Fred's Head from APH

Registration Now Open for Annual Meeting!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:43:49 PDT

Products Across America: Working Together to Build Tools for Learning and Living

Run, don't walk. Drive quickly, but don't text while driving. It's time for Annual Meeting registration! The 142nd Annual Meeting of Ex Officio Trustees and Special Guests of the American Printing House for the Blind takes place October 14–16, at the fully renovated Galt House Hotel in downtown Louisville. Come join us as we wander across this great land of ours to look at "Products Across America".

You'll be wowed by keynote speaker Jim Gibbons, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries, Inc. You will "oooh" and "aaah" over fabulous new products. You'll laugh and you'll cry as we honor our APH award winners, our marvelous InSights artists and our newest inductees into the Hall of Fame for Leaders and Legends of the Blindness Field. You will be amazed by the products in the Product Showcase, and feel your power as you provide input into the development of new products. And your friends at home will be dazzled by your brilliance when you return to tell them all you've learned in the product training sessions.

And if that's not enough, you can dance the night away on the historic Belle of Louisville, meet new colleagues, renew old friendships, learn from your peers and stagger home refreshed at the end of the week.

Now, how can you miss it? You can't! So log on now to register for the meeting, check out the agenda, and find out where to stay. Check it out at: www.aph.org/anmtg/2010/

Hurry, the deadline for registration is Sept. 17, and reservations at the Galt House must be made by September 19! (Of course we'll welcome you with open arms if you cannot take advantage of registration in advance–but your name will not appear in the program book.)

How to Use Keyboard Shortcuts in Google Instant Search

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:58:50 PDT

NOTE: Screen reader users will not be able to use the following keyboard shortcuts because your screen reader has control of your keyboard's functionality. These are posted to Fred's Head to benefit our low vision readers who don't use a screen reader.

How to Use Keyboard Shortcuts in Google Instant Search

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit
On September 8, 2010, Google released Google Instant Search which enables users to view search results as they type. Instant search also offers a list of keyboard shortcuts to help people more quickly navigate a Google search page.

Steps

Go to the Google homepage,.http://www.google.com.
Log into your account.
Try any of the following keyboard shortcuts:
- Up and down arrows - Scroll between possible search queries.
- Tab - Completes what Google thinks you are trying to type. For example, if trying to get a weather report and you press "w", pressing tab will fully enter "weather" into the search box.
- Right arrow - I'm Feeling Lucky. However for this to work, you must have selected the search term by pressing the down arrow to have confirmed one of the search queries under the search box.
- Esc - Temporarily disables Instant Search. It resumes when you start typing again though.

Tips

As of September 8, 2010 this will only work for logged in users in the USA who are using Chrome, Safari, Firefox or IE8. Google plans on expanding this to other geographies with a few days and to other browsers and mobile users within months.

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Use Keyboard Shortcuts in Google Instant Search. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Put That in my DropBox Please

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:07:01 PDT

I've used all kinds of file-sharing programs, some primarily handle a particular type of file such as Hello the image sharing program, or Grouper used for sending huge files back and forth. Well this program also allows the sharing of files, and like the others, this has its own features and attributes, some of which are quite impressive. The best feature of all is that the program is totally accessible.

Dropbox is a good way to share files with students, friends, parents or coworkers. Dropbox is particularly useful for sharing large files like MP3s or slide shows. Rather than mass emailing an attachment you can share a file through Dropbox and save space in your email application. Using Dropbox, you can access and work on files from any Internet-connected computer and all files/folders stay up-to-date. Files can also be downloaded through a web interface, even deleted files can immediately be retrieved.

Click this link to learn more about DropBox.

Habalis

Forward any attachment to free web service Habalis and it'll show up in your Dropbox folder (the free file-syncing service) within a few seconds.

The service is pretty simple to set up. You have to authorize it to access your Dropbox account, where it creates a shared folder. It then gives you a unique email address you can forward attachments to (I'd recommend adding this one to your contacts if you plan to use it much). You compose and send an email to the service, and, depending on the size of the file, it'll show up in your Dropbox folder in short order.

Click this link to get started with http://www.gethabilis.com.

AirDropper

AirDropper lets Dropbox users send a request for files to anyone, even if the person doesn't have a Dropbox account. The person you're requesting the files from just needs an email address or some other means for you to send them the secure upload link they provide.

Using the service is simple. First you connect AirDropper to your Dropbox account. Then you fill out a request form with a description of the files you want and how you want to send the request, whether by email or by using a secure upload link. Once the person you're requesting the files from visits the secure page and uploads the files, they are immediately put in a subfolder called "AirDropper" within your Dropbox. Simple for everybody!

AirDropper has several benefits over other ways to transfer files. Most importantly, AirDropper makes the process very easy for the person sending the files. The sender just has to visit the secure link and upload the files. Any files sent through AirDropper are secure from the sender's computer to your Dropbox. They can also handle files that are too big to send as email attachments. Plus you get all the benefits of using Dropbox for files you receive, including automatic syncing and backups.

Click this link to visit https://www.airdropper.com.

O'Reilly Ebook Bundles Include DAISY Format

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:06:37 PDT

For years, O'Reilly has supplied digital files to Bookshare, a non-profit that provides accessible reading material to the print disabled. For qualifying readers, books are made available worldwide.

Although the DRM-free EPUB files in their ebook bundles are compatible with many reading systems for print disabled customers, many readers prefer the DAISY format that Bookshare provides, and either don't qualify for access via Bookshare, or would prefer to pay for the ebooks. Through a collaboration with Bookshare, O'Reilly has started making DAISY files available within their ebook bundles on oreilly.com for more than 800 titles. If you've already bought an oreilly.com ebook, you can find the DAISY files on your account page at https://members.oreilly.com or http://oreilly.com/e on a mobile device.

"Our mission at O'Reilly is to change the world by spreading the knowledge of innovators, and making our books available in accessible DAISY format helps us accomplish that mission."

There's more details on the DAISY format from the DAISY Consortium, including a list of software and hardware reading systems.

Adaptations for Young Children Who Are Visually Impaired

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:05:54 PDT

by Erin Monahan

Children with vision impairments will need to adapt to learn, but families and teachers can also learn some easy adaptations to facilitate that learning.

Blindness is legally defined as vision that is worse than 20/200, but visual impairments can also include congenital abnormalities that affect a child's ability to see, according to Virginia E. Bishop, Ph.D., who works with the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Impairments can include the inability to see color, visual perception problems, including issues with depth of field, or total blindness.

Use Voice and Touch

Visually impaired children may be able to see what a teacher or family member is doing, but it doesn't always register properly or isn't viewed accurately. Teachers of blind and visually impaired children will call the child by name or touch him on the shoulder to make sure he knows he's included in the conversation or activity. Use voice to engage the child in what he is seeing or to issue directions-, a visually impaired child won't know you're smiling if you are gently teasing him. Bishop notes this will give you an idea of how your child sees things and will help you more easily create adaptations to help him.

Alter Learning Objects

When teaching a child with visual impairment, you'll need to purchase toys that are larger than normal and brightly colored. If the child is totally blind, use toys that have texture. A visually impaired child will find it easier to learn about a triangle if it is large and in a neon color and presented to her as only one triangle. As the child gains success with learning games, you'll be able to add to the number of objects, but they will always need to be brightly colored and large. Use hands-on learning tools whenever possible.

Create a Safe Environment

Make sure the child's environment is safe and free from obstacles. Make sure that children and adults know your child is visually impaired and won't always see a toy on the floor or a glass of water at the edge of a table. Tape down rugs--if you have them at all--to prevent tripping or slipping. Immediately remove any items dropped on the floor by other children. An article in the July/August 2001 issue of "Teaching Exceptional Children" suggests making a checklist of environmental adaptations that will need to be addressed.

Use Special Materials

Although many learning materials for sighted children can be used effectively with the visually impaired, these children will also need some tools just for them. These would include large-print books, black pens, thick-leaded pencils, braille books, additional light sources and magnification devices for reading or seeing the front of the classroom.

References

"Teaching Exceptional Children"; Effective Classroom Adaptations for Students with Visual Impairments; Penny R. Cox and Mary K. Dykes; July/August 2001 (PDF)

About this Author

Erin Monahan is an author and editor with 25 years experience. She has written on a variety of topics including celebrity interviews, health reporting and parenting. Her work has appeared in daily newspapers and national magazines, including "Wondertime," and on websites such as Kaboose.com. She was recently named one of the top writers in Pennsylvania. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Simmons College.

