Braille Translation Software: Duxbury vs. BrailleBlaster

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By Grace Minter

Braille Literacy Teacher at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind

Duxbury Translation Software (DBT)

Images shows Duxbury Systems banner with company name scrolled in cursive diagonally from the bottom left corner upward as if written with a black Sharpie marker. A music staff/bar serves as the background for the lettering. Underneath the staff in faint lettering, is the phrase "The Worldwide Braille Tranlsation Leader".

A Long-Standing Industry Standard

Manufacturer: Duxbury Systems Inc.

Price: $699 for a single user license

Address: 270 Littleton Rd., Unit 6, Westford, MA

Phone: +1-978-692-3000

Email: 

For General Inquiries –

[email protected]

For Technical Support –

[email protected]

Screenshot of DBT document with menu bar across top and braille format document taking up most of page with margin lines numbered. Braille line at top of page reads "Sparkles make everything better".

What Does it Do?

Step 1: Imports documents of many formats

Step 2: Converts them to braille

Step 3: Sends the braille documents to a connected embosser

What Can it Make?

The only limit is your creativity!

  • Books
  • Worksheets
  • Cards
  • Letters
  • Articles
  • Recipes
  • Schedules
  • Menus
  • Signage
  • Riddles
  • Jokes
  • Poetry
  • Exit Tickets
  • Examinations
  • Messages
  • Manuals
  • Music
  • Instructions
  • Calendars
  • Mathematics
  • Tactile Graph Paper
  • Scientific Notation
  • Computer Code

Examples from Teacher Life

Tracking warm up exercise:

Screen shot of a Duxbury window showing a tactile discrimination/tracking practice exercise worksheet where students track each line to identify how many spaces occur on each.

Fun recipe aimed at children:

Screenshot of a DBT window containing the braille text of the recipe for Unicorn Cookies to be embossed and used with student reading groups.

Animal Idiom handout strips

Screenshot of a DBT window containing a list of idioms about animals for embossing, cutting into slips, and using with student groups for warm up reading practice and discussion.

Icebreakers – Print, cut into strips, draw out of a hat morning meeting discussion topics:

Screenshot of a DBT window containing a list of icebreaker questions for embossing and cutting into strips to use with student groups.

Pocket poems:

Screenshot of a DBT window containing the text of a late first grade level single page poem in uncontracted braille.

Creative Writing Prompt Choices:

Screenshot of a DBT window containing a collection braille writing prompts to be embossed, cut into strips, and placed in a basket for students to choose from during free writing activities.

Date writing format examples to share with parents:

Image shows open DBT window demonstrating two methods of writing the date in braille: with forward slashes and with hyphens in the correct format. Share image with parents when they ask how the date at the top of papers should look on their child's braillewriter.

Lord of the Rings/Hobbit Riddles:

Screenshot of a DBT window containing the grade 2 braille text some riddles which come from J.R.R Tolkien's book, The Hobbit.

Math problems:

Screenshot of a DBT window showing an addition worksheet written in Unified English Braille. Problems are double spaced with spaces left for answers to be inserted after each equals sign.

For more detailed activity ideas, check out the Reading Fluency and Tactile Discrimination Building Exercises (heading level 2) sections of my article on Guidelines for Effective Braille Reading.

DBT Beneficial Features

  • Accurate, dependable, widely used, confidence of ongoing support
  • Crisp, clean interface with little visual clutter, stays clear when magnified
  • Works for all user levels: everyday teaching needs and Braillists using advanced  features
  • Capable of Working with over 130 languages
  • Compatible with all commercial embossers, both old and new
  • Interlining options
  • Supports Nemeth, UEB, EBAE, and many other braille codes
  • Displays page, line, and cell numbers 
  • Easily import and emboss PDF files from other sources 
  • Accessible with screen readers/magnification software 
  • Available for both Windows and Mac
  • Demo version restricts file saving but has no time limit and allows embossing 
  • Import tactile graphic files to create mixed text-graphic documents
  • Choose between grades of braille for learners (1, 2, or 1. __  partially contracted)
  • Bidirectional translation (print-to-braille and braille-to-print)
  • Converts textbooks according to BANA standards 
  • 6-dot key entry supported with most keyboards
  • In-built help screens and spell-checker
  • A translated line shows the other format at the bottom of the screen (print or braille)
  • Over 100 formatting codes for advanced users 
  • A library of user configured style templates
  • Unlimited technical support available
  • Worldwide community of users and an online forum to communicate

Disadvantages of DBT

  1. Price: Licenses are very expensive, as are the embossers that go with the software
  2. Effort: Steep learning curve for using formatting functionality
  3. Only for PC and Mac: Does not work with tablets 

