Carol Begay Green developed the Navajo Braille System in 2015.[1] She developed Navajo Braille with the help of a researcher from Rice University in 2015.[1] The Navajo Braille Code was approved in 2015 by the Navajo Nation Department of Diné Education.[1]

Early life

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Green was born into the Tó’Aheedlí-Íníí clan.[2] Her grandmother taught her the Navajo language and culture.[3] Green lost sight in her left eye at age 13.[2] She had cataract surgery in her right eye which led to a further decrease in her vision in 2000.[2] Green graduated from Northern Arizona University in 1991.[2] She studied Navajo language at Northern Arizona University.[1] She taught Navajo until she went to New Mexico State University.[1] She received a Master’s degree in Special Education from New Mexico State University.[1] Green found out from the Braille Authority of North America that there was no existing Navajo Braille Code in 2013.[1]

Career

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Green joined the Farmington Municipal School District as a teacher for the visually impaired in 2010.[2] She taught at Red Mesa Elementary School and Nataani Nez Elementary School before 2010.[2]

In 2013, Begay Green went to the Getting in Touch with Literacy conference in Providence, Rhode Island.[1] She asked the Braille Authority of North America if there was a braille code for Navajo.[1] There was not any Navajo version of Braille.[1] She worked with a researcher to develop Navajo Braille.[1] The Navajo Nation Department of Diné Education approved the Navajo Braille Code in 2015.[1]

Green teaches the Navajo Braille Code and culture to people aged 3-21.[3] Green was a semifinalist for the 2018 Holman Prize for Blind Ambition.[3]

References

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  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Salisbury, Justin M. H. (2019). "Braille Codes for Native American and First Nations Languages". Journal of Blindness Innovation and Reaserch. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Smith, Noel Lyn. "Local teacher develops Navajo braille code". Daily Times. Archived from the original on 2023-03-10. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Smith, Noel Lyn. "Teacher for Farmington district named semifinalist for $25,000 prize". Daily Times. Archived from the original on 2022-09-26. Retrieved 2024-02-08.