Section 7
Boxed Material

The provisions of this section apply to materials printed inside boxes, screened materials shown by the use of colors or shaded backgrounds, or material that should be set off from the body of the text. Both boxes and screened materials are referred to as boxed material throughout this section.

Box lines are always used when text references material as being in a box. Using box lines in other situations is at the transcriber's discretion. If the content does not fit well into the flow of text, it is best to retain the box lines.

Box Lines

• 7 Top box line
• g Bottom box line
• = Top and bottom exterior borders for a set of nested boxes

A Braille Reader's Perspective. A blank line before and after a box helps the reader quickly distinguish a top box line from a bottom box line, especially when boxes are longer than a braille page.

If two separate boxes follow each other, as opposed to appearing as a smaller box in a bigger box, a blank line between boxes helps the braille reader know the difference.

Boxes are preceded and followed by blank lines.

a.  A top box line can appear on line 1 when a running head is not used and line 3 when a running head is used.

b.  A blank line separates a page change indicator from a box line.

Exceptions:

c.  Do not leave a blank line following a top box line.

d.  Do not leave a blank line preceding a bottom box line.

e.  Do not leave a blank line between boxed material and any accompanying heading, caption, directions, or source citation.

f.  Do not leave a blank line between adjacent interior and exterior box lines.

See Formats, §7.6.1 for use of blank lines for boxes within boxes.

Placement of Boxes. Insert boxed material into the text where it logically belongs, keeping it on the same print page on which the box occurs in print. Whenever possible, keep boxed material on a single braille page. Place boxes containing general material that has no direct reference to the text at the end of the last paragraph of the print page.

Begin each box with a top box line and end it with a bottom box line, regardless of the number of braille pages required for the box.

Start the top and bottom box lines at the left margin and extend them across the full width of the braille page, regardless of the width of the print box. The width of the braille page is dependent upon the format of the material being transcribed.

a.  Separate box lines on the first or last line of a braille page from the page number by at least three blank cells.

b.  The length of box lines within line-numbered text adheres to the required two blank cells before line numbers.

Example 7-1: Box within Line-Numbered Prose

Do not reproduce left and right box lines.

Dividing Boxes Between Braille Pages

a.  A top box line must be followed by at least one line of text on the braille page. If the box line is followed by a heading, the heading must be followed by at least one line of text.

b.  A bottom box line must be preceded by at least one line of text on the braille page.

Full Print Page(s) of Boxed Material

a.  When the body of text is interrupted by a full print page or more of boxed material, insert a transcriber's note before the box informing the reader where text resumes. Use print page numbers in the note. Sample:

Text continues on page 45.

b.  Insert a transcriber's note after the box informing the reader where the text was interrupted. Include the continuation letter with the print page number. Sample:

Text continued from page c43.

Wide Boxes Shown Side by Side. If several boxes are shown in a row across a print page, present them vertically as separate boxes in braille.

Adjoining Vertical Boxes. Close the first box before opening a second box. Insert a blank line between each box. (See Sample 7-1: Two Boxes Separated by a Blank Line on page 7-8.)

There are four possible situations:

a. When a single box is shown across print pages and it is read as if it were on a single page, and there is no other text on either page, transcribe it as a single box. Use combined page numbers, e.g., 22-23, a22-23, etc. Box lines may be omitted if the content will fit on a single braille page without them. Option: Tables printed across facing print pages may be produced as facing braille pages, if all the material will fit on the two pages. (See Formats, §11.13, Wide Tables: Facing Pages.)

b.  When full-page boxes are on adjoining pages and are read as two separate boxes, transcribe them as separate boxes. Retain the box lines to convey the change in context. Individual page numbers are used, e.g., 44, a44, 45, a45, etc.

c.  When a box reads across facing pages, but there is other text outside the box, place it at the most logical place on one of the two pages. Insert a transcriber's note before the box, informing the reader of the location. Sample:

The following box appears across the bottom of pages 100-101.

Example 7-4: Box Read Across Pages (Print Only)

d. A box designed to be read first on the left page and then continued on the next page needs to remain intact. Transcribe the text on the first page, then the boxed material. Insert the page change indicator and complete the boxed material before returning to the remainder of the text. Note, if the box breaks the flow of text on the first page (e.g., mid-paragraph), insert the box at the most appropriate location and include a transcriber's note, as in the previous example.

Example 7-5: Box Across Facing Pages (Print Only)

Books may use boxes in various colors, also called screened materials, to distinguish types of content. Indicate the box color unless all the boxes are the same color. The book may not reference the color, but it is possible a corresponding workbook will make note of it, colors may identify the level of activity difficulty, or a teacher may reference the box color for study purposes, etc.

Insert the name of the color, enclosed in transcriber's note indicators, at the beginning of the opening box line. A blank cell separates the embedded transcriber's note from the box line. (See Sample 7-2: Screened Word Lists on page 7-10.)

One or more boxes within a box are transcribed in a different manner than regular boxes. Include a transcriber's note explaining how the boxes are related if necessary.

= Top and bottom exterior borders

7 Top interior box line

g Bottom interior box line

a.  Do not insert a blank line between a top exterior border and a top interior box line.

b.  Do not insert a blank line between a bottom interior box line and a bottom exterior border.

c.  Insert a blank line before a top interior box line when it begins on any line other than immediately after the top exterior border.

d.  Insert a blank line after a bottom interior box line when it ends on any line other than immediately before the bottom exterior border.

e.  Consecutive interior boxes are opened and closed with top and bottom interior box lines.

f.  Consecutive box lines between interior boxes are separated by a blank line.

(See Sample 7-3: Box within a Box on page 7-12.)

Sample 7-1: Two Boxes Separated by a Blank Line, page 7-8
Sample 7-2: Screened Word Lists, page 7-10
Sample 7-3: Box within a Box, page 7-12

Sample 7-1: Two Boxes Separated by a Blank Line

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Sample 7-2: Screened Word Lists

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Sample 7-3: Box within a Box

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