LIVESTRONG.COM

Thought Audio Has Free Audio Books

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:38:56 PDT

Thought Audio is a producer and provider of free audio books featuring classic titles across a variety of genres. Audio books are professionally narrated works that you can listen to online or download to play offline.

The library of audio books on Thought Audio contains some titles that are hard to find as audio files. For example you'll find titles like Thus Spoke Zarathustra, The Life of PT Barnum, and The Madman. You'll also find more commonly read titles like Alice in Wonderland, and Poe's The Raven.

From the website:

"As the world moves toward more complex interactions, one of the most fundamental aspects of humanity is to enjoy its thoughts and its great works. Our journey has always been one of making classic literature available to anyone willing to listen, and now in this next phase, to expand our scope to include more thinkers, writers and essayists. Although thinking may not seem as relevant today, with advancing technology providing alternative vehicles of entertainment, we are committed to bringing a small part of intellectual enjoyment to the globe."

This could be a good resource for reading and literature teachers in search of audio recordings to assist their students.

Click this link to start reading with http://www.thoughtaudio.com.

Puffy Paint the Planets

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 07:25:33 PDT

Here's a cool project that you can use to teach kids about the planets. Be creative and use a variety of colors and create your own solar system! Best of all, you'll be making something tactile that can also be enjoyed by kids who are blind or visually impaired.

Gather your materials. You will need some shaving cream, white glue, paint,scissors, a marker, paper, a spoon, and container or bowl.
Start by mixing your paint. You will need 3 parts shaving cream to 1 part white glue, and colored paint . Use as much paint as you need to get the color you want.
While they mix it up, draw a circle on your blue paper.
Paint. It might get messy but it will definitely be fun!
Let dry and cut out. The paint will dry puffy !

Article Source:
No Time For Flash Cards

How to Teach the Visually Impaired Child

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 06:37:17 PDT

by Amber Keefer

Overview

Children who have visual impairments may be legally blind or have low vision and may, therefore, require assistance with their classroom learning. The level of support needed varies depending on the nature and degree of vision loss. While most children with visual impairments are able to function in the mainstream classroom, there are steps teachers can take to make learning easier. The American Council of the Blind points out that, with the proper teaching tools and access to an effective learning environment, a visually impaired child can receive a rewarding education.

Step 1

Build a rapport with the child from the start. Understand the extent of the child's vision loss. A student may possess low vision or perhaps be partially blind and, therefore, may require different learning aids than his seeing counterparts. Knowing at what age a student began to have problems with his vision can give a teacher a better idea of how much visual memory a child might have.

Step 2

Describe the classroom to the child and help her gain a sense of spatial position. Give her time to orient herself in the classroom. Use tactile means to familiarize her with the layout of the room and teaching equipment, as well as where to find supplies. Do not move furnishings, equipment or materials from their normal positions unless you inform the child of any changes.

Step 3

Seat the child near the front of the classroom and away from windows and other sources of glaring light. Teachers should not stand with their backs to a window as this can create a silhouette that is difficult for a visually impaired child to see. Make use of contrast and color to denote different areas in the classroom.

Step 4

Call the student by name to get her attention in the classroom. Always speak to the class in general whenever entering or exiting the room.

Step 5

Ask children to wear their eyeglasses in the classroom. Younger children in particular may need help when first developing the habit of wearing eyeglasses.

Step 6

Provide textbooks, handouts and other printed assignments in large, bold print or Braille. Order instructional equipment and other low vision aids, such as electronic white boards, audible screen readers and books with tactile illustrations, which the student can use for learning.

Step 7

Read written instructions and other information aloud when necessary. Give all assignments orally. Pay close attention to details when describing anything associated with the lesson. Inform the student in advance if you plan to use a video in a lesson. Ask one of the other students to watch the video with the visually impaired student in order to describe any visual aspects.

Step 8

Explain in detail any visual learning activities. Refrain from using gestures and avoid the use of vague terms when speaking. Use descriptive words in any explanations. Spell out new words or technical terms. Try to give the student a first-hand tactile example whenever possible.

References

About this Author

Amber Keefer has more than 25 years' experience working in the fields of human services and health care administration. Writing professionally since 1997, she has written articles covering health, fitness and women's issues published in Family Digest Magazine, Chicago Parent and Woman's Touch. Keefer holds a B.A. from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. in health care management from Baker College.

Article Source:
LIVESTRONG.COM

Glow-In-The-Dark Tape

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:17:51 PDT

Anything that is capable of glowing in the dark is just that much more handy for people with low vision. If you’re tired of tripping over a stair or just want to make a Halloween costume more visible to cars, this tape could come in very handy.

Having a whole roll of glowing tape is just something that you’re bound to use at some point or another. These 1” wide rolls of tape come with 20′ to play with.

Click this link to purchase some Glow-In-The-Dark Tape for your home.

Color Wheel Match!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:28:01 PDT

Here's an activity that's great for matching, learning colors and improving motor skills. All you'll need is some clothespins, paint, markers, scissors and posterboard.

Use a large upside down mixing bowl (or anything else) to trace a big circle on the posterboard.
Section it into 8 pieces(you can do as many as you like). Paint each section a different color.
Paint a clothespin for each color of sections you created earlier.
Write the names of each color in the section and on the clothespins. Use large pins and write the color names in braille and print.
Give the kids the circles with the clothespins already attached to the appropriate sections.
Ask the kids to pull off all of the clothespins and put them in a pile.
Have them match the clothespins to the colors on the wheel. You may want to demonstrate the first match.

So there you have it, an activity that can be done by different ages and developmental stages including children with special needs.

Customize Your Chocolates

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:45:06 PDT

Chocomize is a site where you can create personalized chocolates and either indulge yourself, or give them to that special someone for an anniversary, Valentine’s day, a birthday… Whenever you have to tell them how important they are.

The creation process involves selecting a chocolate base and then personalizing it by picking the candies, fruits, nuts and herbs that you want from a list that has over one hundred choices. The chocolate bars themselves are Belgian, and they are entirely handmade.

In theory, more than thirty billion possible custom chocolate combinations are possible. You will have to pick the best one based on the person and the occasion you are going to celebrate, that's something only you can do, naturally.

I wrote this from the point of view of creating and buying a gift for your other half, a service like this is also suitable for corporate gifts and wedding favors.

Click this link to visit http://www.Chocomize.com.

DIY Light Box

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 11:08:33 PDT

by Katy

Kids with low vision are often given a chance to “practice” using their eyes in a nice calm environment. Light boxes are a great way to do this, but they can be expensive. Like always, I developed this method to make one on the cheap.

You will need a print out of planet earth. I Googled “earth” and found one easily. You will also need tape, an empty soda box (or similar), a flashlight, a pen, a pair of scissors, and a knife.

First you need to cut off one of the long sides of the soda box.

On the opposite side of the box, in the center, you will want to cut out a hole that is slightly smaller than your earth picture. To cut the hole, I used my knife to get it started and then finished with a pair of scissors.

Then tape your earth picture to the outside of the box, with the earth picture facing in.

Next, take your pen and poke holes in the box all around the earth cut out.

Take your box into a dark room and place the flashlight behind the earth. If you’ve got a strong flashlight like I did, it might help to dim it a little with a paper towel.

And there you go–the most-magical Diet Coke box I’ve ever seen. This could easily be adapted for other planets or even the entire solar system if you were feeling up to it.

Article Source:
No Time For Flash Cards
Click this link to learn more about Light Boxes: Materials, Activities, and Guides from APH.

That Song is Driving Me Crazy! If Only I Could Unhear It!

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 10:02:41 PDT

You know when you get a song stuck in your head, and no matter what you do you can't get it out? And how awful it is? Yeah, I hate that too. Which is why I love this site: Unhear It.

Designed to get that annoying song out of your head by playing a different song, Unhear It delivers a selection of music they claim is "equally annoying" as the song that's stuck in your head in the first place. The site pulls in songs from SoundCloud, so it's legal to listen, and you can share your experience via social networks, so it's fun.

"We created this site for those of you that have a song stuck in your head and you can't get it out no matter what you do. Using the latest techniques in reverse-auditory-melodic-unstickification technology, we've been able to allow our users to "unhear" songs by hearing equally catchy songs."

One potential pitfall: the songs played by Unhear It do such a good job at getting a song out of your head that they tend to get others stuck in there. Case in point, my most recent selection, the Macarena. Screen reader users please note that the site comes up playing a random song, press space on the first button of the Flash player to stop it.

Click this link to visit http://unhearit.com.

