------------------
Christopher Gray, Executive Director
Missouri Council of the Blind

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