DBT Commands

Alt F = Go to File menu

Alt E = Go to Edit menu

Alt V = Go to View menu

Alt L = Go to Layout menu

Alt T = Go to Table menu

Alt D = Go to Document menu

Alt G = Go to Global menu

Alt H = Go to help menu

Alt 1 = Translation codes, grade 1 

Alt 2 = Translation codes, grade 2

F1 = Get help

F3 = File, save as 

F4 = Layout, set left margin to 3 (line starts on third cell) 

F5 = Layout, code list

F6 = Edit, replace

F7 = Insert code

Ctrl L = New line

Ctrl M = New paragraph

Ctrl Enter = Layout, pages codes, new page 

Ctrl K = Skip line 

Ctrl E = Emboss

Ctrl T = Translate 

Ctrl F4 = Close current file 

BrailleBlaster

Screenshot of the BrailleBlaster main document screen with toolbar across top, print pane on the left and braille pane on right.

“A new choice in braille transcription software”

Manufacturer: American Printing House for the Blind (APH)

Price: Free

Contact Information

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: APH Customer Service 1-800-223-1839 

Primary Target Users:

Large volume braille textbook producers

(BB uses LibLouis and NIMAS markup to automate formatting according to BANA standards.)

BB Beneficial Features

  • Available on Windows and Mac
  • Accessible with screen readers and screen magnification software
  • Designed to be easier to use, less need to input codes
  • See print and braille version of text simultaneously
  • 6-dot key entry is available, though not recommended
  • Supports UEB, UEB with Nemeth for math, and EBAU
  • Supports NIMAS, docx, HTML, XML, ePub3, TXT, MD, HTM, and ODT file formats
  • Choose between grade 1 and grade 2 braille
  • Supports Index, Enabling, and ViewPlus embosser models
  • Tactile graphics not yet available but BB does have a built-in image describer
  • Automates table of contents formatting 
  • Can open and emboss, but not edit, BRF files
  • Math is supported through six-key entry or ASCII 
  • Very basic double line spacing option
  • Free to download and use, only requirement is sharing your email address with APH

Disadvantages of BB

  • Reliability of support and long-term availability is questionable
  • Does not have a large community of dedicated, experienced users
  • Much of its features are still in the testing and development phase
  • Does not support other languages yet
  • Does not yet offer translation between grade 1 and 2 braille (partially contracted)
  • Window and toolbar are visually complicated, simbraille font very blurry when enlarged, hard on the eyes for screen magnifier users
  • Cannot be used to edit brf files
  • Not for tablets

BB Commands

F1 = Open BB user guide 

F6 = Six-key entry

Alt Home = Open the braille preview

Alt End = Open bo ok tree

Ctrl T = Contracted braille translation

Ctrl Shift T = Uncontracted braille translation

Ctrl M = Math translation toggle

Ctrl D = Direct translation 

Ctrl W = Close document

Ctrl E = Emboss

Ctrl + = Increase font size

Ctrl – = Decrease font size

Ctrl B = Bold

Ctrl U = Underline

Ctrl I = Italics

Alt Shift S = Script

Alt Shift R = Remove emphasis from selection

F7 = Spell check 

Windows Commands Compatible with Both DBT and BB

Alt F4 = Close program

Shift F10 = Open context menu

Ctrl P = Print

Ctrl F = Find

Ctrl O = Open

Ctrl S = Save

Ctrl N = New document

Ctrl A = Select all

Shift arrow keys = Select text

DBT vs. BB – Feature Comparison

Same

Accurately translate print into contracted or uncontracted braille

Similar help and spell check features

Import BRF files for embossing

Translate between EBAE and UEB

Create math using ASCII or six-key entry

Support materials available online

Different

Only BB can easily emphasize text without need to input a code using standard word processing shortcuts in print pane or using the emphasis menu in toolbar.

DBT saves files as .dxb; BB saves files as .bbz

DBT simbraille font is clearer when magnified; BB’s is blurry and hard on low vision

DBT alone allows files to be saved in BRF format§


DBT vs. BB: Commands Comparison

In Common

  • Ctrl E for emboss
  • Ctrl T for translate
  • F1 to get help/view user guide

In Contrast

  • Six-key entry works automatically in DBT braille documents, BB requires pressing F6 to activate this feature.
  • Close document without closing program 

  DBT: Ctrl F4

  BB: Ctrl W

  • Ctrl + or – change font size only in BB, magnification software must be used to increase font size appearance in DBT.
  • Differing toolbar menus

 DBT: file, edit, view, layout, table, document, global, help

 BB: file, edit navigate, view, tools, settings, emphasis, styles, insert, math, help

Support Resources

Duxbury Website

DBT Information Page

Duxbury FAQ

Duxbury Help FIle (internet Edition)

BrailleBlaster Website

BB FAQ Page

BrailleBlaster Manual

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