How to Teach Music To Visually Impaired Children

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:33:13 PDT

by Gail Sessoms

Overview

Visually impaired musicians participate in every area of music. They are vocalists, pianists and drummers; they play every instrument imaginable, learn to sight-sing; and read and compose music. Children who are visually impaired learn music in much the same way they learn other material---with special tools and technology. With the right tools, visually impaired children have the same potential and ability as other children to develop their talents and engage in musical creativity.

Step 1

Determine the needs of your visually impaired student. If your student has limited vision, magnification may suffice to help him learn music. If he is completely blind, you will need Braille materials and assistive technology for the blind.

Step 2

Enroll the student in a class or arrange for private lessons. If appropriate, make sure your student has access to his instrument of choice for regular practice. If he uses computer technology to learn music, classes or lessons must take place in a location that accommodates the technology.

Step 3

Purchase or borrow the Braille music book. Braille music provides the same information found on sheet music. You do not need to know Braille to use the Braille music book to teach a blind student. Regular print teacher instructions are included on each page.

Step 4

Allow your student time to learn the Braille music code, which differs slightly from the Braille literary code, until she becomes comfortable with using it. While vocalists can read Braille music and sing simultaneously, pianists learn to read, memorize and then play. Once your student understands Braille music, he can participate fully in all music activities, including the study of music theory and reading musical scores.

Step 5

Purchase or obtain access to music technology for blind students. Blind musicians use computer software for scanning sheet music, transcribing and print-to-Braille conversion. Use technology like audio software, screen readers, speech synthesizers, MIDI sequencers, notation software and keyboards to help your student learn, practice and perfect her music skills. Use Braille music translation software to produce Braille music sheets if your student is part of a band or ensemble.

Step 6

Use screen magnifiers and large print materials for visually impaired children with some sight. These materials may be helpful in combination with other technology, such as voice synthesizers, for students with limited vision.

Step 7

Teach your student the fundamentals of music and allow time for him to master the lessons. Use early lessons, before working with Braille music readings, to help your student become familiar with rhythm values, intervals, numbers in the scale and the letters that correspond to musical notes.

Step 8

Locate sources for Braille music sheets. The National Library Service, which is the largest source of printed material for the blind, can also help locate certified transcribers. Purchase or download and print Braille music charts.

Step 9

Contact the National Resource Center for Blind Musicians for information, suggestions, and assistance. Stay connected with the resource center and similar organizations to keep up with best practices and new technologies.

References

National Resource Center for Blind Musicians: Some Facts About Braille Music and Technology

National Resource Center for Blind Musicians: Page 3 Resource List

National Federation for the Blind: Braille Music Resources

About this Author

Gail Sessoms began writing short fiction in 1988. She has since worked as a technical writer and as the editor of a university publication. Sessoms began her career as a grant writer in 2000. Since earning a Bachelor of Arts in liberal studies, she writes for eHow and has returned to writing short fiction.

Article Source:
LIVESTRONG.COM

EaseOut Bulb Remover

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 11:30:41 PDT

If you tend to have a lot of broken lightbulbs around your house or business, you know that they are dangerous and a pain in the tush to remove. For those of us who are totally blind, it's just another reason not to have the things around.

I don’t know why you have one or many broken bulbs but you’ve got a problem and the EaseOut Bulb Remover Takes Broken Bulbs Out...wait for it...with Ease and makes it simple to remove those pesky broken bulbs. Just insert the long handled device into the socket and ease that lightbulb out. A plastic shield that looks like one of those clear disks you get when you buy a 50 CDR pack protects your hands and eyes from falling glass. Also works for lightbulbs that have rusted in place (although you’d have to smash them first). This is an inexpensive solution to an annoying problem.

Click this link to purchase the EaseOut Bulb Remover from Amazon.com.

Basic Guide to Troubleshooting Common Windows PC Problems

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 11:17:18 PDT

Your Windows PC might be designed to make your life easier, but they often have a non-stop list of problems. Our friends at Lifehacker walks through some of the more common problems and how to troubleshoot them.

This list is, of course, by no means complete, and you should always use best practices to make sure that your PC doesn't need to be reinstalled all the time, is properly secured with anti-virus and a firewall, and is properly backed up at all times, but if you're having difficulty, click the link below for a list of common problems and troubleshooting techniques.

Click this link to read The Basic Guide to Troubleshooting Common Windows PC Problems from Lifehacker.

Guitar Instruction -- Audio Disc Set

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:51:53 PDT

Teaches you to play the guitar -- with your ears, not your eyes!

With an electric or an acoustic guitar and Guitar Instruction - Audio you're on your way to learning the guitar at your own pace, and without the use of brailled or printed music. Simply listen to professionally designed lessons, practice, and you'll be playing your favorite songs in no time!

Guitar Instruction -- Audio was designed by the TalkingTabs™ company and a team of world-class musicians and educators to be simple, effective, and entertaining for individuals with visual learning difficulties. With over 20 hours of step-by-step instruction on standard audio CDs, this disc set teaches you the appropriate actions for both hands and provides progressively difficult play-along examples at slower and faster speeds. Tracks are kept as short as possible to provide ease of repetition and referencing.

Although this disc set was designed to operate as a self-teaching program, guitar instructors find it to be a useful adjunct to face-to-face instruction. Instructors may wish to use some or all of the curriculum and can easily test students on the degree to which they have learned materials in each lesson.

Includes

6 1/2 x 11 x 1 inch three-ring CD album containing:
- Complete Beginners Series composed of 16 lessons recorded on 26 audio CDs; after lessons 8, 12, and 16, you will experience a play-it-now tunes song lesson:
  - Feelin' Alright, originally performed by Traffic
  - Shattered, originally performed by The Rolling Stones
  - Keep Your Hands to Yourself, originally performed by Georgia Satellites
- Audio Table of Contents
- Assessment Guide on CD
Signature Guitar Riffs on one audio CD
Five play-it-now tunes, each recorded on a single audio CD, tunes include:
- He's Got the Whole World in His Hands, performed by TalkingTabs
- When the Saints Go Marching In, performed by TalkingTabs
- Not Ready to Make Nice, originally performed by Dixie Chicks
- All the Small Things, originally performed by Blink 182
- Polly, originally performed by Nirvana
A 4-pack of play-it-now tunes guitar picks

Note: All songs are performed by TalkingTabs

Guitar Instruction -- Audio Disc Set
Catalog Number: 1-09110-00
Guitar Instruction - Audio Disc Set.

American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
1839 Frankfort Avenue
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6085
Louisville, Kentucky 40206-0085
Toll Free: 800-223-1839
Phone: 502-895-2405
Fax: 502-899-2274
E-mail: info@aph.org
Web site: http://www.aph.org
APH Shopping Home: http://shop.aph.org

What is IT? Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 12:40:04 PDT

Helps children develop real images related to descriptive terminology and words.

The exercises in the What is IT? Kit emphasize the need for the child to form real mental images in relation to labels at a very early age. In effect, a label is more than a word because it evokes an internalized mental association of various properties and functions.

Many bright young children who are blind copy the descriptive terminology of others, but have difficulty describing the "why" of the label independently. Teaching the young mind to listen to the word, and anticipate "motor knowledge" (organized physical input) that will help form associations, can make a difference. With an active introduction to details contributing to the whole, the child will gain the foundation for comparative thinking, leading to the ability to generalize and communicate independently.

Preschool Activities

Use the cards with real objects to introduce the properties of things in conjunction with their definers.
For future braille readers, early exposure to braille is as aluable as the indirect introduction to letters and words that future print readers get incidentally. Having the child hold the What is IT? card, and trace the braille, within the context of the word focus can become a natural experience. Note: exposure of the child to the abstract form of written words allows him to think about it, not necessarily to read it.

School Age Activities

Provide a "word for the day" and have the child write as many descriptors as possible. With practice, limit the time, to promote the ability to think quickly.
Itemize descriptors and see how many it takes for the child to come up with the word.
Have the child present a list of descriptors for others to guess the word; have teams.
Categorize labels, such as foods, clothes, forms of transportation, things in various stores, occupations, etc.
Orientation and Mobility:
- Ask the child to verbally express observations along a route, beyond those provided by the teacher (smells, sounds, thermal changes).
- Ask the child to describe changes such as stairs, inclines, obstacles, beyond just the label.
- Go into a room and then have the child itemize things with at least one definer, and the location within the space, in relation to the door, and other objects.

Includes

102 What is IT? Print/Braille Cards
Index card storage box
Instruction Book in Print and Braille

Recommended ages: 3 years and up.

