Alternate format preparation is governed by many sets of rules and guidelines. Most guidelines are designed to take advantage of the available space most effectively. However, sometimes the print document presents challenges from a spatial arrangement perspective that force the transcriber to make several choices which are intended to make the document more user friendly.
For example, a print table consisting of 10 columns and four lines is never going to fit on a braille page as it is presented in print. The table may need to be presented across two pages, broken into sections and placed on subsequent pages, turned 90 degrees so it is now 4 columns wide and 10 lines long (with Transcriber’s Notes explaining the change), or set into a stair-step table mode that puts each column entry on a separate line one space to the right of the one above. The rules indicate that the transcriber is to consider each of those in order. However, many times it is appropriate to consult with the end user of the document and find out how they would prefer the document to be arranged.
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