Free Training Courses for Braille Transcribers Working with NIMAS Files

In the first half of 2022, the NIMAC was pleased to offer two free online courses to support braille transcribers who work with NIMAS files. These courses are archived below and will also be posted in the future on the APH Hive for those who wish to receive ACVREP credit for the courses. 

Braille 2000: Textbook Transcription from Start to Finish

Producing high-quality digital and embossed braille using Braille 2000 and NIMAS files has never been easier. This series of 6 webinars will teach you how to use Braille 2000 to create a fully formatted braille textbook from NIMAS, including how to use BrailleBlaster as the initial conversion step.

This course was developed and presented by Rosemary Baggott, an independent transcriber. Her transcription company is Rhyomai, Inc.

For detailed information about what is covered in each session, just click the individual session title. 

Session 1

Download training slides (English or Spanish)

Learn how to:

Convert the NIMAS file and perform initial formatting using BrailleBlaster or Braille 2000

Access and download a file from NIMAC site, including the basics of a NIMAS file set structure


Session 2

Download training slides (English or Spanish)

Learn how to:

Quickly navigate within your transcription project

Set up your text and format transcriber-generated pages


Session 3

View the training

Download training slides (English or Spanish)

Learn how to:

Utilize the features in Braille 2000 to edit and format Pagination, Tables of Contents, and Typeforms


Session 4

Download training slides (English or Spanish)

Learn how to:

Utilize the features in Braille 2000 to edit and format Headings, Lists and Tables, and Alphabetic References


Session 5

Download training slides (English or Spanish)

Learn how to:

Explore some other features you may find in NIMAS-generated files, including: sidebars, line numbered text/poetry, footnotes, Math/MathML, and pronunciation keys


Session 6

Question and answer session


Duxbury/NimPro: Textbook Transcription from Start to Finish

This 6-part webinar series for braille transcribers walks the participant through how to use Duxbury and NimPro to create a fully formatted braille textbook using a NIMAS file. 

This course was developed and presented by Deborah Krise, an instructor at the Tennessee Rehabilitative Initiative in Correction (TRICOR). 

For detailed information about what is covered in each session, just click the individual session title. 

Session 1

Download training slides (English or Spanish)

Learn how to:

Identify types of files in NIMAS file set (PDF, XML, images) and how they can be used for transcription

Access a file from NIMAC site as an Accessible Media Producer (AMP)

Download, Save, & Convert NIMAS file to braille file using NimPro/Duxbury

Explore NimPro features that help with initial formatting of the downloaded file–e.g., typeforms


Session 2

Download training slides (English or Spanish)

Learn how to:

Save multiple files/transcriptions.

Identify NIMAS and Duxbury tools for setting up initial formatting of a text, including transcriber-generated pages.

Identify common issues when working with Duxbury conversions.


Session 3

Download training slides (English or Spanish)

Learn how to:

Set up and edit Table of Contents from a NIMAS file using Duxbury.

Edit and format key features: Pagination, Table of Contents, and Typeforms.

Set and edit print page numbers in a text generated from a NIMAS file using Duxbury.


Session 4

Download training slides (English or Spanish)

Learn how to:

Edit and format key features: Headings, List and Tables, Alphabetic References


Session 5

Download training slides (English or Spanish)

Learn how to:

Describe editing features for Nested Lists, including glossary and index


Session 6

Download training slides (English or Spanish)

Download Braille and NIMAS Resources document (English or Spanish)

Download Tactile Graphics and Duxbury document (English or Spanish)

Question and answer session