What is IT? Kit
Catalog Number: 1-03535-00
Click this link to purchase the What Is It Kit from APH.

American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
1839 Frankfort Avenue
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 6085
Louisville, Kentucky 40206-0085
Toll Free: 800-223-1839
Phone: 502-895-2405
Fax: 502-899-2274
E-mail: info@aph.org
Web site: http://www.aph.org
APH Shopping Home: http://shop.aph.org

Multisensory Books for Blind Children and Parents Available from the Braille Institute

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:02:11 PDT

All of the Braille Institute's multisensory books, which are part of their free Special Collection Program, were developed in consultation with their Child Development professionals and evaluated in the field by parents, teachers and librarians who work with blind preschoolers. These popular stories are especially adapted to help blind children build concepts and provide a fun-filled way to introduce them to the wonderful world of reading.

Dots for Tots

These multisensory storybook kits, designed specifically for visually impaired preschoolers, help parents introduce their children to basic braille construction. Each popular picture book features uncontracted braille overlays, along with a descriptive audiotape and plastic toys that represent characters or objects in the story.

Tac-Tales

As a child grows, they will enjoy this next step in our series of multisensory storybook kits designed for visually impaired early school-aged children and their parents. These custom-designed print and braille books also include descriptive audio and one, single manipulative character or object from the story. Line drawings representing the object are created shape-by-shape to help the blind child learn how drawings represent three-dimensional objects.

For additional information, contact APH Ex Officio Trustee Nancy Niebrugge at nnniebrugge@brailleinstitute.org

Picking a Player: A Roundup of Devices for Playing NLS and Other Talking Books

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:35:45 PDT

by Deborah Kendrick

So much to read. So many ways to read it.

For those among us who grew up as braille readers in the '50s, '60s, and '70s, the notion that we might one day have more to read than we could possibly ever consume was, well, unfathomable! Fast forward to the era of the Internet, Web-Braille, and Bookshare, and it is not surprising that it is sometimes difficult to keep all the possibilities and technologies sorted out. With the advent in recent years of downloadable audio books from sources both commercial and specifically for blind and low-vision users, many are now asking not only about content and sources, but also about the devices on which to play that content.

Talking books from the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) are the audio books most familiar to the blind. They have been around the longest, for one thing (for 77 years compared with just 10 or 15 years for commercial audio books), and they're free. When NLS books became available for download and the NLS machines for playing them were not yet available for distribution, a product called the VictorReader Stream from HumanWare enjoyed an almost unprecedented popularity when it was introduced three years ago. The product was shown at the summer 2007 conferences, and blind people everywhere were clamoring to buy them. The initial attraction was the ability to play NLS books on them, but it wasn't long before many other sources and formats were rendered compatible as well.

Since the release of the VictorReader Stream, the accessible audio book player market has changed considerably. The NLS machine became available in 2009, so all eligible NLS patrons have received or will soon receive one free of charge. Other new devices have come on the market, and a few that preceded the VictorReader Stream have scrambled to play books from additional sources to be competitive. For many blind and low-vision lovers of books, however, so much so quickly on the audio book front is confusing. Some mistakenly believe, for instance, that only the VictorReader Stream can play talking books. Others understand that NLS books can be played on the NLS machines, but are unaware that other materials can be played on those machines as well. Some have encountered only one of the many devices available and are unaware that there are competitors. This article aims to present the current line-up of possibilities, highlighting strengths and weaknesses where relevant, and alerting consumers to the good news that, for once, we have loads of choices!

Content Sources

For efficiency's sake, let's talk first about the most popular sources of audio reading material currently available to blind and visually impaired people. This is by no means a complete listing of available content, but any one of these sources could supply a book lover with more material than could likely be exhausted in one lifetime. They provide, in other words, a bountiful beginning

NLS Web-Braille

The common denominator for reading material for blind people is the NLS. The first downloadable books from NLS were books and magazines transcribed into braille. In 1999, the Web-Braille site was launched, making digital files of brailled books and magazines available for download. These files are in Grade 2 braille, formatted for production. A person downloading a book or magazine from Web-Braille could produce it in hard copy with a braille embosser or read it on a braille notetaker. With software on a computer capable of "back translating" the Grade 2 to uncontracted braille, a person could also have the file read aloud via text-to-speech software. Some of the players in this article also offer this capability (i.e., the ability to translate Grade 2 braille files for listening via synthesized speech).

NLS Digital Talking Books

The launch of Web-Braille was followed by the NLS's download site for digital talking books (DTB). Today, it's called NLS BARD, and it offers eligible patrons downloadable digital recordings from the NLS talking book collection.

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D), the principal source for human-voice recordings of textbooks at all educational levels, was a leader in using DAISY mark-up for both audio and text navigation. Simply summarized, DAISY mark-up gave one the ability to navigate a book or other document by chapter, section, or other subheading, thereby providing an equivalent function to that enjoyed by a sighted reader using print. From the RFB&D website, books can be downloaded by eligible patrons and played on some handheld devices.

Audible.com

Audible.com is a commercial online source of books recorded by professional readers. Audible offers thousands of titles recorded by major publishers. These are the same recordings available in bookstores and public libraries on cassette or CD. Various purchase plans are available, but books are generally considerably less expensive than if purchased from retail stores. Audible has approved a number of the handheld devices used by blind people to play Audible content.

Bookshare

Bookshare.org is a tremendous source of digital books for blind or visually impaired people. These files are text only, not human voice recordings. Files can be downloaded in either DAISY or translated braille formats. A membership is required to confirm eligibility, but membership fees range from free to $50 annually.

Material from all of the above sources is encrypted. That means that files from these sources can only be played by eligible members or patrons and only on players rendered compatible by the content source. On all of the players currently available, various other types of content can also be played, ranging from music and described movies to your own text documents. Your own needs and the type of files you will most likely want to access will be factors in your choice of player.

Who Are the Players?

At this writing, there are seven known machines that play books from NLS and other sources. One of those seven is the NLS digital talking book player itself, which was reviewed in the August 2010 issue of AccessWorld . All of the remaining six are available for purchase from a variety of sources, range in price from approximately $300 to $1,400, and have an equally wide range of capabilities.

The NLS DTB machine, provided free of charge to all eligible NLS patrons, has a USB port on the right side to accommodate a USB flash drive. The NLS talking books downloaded to this drive can be played on the NLS machine. This machine can also play digital books from RFB&D, podcasts, and MP3 files.

VictorReader Stream

As the first commercially available handheld book player capable of playing the NLS DTB, the Stream is mistakenly understood by many newcomers to be the only handheld player capable of playing such books. It isn't. The Stream can also play books from Audible.com, RFB&D, and Bookshare. It can play and organize music and other MP3 files, and it can play text documents. It has a built-in speaker and microphone, and is an excellent recorder for personal notes, lectures, or other materials. It sells for $349, and its controls are intuitive and easy to learn.

Book Sense

Perhaps the smallest of the handheld players designed for blind consumers, Book Sense is a sleek product from GW Micro that plays NLS DTB, RFB&D books, books from Audible.com, and a variety of music and podcast formats. It uses the NeoSpeech voices of Paul and Kate for listening to books from Bookshare, National Federation of the Blind Newsline, and a variety of computer-generated text files, including Microsoft Word's .doc and .docx files. The Book Sense has a built-in speaker, microphone, and excellent recording capability. There are two Book Sense models. The basic Book Sense offers the above features, whereas the Book Sense XT has the addition of an FM radio tuner and 4GB of internal memory.

Icon and Braille Plus Mobile Manager

These two devices come from the same root product, the Icon created by LevelStar, but have some distinct differences. Unlike the other players in this article, these two players are far more complex in the features they provide. They are basic personal digital assistants with wireless capability, and thus the ability to search the Web, read and write email, download podcasts, and stream audio content from the Internet. Each also includes a word processor, address manager, planner, calculator, and Web browser. For data input on the Icon, the telephone keypad is used, similar to the method used to text message on cell phones. The Braille Plus Mobile Manager adds a Perkins-style braille keyboard for data input. The Icon is available from its original developer, LevelStar, and the Braille Plus Mobile Manager is available from the American Printing House for the Blind.

These two devices are included here because they are also excellent tools for playing books from NLS, RFB&D, Bookshare, Audible.com, as well as a variety of music and podcast files. They are the only players on this list employing the Eloquence speech synthesizer, familiar to many blind computer users. Each contains a 30GB hard drive, an internal speaker, and a microphone for recording capability. Each sells for approximately $1,400.

