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Multiple Templates for Arabic

The Arabic language has multiple DBT templates:

Generally, the later braille rules (and first template) are preferred unless otherwise specified. According to the 2013 edition of the UNESCO document Word Braille Usage, the pre-2002 rules are used in Bahrain, Iran, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

For details about the DBT translator used by Arabic under the 2002 rules: click here.

For details about the DBT translator for Arabic using pre-2002 rules: click here.

Contracted Braille

Arabic is usually produced in contracted braille. This means that words are not produced in braille on a one-for-one basis. There are abbreviations or contractions in the text. If you have questions about how braille is produced, please contact a member of the relevant braille authority.

Sometimes, you may want to produce uncontracted braille. This is easy to do with DBT. Before translation into braille, go to the top of the document in DBT, and press Alt+1. When you translate into braille, the braille will be uncontracted.

Math Issues in Arabic

DBT now supports the Arabic braille code for mathematics, approved in 2002. To use this translator, the math material needs to use the DBT math style. This style is applied automatically with the import of LaTeX files and some other formats.

Please contact support@duxsys.com if you find issues related to the DBT implementation of the Arabic Math code.

Non-Roman Script

Arabic is written in a script other than the Roman alphabet, a script that reads from right-to-left. This may result in problems when importing files into DBT.Your best option is to import files from Microsoft Word or Open Office that are written in a Unicode font.

You can contact support at Duxbury Systems if you have a file which does not import properly into DBT. Please send the file which does not import (the original inkprint file), not a screen shot of DBT.

Duxbury DBT does not yet properly handle scripts that read from right-to-left for editing purposes. You can open (import) a file, and you can translate into braille. However, you cannot edit the inkprint within DBT. We regret this and hope to correct this issue in a later release of DBT.