1. Executive Committee
2. English Braille Standards Committee
3. French Braille Committee
4. Braille Technology Committee
5. Braille Teaching and Learning Committee
6. Committee on Promotion of and Access to Braille
7. Committee on Nominations and Elections
8. Communications Committee
9. Promotion of and Access to Braille

All CBA standing committees report to the CBA through the executive committee.

1. THE CANADIAN BRAILLE AUTHORITY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, April 2001

Terms of Reference:

1. Elect, from among its members, a vice president, secretary, and treasurer (or secretary/ treasurer) who, together with the president and past president, will carry out the day-to-day management and direction of the authority.
2. Establish policies and procedures for the coperation of the authority, its board and committees.
3. Meet at the call of the president, by tele-conference, or at such location as determined appropriate.
4. Review the action plans and budget submissions of CBA committees and recommend an appropriate course of action to the board.
5. Carry out other duties as may from time to time be assigned by the president or board.

Committee Members:

President

Betty Nobel
Department Head, Program for the Visually Impaired
Vancouver Community College

Vice President

Guylaine Rainville

Past President

Debbie Sitar
Researcher
APH/Vanderbilt

Secretary

Michelle Creedy

Treasurer

Edie Mourre
Braille Specialist
CNIB Library, Winnipeg

2. ENGLISH BRAILLE STANDARDS COMMITTEE

The standing committee on English braille standards shall accept as current standards the codes approved by the Braille Authority of North America (as amended in 1994).

Terms of Reference:

1. Develop an annual work plan and budget for submission to the executive committee
2. Recommend code changes for the consideration of the board of directors before submissions to the appropriate code authority.
3. Evaluate code changes as proposed by BANA and/or ICEB and make recommendations to the Authority.
4. Establish criteria and methods for certification of braille transcribers and braille producers.
5. Adopt or develop guidelines that establish physical standards for the production of braille and tactile illustrations.
6. Monitor standards for the production of English braille in Canada to ensure readability, quality and consistency.
7. Maintain an awareness of current needs and developments in braille production across Canada.
8. Publish and make available bi-annually, a directory of English braille producers in Canada.
9. Liaise with all other CBA standing committees.

3. FRENCH BRAILLE COMMITTEE

The standing committee on French braille shall recognize as the official standards the following two documents: Le Code de transcription de l'imprime en braille (1989); L'index de l'abrège ortographique français entendu (1955). The first document having priority over the second (amended at the CBA board of directors' meeting March 19, 1991.)

Terms of Reference:

1. Develop an annual work plan and budget for submission to the executive committee.
2. Support the development of standard codes and recommend adherence to these codes across Canada.
3. Maintain, through liaison and consultation with le comité sur les normes du Braille (P.Q.), an awareness of current needs and developments in braille.
4. Recommend changes to codes to the authority responsible for the development of French braille codes in Canada.
5. Develop guidelines and monitor standards for the production of French braille in Canada to ensure readability, quality and consistency.
6. Maintain an awareness of current needs and developments in braille production across Canada.
7. Establish criteria and methods for the certification of braille transcribers and braille producers.
8. Liaise with all other CBA standing committees.

4. BRAILLE TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

Terms of Reference:

1. Prepare an annual work plan and budget for submission to the executive committee.
2. Promote the use of technology by braille users.
3. Collect and make available information on current technology to CBA members.
4. Promote research and development in technology for persons who are blind.
5. Liaise with all other CBA standing committees.

5. BRAILLE TEACHING AND LEARNING COMMITTEE

Terms of Reference:

1. Prepare an annual work plan and budget for submission to the executive committee.
2. Promote better access to qualified teachers of braille for persons who are blind.
3. Develop and monitor standards for braille teaching, for educators fo persons who are blind.
4. Develop plans for improving braille teaching and learning.
5. Liaise with all other CBA standing committees.

6. COMMITTEE ON PROMOTION OF AND ACCESS TO BRAILLE

Terms of Reference:

1. Prepare an annual work plan and budget for submission to the Executive Committee.
2. Promote the use and availability of braille and tactile illustrations to provide a viable means of access to information.
3. Monitor the use and availability of braille and tactile illustrations for persons who are blind or visually impaired.
4. Liaise with all other CBA standing committees.

7. COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Terms of Reference:

1. Circulate a call for nominations to all members ninety (90) days prior to the Annual General Meeting for receipt of nominations sixty (60) days prior to the AGM.
2. identify a slate of suitable candidates for vacant positions.
3. Develop a ballot for those positions for which there is more than one nomination.
4. Distribute a ballot forty-five (45) days prior to AGM to be returned to the elections and nominations committee thirty (30) days prior to AGM.
5. Count ballots and inform the executive of the election results. Election shall be by simple majority. in the event of a tie, a run-off shall be held.
6. Notify all members of the election results no later than the Annual General Meeting.
7. Liaise with all other CBA standing committees.

8. COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

Terms of Reference:

1. Develop an annual work plan and budget for submission to the executive committee.
2. Establish standards/ guidelines for the production of books, reports and other CBA documents.
3. Advise all CBA committees on plans for publications.
4. Liaise with all other CBA standing committees to determine a publication schedule.

9. PROMOTION OF AND ACCESS TO BRAILLE

It is the recommendation of the executive committee that CBA designate one person to take a leadership role in research, with the assistance of a support group (of members who have an interest in/ responsibility for keeping current on relevant research).

Terms of Reference:

1. Keep CBA members informed of relevant research in the field.
2. Liaise with other organizations, agencies or institutions who are aware of research needs in the field.
3. Familiarize CBA committees and members at large of grants available to support relevant research.

All CBA standing committees report to the CBA through the executive committee.