PlexTalk Pocket

The PlexTalk PTR1 was one of the very first portable digital book players appearing on the market nearly a decade ago. It weighed just over two pounds and was noted for its superb engineering quality. Available from the same Japanese manufacturer, Shinano Kenshi Corp., the PlexTalk Pocket is the size of an average cell phone and incorporates many of its predecessor's features along with new upgrades to make it competitive with today's handheld book players.

The PlexTalk pocket plays digital books from NLS, RFB&D, Audible.com, and Bookshare. It can play your music and other MP3 files as well as text files. It has a built-in speaker, microphone, and excellent recording capability.

Book Port Plus

The newest player on the scene is the Book Port Plus, designed by the American Printing House for the Blind and intended to replace its earlier Book Port, one of the first handheld book players designed specifically for blind users. The Book Port Plus uses the same hardware as the PlexTalk Pocket, so it is quite similar in appearance. It can play digital books from NLS, RFB&D, Audible.com, and Bookshare. It plays text files, music, and other MP3 files. It has a built-in speaker and microphone for personal recordings.

Conclusion

The above are meant to be mere overviews of the products available to blind and visually impaired users for playing audio and text versions of digital books. Many other nuances set these machines apart from one another. Variables include the increments and ease with which one can navigate material, the degree to which music files can be cataloged and tagged, the kinds of generic sound files that can be played (WAV, OGG, WMA, etc.), and the sophistication of recording capabilities. All are in the $350 price range, with the exception of the Book Sense XT at $499 and the Icon and Braille Plus Mobile Manager, which, as outlined above, offer far more functionality than simply playing digital books.

For more detailed descriptions of any of these products, please read previously published AccessWorld product evaluations or the following manufacturer websites: VictorReader Stream, Book Sense, Braille Plus Mobile Manager and Book Port Plus, PlexTalk Pocket, and Icon.

Article Source:
AccessWorld® - September 2010

National Prison Braille Network: Building Bridges with Braille

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:15:11 PDT

Corrections and vision professionals meet each year at the National Prison Braille Forum to share their expertise and learn from others.

APH launched a braille production facility in a women's prison in Kentucky in 2000 in cooperation with the prison and Kentucky Correctional Industries. Partners in this venture, called KCI Braille Services, began learning first- hand about the complexities of operating a business behind prison walls and experienced many unanticipated challenges. Managed today by Jan Carroll, APH braille transcription services coordinator, and Holly Faris Woolums, production coordinator for Kentucky Correctional Industries at the Kentucky Correctional Institution for Women, KCI Braille Services employs up to 15 women and produces thousands of pages of braille each year.

Shortly after launching KCI Braille Services, APH learned that this was not the only braille production facility operating in the U.S. We hosted the first National Prison Braille Forum in conjunction with Annual Meeting in 2001, primarily to learn about existing programs, and to learn from their experience. Approximately 20 people attended that first meeting, and on average, 40 people interested in prison braille programs have attended this annual gathering each year since.

There are currently over 35 prison braille programs across the country, and most focus their efforts on producing textbooks for braille readers in grades K-12. Many of these programs will be represented at the upcoming Forum by either vision professionals, corrections professionals, or both. Typically, several "alumni" of these programs—former inmates who have been released from prison and now produce braille on the outside—will attend and share their experience with the network.

Anyone interested in learning about prison braille programs or starting a program is invited and encouraged to attend the 10th Annual National Prison Braille Forum, but advance reservations are required by September 17. For information or to register, contact Becky Snider at rsnider@aph.org, (800)223-1839 ext. 356, or (502)899-2356.

Transforming Lives One Cell at a Time:
One Disadvantaged Population Helps Another

Nancy Lacewell

In recent years, an increasing number of braille production facilities have been established in prisons as a direct response to the growing need for educational materials in braille, especially textbooks. This subject is thoroughly explored by APH's Nancy Lacewell and Hollie Farris, of Kentucky Correctional Industries, in their commentary that is appearing in Corrections Today, a national publication. Nancy says, "I hope the article will help get more support for prison braille programs and offenders reentering society. These programs truly are life-changing."

Here is the link to the full article: http://aca.org/fileupload/177/ahaidar/Lacewell_Faris.pdf

For the Blind Entrepreneur

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 07:37:52 PDT

by Donna J. Jodhan

At the best of times, the path for any mainstream entrepreneur is extremely challenging and bumpy but for the blind entrepreneur, it could be even more so.

This does not mean that a blind person should not become an entrepreneur if this is their desire. I started off as an entrepreneur and I am blind and after over 15 years in the field, I would like to pass on a few tips if I may.

First, a blind person needs to recognize that there are additional challenges to becoming an entrepreneur.

Second, they need to identify the right combination of technology and skills that they would need in order to succeed.

Third, they need to realize that they would always have to depend on some degree of sighted assistance in order to have things run smoothly. Fourth, they should be extremely careful when choosing which associates they surround themselves with.

We live in a big bad world and believe it or not, there are very unsavoury persons out there who would not hesitate to take advantage of someone with a vision impairment. Trust is extremely important when it comes to building good relationships and it does not matter whether you are a mainstream person or a person with a disability. As a matter of fact, disabled persons are probably the most targeted victims by hackers, schemers, and cyber pirates.

So, what are my words of wisdom for today? In the case of a blind person aspiring to become an entrepreneur? Take the extra minutes to do your research. Listen to your intuition. Pay attention to the cues being emitted by those around you. Whenever you are ready to start negotiations with an unknown person, take along a pair of very trusted eyes to help you paint a more complete picture. Never sign something without first having trusted sighted assistance look it over. Never conduct negotiations in your home. Never conduct financial business with someone that you are uncertain about. Most of these tips can also be applied to the mainstream person.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and encouraging you to go out there and tell the world that yes indeed! Blind persons can certainly enjoy things by using their sense of touch. If you'd like to learn more about me, then you can visit some of my blog spots at:
Donna Jodhan! Advocating accessibility for all: http://www.donnajodhan.blogspot.com
Weekly Saturday postings on issues of accessibility: http://www.sterlingcreations.ca/blog/blog.html
blogs on various issues and answers to consumers concerns: http://www.sterlingcreations.com/businessdesk.htm

The Disability Divide

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 07:33:22 PDT

by Donna J. Jodhan

This is probably not a term that many of you would be used to seeing so I am going to tell you a bit about it. So as to be as concise as I can be, the disability divide refers to the difference between what a mainstream person can access through the Internet versus what a blind person is able to and it all refers to information, websites, and technology.

Believe it or not, there are huge and ever widening gaps between what mainstream persons can access and what blind persons can. When it comes to information, I as a blind person am unable to read documents in PDF format and much too often both governments and companies are guilty of failing to make their documents available in formats that I and others like me can read. If these documents are not made available to me in any one of the following formats known as alternate formats, then information becomes inaccessible. Formats such as: Braille, large print, and electronic.

When it comes to websites, a similar situation prevails. Many experts readily admit that about 97% of websites are inaccessible to blind persons due to various barriers such as: Graphics and icons that do not contain textual descriptions, forms and fields that are not designed to enable blind persons to use them, files in inaccessible formats such as PDF, pop-up screens and pull-down menus, plus much more.

In the case of technology, blind persons have to depend on manufacturers to develop special software that would enable them to take advantage of such things as: MP3 players, PDAs, cell phones, plus much too much more. These gaps unfortunately continue to grow and the only way for me to put it into perspective is like this: Technology takes two steps forward, but for blind persons it's actually only one.

APH News: September 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 07:29:06 PDT

APH News

Your monthly link to the latest information on the products, services, and training opportunities from the American Printing House for the Blind.

September 2010

Exciting New APH Products Announced!

Read on to learn about these new products - now available!

APH Sizzlin' Summer Savings Sale
What is IT? Kit
Guitar Instruction -- Audio Disc Set
APH Braille Book Corner

Registration Now Open for Annual Meeting!

Products Across America: Working Together to Build Tools for Learning and Living

Now, how can you miss it? You can't! So log on now to register for the meeting, check out the agenda, and find out where to stay. Check it out at: www.aph.org/anmtg/2010/

Your Input WILL Make a Difference!

Please complete the very BRIEF APH 2010 Satisfaction Survey!

As many of you know, each year the U.S. Department of Education seeks input from YOU on the effectiveness of products and services provided through the Federal Quota Program, which is administered by the American Printing House for the Blind (APH). The 2010 survey is now available on the APH website, and you are encouraged to respond based on your experience with products provided through Federal Quota funds.

