BASIC (12-10)

A. What happens when the person selects the Braille option?

When a person selects the Braille notice option, we send the standard print notice using normal procedures. In addition, the notice is automatically routed to a vendor who converts the notice to Braille. The vendor mails the Braille notice and any enclosures directly to the person. Both the standard print notices and Braille notices (except Disability Determination Services (DDS) notices) contain an additional paragraph. An example of the language is: “We are sending this letter to you both in a standard print version and in a Braille version. You will receive them in separate envelopes.”

DDS notices do not contain the paragraph described above. Instead, the DDS mails a one-time notice to the person advising that he or she will receive notices in both standard print and in Braille.

B. Do we produce Braille notices in languages other than English?

We produce Braille notices in both English and Spanish. We produce Braille notices in Spanish only when we produce the standard print notice in Spanish.

C. How is a Braille notice labeled?

The first page of each Braille notice contains a printed label that includes the recipient’s name, address, and an alphanumeric bar code.

Enclosures included in a Braille notice have:

• a printed label with the title,

• the publication, or form number of the enclosure,

• edition date, and

• the inventory control number (ICN).

The printed label is in the upper right corner of the cover page of the enclosure(s). The cover page of the enclosure(s) is also embossed in Braille with the same information as the printed label.

D. How does a Braille form differ from a standard print form?

We convert any form sent with a Braille notice into a linear text format because forms are not easily converted to Braille format. We call this process remediation. Linear text formatting omits lines, boxes, and other formatting that appears in the standard print version.

Forms converted to linear text format include additional language that does not appear on the standard print form. The additional language instructs the person to complete and return only the standard version of the form and not the linear version. The additional language states: “This form is for your information only. Please do not fill it out or return it to us. Instead, please complete the form enclosed with the standard print copy of the notice and return it to us. If you need help completing the form, please contact us and we will help you.”