Tips for Hiring a Transcriber

Why choose a nonprofit organization?

The Accessible Media Producers directory allows producers to list whether they are nonprofit or not.

If you are seeking to have a title transcribed or embossed that has a file in theAPH File Repositoryor to get an embossed copy of aNational Library Service Web-Brailletitle, a nonprofit would be eligible to get access to these files. If you do not have access to these systems yourself, this can be both convenient and time saving. If you are interested in these types of materials, select a nonprofit organization and inquire if they already have access to obtain the materials you need, as they may not have applied yet.

Nonprofit agencies also have special standing under the Chafee Amendment of the copyright law, which can expedite your braille project.

Designation as a nonprofit does not guarantee that the charges for service will be lower than another type of agency.

Nonprofit status is defined by the Internal Revenue Service and requires a special filing. The agency should be able to provide you with copies of the paperwork to prove their status.

Contracting with a Transcriber

Contracting with a transcriber is like any other business relationship in that you want to make certainboth parties have the same expectations from the beginning.

Be as specific as possible and explain what needs to be transcribed. Is it a novel, textbook, poetry, computer codes, math, music, or foreign language material? Some of these materials require certifications and expertise in specific braille codes.Be sure to inform the transcriber of any unusual complexities with the material. You should set and agree on a specific due date or timeline. You may wish to ask for references or samples of similar materials the transcriber has produced.You also may consider comparison shopping and requesting quotes and samples from more than one transcriber if possible.

Braille Codes

There is more than one code transcribers may use to produce braille. Below is a bit of background on these codes and links to certifying agencies and information on the codes themselves that may help you as you look for a transcriber with the appropriate background.

The braille code representing most text is usually called literary braille. In the United States, certification for both transcribing and proofreading literary braille is handled via the National Federation of the Blind.

The Canadian National Institute for the Blind also offers braille certification of various types.

For K-12 textbooks, there is a standard for formatting the braille text, so a student may move more easily between different braille books. Information on the formatting of braille textbookscan be found at

brl.org and the National Braille Association.

Braille can be proofread by someone other than the transcriber. This can be helpful and provide additional quality control. Our AMP listings include information on proofreading practices as provided by the producers when they register. You can confirm this information when you contact the transcribers.

Music, math and other specialized types of materials have specific conventions that must be used to produce meaningful braille. If the material you wish to have brailled falls within one of the following categories, you may wish to narrow your searchto those listing these specific skills and certifications.

  • Music Certification -- requires considerable knowledge of written music.
  • Mathematics Certification -- Nemeth Code is the braille code for transcribing and proofreadingmathematics.
  • Computer related materials and Chemistry materials containing chemical formulas and notation -- there are special braille codes for this type of material, however, there is not currently a certification program. Since the codes have similarities to the Nemeth math code, some transcribers do all three.

Illustrative Materials / Tactile Graphics

Certain types of material, such as science and some math, have numerousillustrations. Some of these are handled by providingnarrative (text) descriptions of the illustrations. In other cases, tactile materials, called tactile graphics, may be prepared to supplement the textual portion of a book and represent the images, photographs, maps, charts, etc.

Foreign Languages

For braille material produced for a United States audience, foreign languages can be handled in two different ways, depending on how it appears in the original print material. In looking for a producer for these materials, it is important to recognize the skills needed will vary depending on the type of materials you need transcribed.

If a book contains both English and a foreign language, and an English speaking person is its intended audience, the foreign language braille is handled under special rules of the English literary braille code. A high school French or Spanish textbook would be a typical example of this. There is no special additional certification for this type of material.

If a book is completely in a foreign language and is to be read by someone competent in that language, the transcription should be in the braille code appropriate to that language. This is because a combination of braille dots might mean one letter in English, but something else in the braille code for the other language. There are multiple codes and multiple certifying bodies. Some languages may not have certification.