This brief, 10-question, online survey is available at www.aph.org/products/gpra.html through Friday, September 10, 2010.

Your honest input does make a difference!

National Prison Braille Network: Building Bridges with Braille

Corrections and vision professionals meet each year at the National Prison Braille Forum to share their expertise and learn from others.

On October 13, APH will host the 10th annual meeting of the National Prison Braille Network (NPBN). This day-long gathering will be held in conjunction with our 2010 Annual Meeting in Louisville.

Transforming Lives One Cell at a Time:
One Disadvantaged Population Helps Another

Nancy Lacewell

Here is the link to the full article: http://aca.org/fileupload/177/ahaidar/Lacewell_Faris.pdf

National Panel Ranks APH Products!

For the 4th consecutive year, the U.S. Department of Education, led by Annette Reichman, established an Expert Review Panel for the purpose of evaluating the quality, relevance, and utility of APH products. The August 16 and 17 panel review, facilitated for us by Dr. Cay Holbrook, is one of several factors included in the evaluation of APH's role in administering the Act to Promote the Education of the Blind.

Left to right: Terry Ray, Administrative Specialist-Exceptional Child Education, Jefferson County Public Schools, KY; Annette Reichman, U. S. Department of Education; Cay Holbrook, Chair of Panel, University of British Columbia; Lis Geoghegan, Mathematics Teacher-Arkansas School for the Blind; Jim Durkel, Coordinator-Instructional Materials, TX; Joseph Petrosko, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY; Jennie Mascheck, Coordinator-Outreach Services, Missouri; Linda Lyle, Superintendent-New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Field Evaluators Needed!

APH is seeking field evaluators for Accessible Multiple-Choice Answer Documents, our newly redesigned braille and large print answer sheets. Feedback from 120 vision professionals who participated in the "Answer Document Survey" in 2007 has guided our product design. Four different styles of braille/tactile answer sheets and three styles of large print sheets will be tested with students in grades 2 through high school. The goal is to determine which style(s) students find easier to use independently and which are more engaging.

These answer documents will be evaluated for student use on regular classroom/curricular tests, statewide standards-based tests, and on standardized tests such as the Stanford Achievement Tests. Sample multiple-choice questions will be provided for the field test. After administering the questions, which will take about an hour, teachers will fill out a questionnaire.

The target date to ship field test materials is November 1, 2010. Each site will have the remainder of the semester to complete the testing and evaluation. If you would like to assist us as a field evaluator for the answer documents, please contact Barbara Henderson, Test & Assessment Project Leader, at (800) 223-1839 or bhenderson@aph.org

BOP2 Writers Meet in August

Ten consultants for Building on Patterns Grade 2 (BOP2) met at APH on August 2 through 5. The group included teacher writers from Arkansas, California, Tennessee, British Columbia, and Oregon who have each undertaken the writing/consulting for various units for BOP2.

While the consultants were in Louisville, they worked on final formatting issues for the first three units and made plans for the remaining units of BOP2.

Left to right: Cay Holbrook, Mila Truan, Kate Dilworth, Deanna Scoggins, Luanne Blaylock, Izetta Read, Eleanor Pester (Project Leader), Robin Wingell, Jo Ellen Croft, Kristen Buhler, and LeAnn Nannen. (Sue Schimmelpfennig was unable to attend.)

What a workshop! What an adventure!

On July 29-30, twenty-eight eager workshop participants came together at APH to learn about making test items accessible for students who are blind and visually impaired. After a day of background information and presentation of issues by Dr. Carol Allman, several APH experts presented on topics such as large print, use of color, tactile graphics, audio and verbal formats, and computer-based testing. Some test preparation materials from the Test Ready series that are available in regular print, large print, braille with tactile graphics, and audio formats, along with some new technological devices that include Refreshabraille 18, Book Port Plus and the Braille+ Mobile Manager were presented and demonstrated. Valuable resources such as Louis, the Tactile Graphics Library, and Accessible Media Producers databases were also discussed and demonstrated. Participant feedback included: "To get an understanding of the perspective of visually impaired children/students is invaluable to me in test publishing." "This was one of the most beneficial workshops I have attended. The info was new to me and really makes me confident to work this area in a testing company." "I loved the hands-on experience with the tactile material."

Special Guests in the House

APH had a couple of very special guests one day last month when Georgia Ex Officio Trustee Jim Downs and his wife Kathy dropped in for a visit. We hope all of you will keep Louisville in mind as a vacation destination...or stop-over at least!

Researching Braille in the Rockies

Ralph Bartley [photographer] captures Loana Mason (left), Mark Riccobono (center), and Kay Ferrell (right) discussing the interesting things they had been learning.

Ralph Bartley, APH Research Department Director, and Loana Mason, APH Braille Literacy Project Leader, attended the first Research Summit on Braille Reading and Writing in Denver, Colorado, hosted by the National Center on Severe and Sensory Disabilities (NCSSD) and the National Federation of the Blind (NFB). Ralph was part of the planning committee and also served as a session moderator. Loana presented data on a pilot study she conducted exploring hand and finger usage patterns that produced the greatest reading fluency for braille readers. The conference was very informative as there were many different disciplines represented from all over the world.

Let's Read, Let's Move Includes Disability

Kareem Dale, special assistant to the President, and Education Secretary Arnie Duncan

Focus on Braille Literacy at Summer Reading Program on Capitol Hill

APH Ex Officio Trustee and Staff Member Also Participate

In response to President Barack Obama's national volunteer campaign, "United We Serve," Arne Duncan, secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, recently hosted a special enrichment series designed to combat summer learning loss and encourage healthy lifestyles. The July 30th session of "Let's Read. Let's Move." highlighted braille literacy and focused on disabilities. Glinda Hill, education program specialist with the Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs, honored APH with an invitation to participate.

Elementary students from schools near Capitol Hill, including several with vision loss, visited the Department's Lyndon Baines Johnson Building to hear special guest readers Kareem Dale, special assistant to the President for disability policy and graduate of the Tennessee School for the Blind, and U.S. Congressman Jim Langevin of Rhode Island. After reading aloud the braille version of If I Ran for President, Mr. Dale talked with the students about his work with President Obama. Congressman Langevin, who is paraplegic, read House Mouse Senate Mouse, which introduced these youngsters to the lawmaking process. Additionally, members of the audience, including teachers and parents, were encouraged to reach for their dreams by actor Quinton Aaron who played the starring role of a football player in the recent movie, The Blind Side.

A student explores braille for the first time with an APH Special Edition Weekly Reader

During the Q&A session before the readings, the students who correctly answered Brain Quest questions received an APH Feel 'n Peel reward sticker. The children broke into small groups and took part in reading, writing and fitness activities. Becky Snider, APH Public Affairs Coordinator, helped students experience writing and reading braille firsthand with a braillewriter. She also distributed the Special Edition Weekly Reader so students could begin to understand the special learning needs of people with vision loss.

Andrea Noel, APH Ex Officio Trustee and manager of children and family programs for the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind in Washington, D.C., brought an APH Sound Ball for "Let's Move" activities. All of the children took away a free book. Those who were blind or visually impaired each received a print/braille book from the APH Chrissy's Collection. The photograph of Kareem Dale and Secretary Arnie Duncan that accompanies this article was taken by APH's Becky Snider, who was also a part of the reading program.

Kareem Dale, the President's Advisor of Disabilities writes:

"The White House and Department of Education recently continued to build on President Obama's commitment to full inclusion for people with disabilities. I had the opportunity to join Secretary Duncan in one of the Department of Education's Let's Read, Let's Move events. The event included children without disabilities as well as children with disabilities including several blind children. I read my book in Braille and we discussed my work with the President on disability policy. This built on this administration's ongoing commitment to improving Braille literacy for blind children. Congressman Langevin also joined the event and read to the students."

Tactile Book Nomination

APH is pleased to announce that a committee of the United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) has nominated Goin' On a Bear Hunt—an age-old favorite story retold by APH's Suzette Wright, Emergent Literacy Project Leader—to move into the next round of competition in their parent organization's project to identify Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities.

The IBBY, which is a Reading Promotion Partner of the Center for the Book, a part of the Library of Congress, aims to raise awareness worldwide about the special needs of young people with disabilities by selecting books specifically made for them, as well as books that promote their inclusion, for an exhibit that will go around the globe.

If selected by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), this APH book from the Moving Ahead Series will become one of 50 books from around the globe to receive this honor given every two years. Regardless of whether it is chosen to be in the traveling exhibit which includes a project catalog list of winners, a copy of Goin' On a Bear Hunt will be kept in the permanent collection of the IBBY Documentation Centre of Books for Disabled Young People in Norway.

New EOTs Flock to APH

Eight recently appointed EOTs arrived in Louisville in August for an opportunity to learn more about APH and about their responsibilities as Ex Officio Trustees. The group spent two days meeting with APH staff, touring the APH production area, and learning from each other. Departmental presentations provided a history of APH, information on ordering and statements, tips for registering students in the Federal Quota program, forecasting purchases to leverage federal quota funds, and information on the Public Affairs "Leaders to Leaders" program. Attendees also spent some time with Project Leaders from the Educational Research Department to review new and upcoming products. Other discussions focused on the role of the Ex Officio Trustee, Annual Meeting, the APH shopping site and website, and more! These newest members of APH's extended family brought to the event good ideas, good information, and an eagerness to learn more, and APH staff learned a lot from them, as well. The only thing we needed was more time together!

If you are a new Ex Officio Trustee, be on the lookout for additional training opportunities coming up in 2011. We'd love to see you!

From left to right: Robin King, LA; Marie Piquion-Leach, NC; Gary Cusick, KY;
Cheryl Manuel, KS; Cynthia "Pepper" Watson, OK; Kristin Oien, MN;
Bob Goodhart, CT; Bobby Simpson, LA

Classroom Collaboration Survey

Shaun Kane, a doctoral student at the University of Washington in Seattle, is working with the AIM Research Group to conduct a study on classroom collaboration. Shaun is currently surveying college students and people who attended college courses in the last 5 years, who are blind or visually impaired. If you meet these criteria, 15 minutes of your time is needed to convey classroom experiences. The survey results will provide valuable information on accessibility problems in classrooms for students who are blind and visually impaired, and will lead to the development of tools and devices that improve access to classroom activities. The survey is available over the web at http://bitly/classroomsurvey. Email skane@uw.edu for additional information.

Workshop for Licensed/Certified Psychologists on Specialized Materials for Assessing Students who are Blind

Dr. Joan Chase has worked for years to develop a measure of performance for students who use only tactile and auditory means for learning. She will facilitate a March 11-12, 2011 workshop in St. Petersburg, Florida that is designed to provide training for licensed or certified psychologists who anticipate a need to assess totally blind students. The primary focus of training is a series of subtests to be administered to those who use tactile and auditory means of gaining information. Each participant will receive a complete Tactile Assessment of Performance (TAP) kit and other materials designed to complement the usual verbal means of evaluating students who are blind. Please contact Dr. Joan B. Chase at jbchase@gte.net to register for this workshop or to request additional information.

Field Testing Artificial Intelligent Math Tutors

As part of the initial phases of a two-year federal research project funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Quantum Simulations has built accessibility into two of our Quantum Artificial Intelligent (AI) Mathematics Tutors (Ratio and Proportions and Metric Units Tutors), and we need to field test the Tutors with blind and visually impaired students. This field testing is a critical part of the grant process.

We are hoping to find TVIs who have two of their students that will be covering these topics some time in the fall. We would like to do a pre/post test study with one of the students as a control while the other would use the Tutor. Each TVI is eligible for a stipend of $150 per topic for a possible total of $300. If you only have one student who will be covering these topics and are interested in participating, please contact us anyway, because we may need your input as well.

Please let us know if you can help with this field testing, and we will provide you with all the details and usernames/passwords for you to gain access to the Tutors. For additional information, please contact Jeff Dittel, Software Engineer, at dittel@quantumsimulations.com or call (414) 248-2292

In Memoriam: John Aicken
American Printing House for the Blind , Assistant Director of Research

AICKEN, JOHN CHARLES JR., 62, of Louisville, departed this world just as he lived, surrounded by love, on Saturday, August 21, 2010, at his home.

John was a cherished employee of the American Printing House for the Blind. His impact on the Research Department over the past decade will be long felt. John organized, managed, and maintained federally funded projects as the Assistant Director of Research. When around John, you were truly in a "no drama" zone. John was our rock. There was no one more solid and no one with more integrity. His word was true and his actions always honest and direct. There could not be a better man and we sorely miss him.

He lives on in the hearts of his loving wife of 40 years, Karen Ford Aicken; his deeply grateful children, Jeffrey Malachi Aicken (Erin) and Bethany Joy Aicken; his adoring grandchildren, Kaya Alexis and John Jackson Aicken; brother, Mark Aicken; and sister, Debra Braun. "We will miss you always, hubby, pop, and papaws." Expressions may be made to the American Printing House for the Blind.

Multisensory Books for Blind Children and Parents Available from the Braille Institute

Dots for Tots

Tac-Tales

For additional information, contact APH Ex Officio Trustee Nancy Niebrugge at nnniebrugge@brailleinstitute.org

New "Handy List": Recommended Products

To aid in ordering, especially for our Federal Quota customers, we've published a new list of recommended products for programs serving students with visual impairment. We hope this list will be especially helpful to our Ex Officio Trustees as they make purchasing decisions prior to the fiscal year 2010 Federal Quota spending deadline of September 30.

We now have four lists in our Handy List series, which you can find on our shopping site beneath the yellow left-hand navigation box.

APH Welcomes New Ex Officio Trustees

Zvia McCormick, the Glenwood Resource Center in Iowa, replacing R. Scot Booth.

Norma Villanueva, the District of Columbia Public Schools, replacing Marie Celeste.

Hollie R Murdock, the Utah State Office of Education, replacing Denise Warren.

APH Travel Calendar

September

September 20, 2010
Firebrand Technologies Community Conference;
Newburyport, MA

September 22-25, 2010
Envision 2010;
San Antonio, TX

September 23, 2010
2010 Envision Days;
Ashland, KY

September 25, 2010
Indiana Vision Expo 2010;
Indianapolis, IN

September 28, 2010
Veteran's Administration Product Training;
Location TBA

September 30-October 1, 2010
New Hampshire TVI Product Training (FVLMA and other products);
Concord, NH

October

October 7-9-2010
Professional Development Conference;
Raleigh, NC

October 7-9, 2010
FAHPERDS - Florida Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance;
Orlando, FL

October 8-9, 2010
APH Braille Plus and BookPort Training;
Portland State University in Portland, OR

October 9, 2010
Gazing At Options-What Does the Future Hold for Your Child;
KSB in Louisville, KY

October 14-16, 2010
APH 2010 Annual Meeting;
Galt House in Louisville, KY

October 22-24, 2010
12 State Vision Midwest Conference;
Alliant Energy Center, Madison, WI

October 27-29, 2010
Texas Division for Blind Services Conference;
San Marcos, TX

October 28-30, 2010
ATIA 2010 Chicago;
Schaumburg, IL

November

November 7-9, 2010
MAHPERD (Maine AHPERD);
Samoset Resort, Rockport, ME

November 10-12, 2010
MACRT ASERT Professional Development Conference;
Daytona Beach, FL

November 11-12, 2010
VTAHPERD (Vermont AHPERD);
Killington Grand Hotel, Killington, VT

November 14-16, 2010
KAHPERD (Kentucky AHPERD);
Embassy Suites, Lexington, KY

November 18-19, 2010
North Carolina Assistive Technology Expo 2010 (NC AT Expo 2010);
Raleigh, NC

December

December 1-4, 2010
TAHPERD'S 87th Annual Convention (Texas AHPERD);
Galveston, Texas

December 25-27, 2010
Government NIMAS
NIMAS Meetings; Orlando, FL

Sizzlin' Summer Savings Sale

Load up a world of savings on selected APH products with APH's Sizzlin' Summer Savings Sale 2010, July 1—September 30. As always, first come, first served.

www.aph.org/products/sizzle.html

NEW! What is IT? Kit
1-03535-00 -- $38.00

Helps children develop real images related to descriptive terminology and words.

Preschool Activities

Use the cards with real objects to introduce the properties of things in conjunction with their definers.
For future braille readers, early exposure to braille is as valuable as the indirect introduction to letters and words that future print readers get incidentally. Having the child hold the What is IT? card, and trace the braille, within the context of the word focus can become a natural experience. Note: exposure of the child to the abstract form of written words allows him to think about it, not necessarily to read it.

School Age Activities

Provide a "word for the day" and have the child write as many descriptors as possible. With practice, limit the time, to promote the ability to think quickly.
Itemize descriptors and see how many it takes for the child to come up with the word.
Have the child present a list of descriptors for others to guess the word; have teams.
Categorize labels, such as foods, clothes, forms of transportation, things in various stores, occupations, etc.
Orientation and Mobility:
- Ask the child to verbally express observations along a route, beyond those provided by the teacher (smells, sounds, thermal changes).
- Ask the child to describe changes such as stairs, inclines, obstacles, beyond just the label.
- Go into a room and then have the child itemize things with at least one definer, and the location within the space, in relation to the door, and other objects.

Includes

102 What is IT? Print/Braille Cards
Index card storage box
Instruction Book in Print and Braille

Recommended ages: 3 years and up.

NEW! Guitar Instruction -- Audio Disc Set 1-09110-00 -- $120.00

Teaches you to play the guitar -- with your ears, not your eyes!

Includes

6 1/2 x 11 x 1 inch three-ring CD album containing:
- Complete Beginners Series composed of 16 lessons recorded on 26 audio CDs; after lessons 8, 12, and 16, you will experience a play-it-now tunes song lesson:
  - Feelin' Alright, originally performed by Traffic
  - Shattered, originally performed by The Rolling Stones
  - Keep Your Hands to Yourself, originally performed by Georgia Satellites
- Audio Table of Contents
- Assessment Guide on CD
Signature Guitar Riffs on one audio CD
Five play-it-now tunes, each recorded on a single audio CD, tunes include:
- He's Got the Whole World in His Hands, performed by TalkingTabs
- When the Saints Go Marching In, performed by TalkingTabs
- Not Ready to Make Nice, originally performed by Dixie Chicks
- All the Small Things, originally performed by Blink 182
- Polly, originally performed by Nirvana
A 4-pack of play-it-now tunes guitar picks

Note: All songs are performed by TalkingTabs

APH offers a number of recreational books in braille (Quota funds can be used). Each of these titles was originally transcribed and produced by APH for the National Library Service which has graciously granted permission for this offering. As usual, these titles have been added to the APH Louis Database where you can find thousands of titles produced in accessible formats.

Note: all books are produced upon receipt of orders, therefore, please allow several weeks for delivery.

Race: A History Beyond Black and White
by Marc Aronson: T-N1756-00 -- $60.00
Focuses on the history of race and racism in the West from Greek civilization to modern times. Discusses prejudice, slavery, religion, and the complex social problems that arise from judging people by their skin color or beliefs. Nonfiction, Upper Grades. *(AR Quiz #119444, BL 8.8, Pts. 11.00)

My Maggie
by Richard King: T-N1772-30 -- $62.00
Chicago sportscaster's tribute to Maggie, his wife of thirty-two years. He recalls her fears, courage, and ultimate zest for living while battling childhood hearing loss, progressive blindness, melanoma, breast cancer, and the ovarian cancer that killed her at age fifty-three. Biography.

On Kingdom Mountain
by Frank Howard Mosher: T-N1775-30 -- $60.50
Vermont, 1930. Bookwoman and bird carver, Miss Jane Hubbell Kinneson disputes the township's proposed highway through her property on Kingdom Mountain. Momentous changes occur during her fiftieth year after she offers refuge to aviator Henry Satterfield when his biplane crashes. Fiction.

Land of the Blind
by Jess Walter: T-N1774-40 -- $81.00
Burned-out Spokane police detective Caroline Mabry is puzzled by the man in her interview room. Attorney and failed politician Clark Mason insists he's responsible for a murder, but his statement is taking him hours to write, and it starts with his childhood. Strong language and some mature subject matter. Fiction, Adult Reader.

A Daring Passion
by Rosemary Rogers: T-N1774-80 -- $92.00
Raine Wimbourne masquerades as the Knave of Knightsbridge, champion of the poor, to dupe authorities and protect her father--the real knave. Philippe Gautier kidnaps Raine, intending to make her his mistress and use her to thwart enemies, but love complicates his plans. Adult Reader.

*Accelerated Reader quiz number, book level, and point value. For more information on the Accelerated Reader program, see the January 2006 APH News or www.renlearn.com/ar/

APH News Credits

President:
Dr. Tuck Tinsley
ttinsley@aph.org

Designer:
Malcolm Turner, APH Website Coordinator
webmaster@aph.org

Thanks to the following APH staff:

Cindy Amback, Support Specialist, Field Services
Janie Blome, Director, Field Services
Scott Blome, Director, Communications
Nancy Lacewell, Director, Government and Community Affairs
Stephanie Lancaster, Graphic Designer, Communications
Mary Nelle McLennan, Executive Advisor to the President
Becky Snider, Coordinator, Public Affairs
Gwynn Stewart, Administrative Assistant, Communications
Debbie Willis, Director, Accessible Tests

Editor:
Bob Brasher, Vice President, Advisory Services and Research
bbrasher@aph.org

For additional recent APH News, click the following:
August Issue - www.aph.org/advisory/2010adv08.html
July Issue - www.aph.org/advisory/2010adv07.html
June Issue - www.aph.org/advisory/2010adv06.html

Archive of all previous issues - www.aph.org/advisory/advarch.html

The APH News is a monthly publication from the American Printing House for the Blind:
1839 Frankfort Avenue
Louisville, KY 40206
800/223-1839

Please share this web link or any items that appear in this publication with anyone who might benefit.

Thank you.

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Exploring Microsoft Word 2007 with Jaws

noreply@blogger.com (Michael McCarty) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:29:14 PDT

Author Toni Fraser set out to learn how to use Microsoft Word, but she found that while many state agencies across the country had started to use and teach Word 07, her state had not. She saw the need and decided to write this book.

Fraser writes the book using Word 2007, JAWS 11, and Windows 7, but the book's lessons apply to any version of Windows that can run Office 2007 with JAWS versions 8 and above. She covers the Microsoft Word and JAWS keystrokes, showing how JAWS "speaks" what many things are - and that it doesn't have to be scary!

Note: The ASCII Text edition also includes a Microsoft Word edition. Select "ASCII Text" - either CD-ROM or Download - from the drop-down list, and you will receive both the ASCII Text and Word editions.

Chapters include:

Definition of Terms
Navigating the Ribbon
The Office Menu
The Quick Access Toolbar
The Home Tab
The Insert Tab
Page Layout
Mailings
Protecting Documents
Keyboard Commands appendix
Backing Up Your Files and Computer

Click this link to purchase Exploring Microsoft Word 2007 with Jaws (WORD2007) from.

Fred's Head from APH

Registration Now Open for Annual Meeting!

How to Use Keyboard Shortcuts in Google Instant Search

How to Use Keyboard Shortcuts in Google Instant Search

Steps

Tips

Related wikiHows

Put That in my DropBox Please

Habalis

AirDropper

O'Reilly Ebook Bundles Include DAISY Format

Adaptations for Young Children Who Are Visually Impaired

Use Voice and Touch

Alter Learning Objects

Create a Safe Environment

Use Special Materials

References

About this Author

Thought Audio Has Free Audio Books

Puffy Paint the Planets

How to Teach the Visually Impaired Child

Overview

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

References

About this Author

Glow-In-The-Dark Tape

Color Wheel Match!

Customize Your Chocolates

DIY Light Box

That Song is Driving Me Crazy! If Only I Could Unhear It!

How to Teach Music To Visually Impaired Children

Overview

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Step 9

References

About this Author

EaseOut Bulb Remover

Basic Guide to Troubleshooting Common Windows PC Problems

Guitar Instruction -- Audio Disc Set

Includes

What is IT? Kit

Preschool Activities

School Age Activities

Includes

Multisensory Books for Blind Children and Parents Available from the Braille Institute

Dots for Tots

Tac-Tales

Picking a Player: A Roundup of Devices for Playing NLS and Other Talking Books

Content Sources

NLS Web-Braille

NLS Digital Talking Books

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic

Audible.com

Bookshare

Who Are the Players?

VictorReader Stream

Book Sense

Icon and Braille Plus Mobile Manager

PlexTalk Pocket

Book Port Plus

Conclusion

National Prison Braille Network: Building Bridges with Braille

Transforming Lives One Cell at a Time: One Disadvantaged Population Helps Another

For the Blind Entrepreneur

The Disability Divide

APH News: September 2010

Transforming Lives One Cell at a Time:
One Disadvantaged Population Helps Another

Transforming Lives One Cell at a Time:
One Disadvantaged Population Helps Another

In Memoriam: John Aicken
American Printing House for the Blind , Assistant Director of Research

NEW! What is IT? Kit
1-03535-00 -- $38.00