Attitudes Are the REAL Disability

Goodbye Steve, Thank You For Your Vision

2011-10-09T21:06:00.000-07:00

All of the teachers with whom I work know two things about the tech side of me:

1. I use keyboard shortcuts whenever I can (and constantly remind people of them), and

2. I love Apple devices.

A part of me is very sad to hear of the passing of Steve Jobs, both thinking of the personal loss to his family, and for those millions of us who have enjoyed using Apple products for years.

Here's something that Steve and Apple did for me: I now look at all new technologies with the expectation that it will incorporate accessibility features into its operating system, or I won't consider it. Case in point: although I've been a huge Amazon fan for years (I bought the original Kindle--at a whopping $399, and I love Kindle books), I haven't given more than a glance at the specs for the upcoming Kindle Fire tablet. I've read that it is not accessible to people who are blind (National Federation of the Blind sent out a statement to that effect), and therefore, even though it is much less expensive than the iPad, it will not be a device that many of my students can use. Come on Amazon, start thinking the Apple way--build accessibility in from the ground up!

All you tablet and device makers, all you app developers out there--please start thinking Universal Design. This means, plan well upfront to offer your product to the widest audience. Seek out people who access the computer via their keyboards, or depend upon captioning of all auditory media; think of how an app or a webpage is organized. Try moving around webpages using your keyboard, rather than the mouse/trackpad. Make sure you add a text tag to all your graphics on webpages. Remember Steve Jobs talking about wanting to offer a computer that EVERYONE can use. Keep his vision going.

The Mac-cessibility website has some great posts about how Apple devices are appreciated by people who have visual impairments. Check it out here.

Another Fantastic Resource for TVI's!

2011-09-25T20:28:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note and a link: Tech Vision is a information-packed blog created and curated by Dr. Denise Robinson. She has some amazing information and tech tips for teachers of students with visual impairments. Check it out--I've learned a lot already!!

Protecting Your Computer and Yourself Online

2011-09-05T12:05:00.000-07:00

The beginning of a new school year is a good time to revisit how to keep yourself safe while browsing online. Microsoft has several webpages devoted to tips about how to protect your computer, and how to keep yourself safe from spam and phishing schemes. For virus protection, Microsoft has a good one that I like to use on our Windows computers, and it's free: Microsoft Security Essentials. You can find a link to their webpage explaining how to protect your computer, and tips for protecting yourself from scams by clicking here. At this site, you'll find some great information about how to create strong passwords, as well.
Have a great school year, keep those computers updated to the latest security patches, and use common sense while surfing: you are NOT going to win that free iPad by clicking on a link!

Ways to Download YouTube Videos for Class Use

2011-07-09T11:26:00.000-07:00

Problem: You found a great YouTube video that you'd like to share with your students or present in a professional development, but your district blocks YouTube.
Solution: Check out the terrific instructional blogpost from Local District 4. I've used Zamzar for years to do this, but Antonio Hernandez details several other alternatives. This is what I love about the web: if you have a question or problem, there's usually a solution out there somewhere.

iFest 2011

2011-06-12T22:14:00.001-07:00

I attended a wonderful half-day event at Mulhulland Middle School on Saturday. I went to a couple of fantastic workshops on using the iPad in education, and got some great resources. For next year, I might try having students and teachers sign up for, and communicate through, a Facebook-like website called Edmodo (www.edmodo.com). I need to check it out for accessibility first, but the advantage is that it can be used within the LAUSD.

Do You Dream in Color? Kickstarter Project Featuring Laurie Rubin

2011-06-05T14:48:00.000-07:00

Laurie Rubin, one of our former students, has a Kickstarter Project. Don't know what that is? Well, check out what she has to say below, then click on the link to find out how you can help support a wonderful idea:

In 2009, I embarked on a very exciting project which is starting to take flight. I started writing a memoir about my life as a blind opera singer, artist, and person. In my life, there have been so many instances of people wanting to ask questions about "my world," and they've wanted to make heads or tails of my experience in a way they could understand. Some people have simply been curious, others have been fascinated, others have been fearful, and then a few have put up barriers as a protection to shield them from a phenomenonwhich they fear. I hope this memoir will gently alleviate people of these fears, share with them that I have dreams and live them every day in the form of a rich, wonderful, and beautiful life. Mostly, I hope this will serve as a way to educate people. I recently found out that this book will be published by a wonderful publisher called Seven Stories which is distributed by Random House.

At the same time my book was being written, a composer named Bruce Adolphe who is affiliated with Lincoln Center and who also has his own show on National Public Radio, asked to co-write a piece for me. It is extremely rare for a singer to participate as a poet in a composition, playing a double role as writer and performer. The poem describes many of the things my book does in a nutshell. It's a short detour through my life via the visual things I perceive without physically seeing them. Bruce and I were approached by a very well respected record label in the new classical music industry to release this piece among three other sets of songs, one being a set of songs by a very well known blind composer, Joaquin Rodrigo. The album will be entitled, "Do You Dream in Color?" just like the poem. However, because of the Internet and many other difficulties facing the recording industry, Bridge Records, among most other labels, do not have deep pockets, and require fund raising to be done for an album to be recorded, produced, released, and promoted. We have received one small grant for this project, but need to continue raising money to make this a reality.

We have launched a campaign on-line where people can participate in helping this project along. This is a very important venture to me which I've worked very hard on, and put a huge part of my life and soul into as you can imagine. I live as a blind individual every day, facing people's questions, fears, discrimination, but enjoying the joy of seeing those being educated which will help me and blind individuals for generations to come. My belief is that my book and the CD which are slated to be released/published simultaneously, will be able to make a bigger impact than I could ever do as an individual. People can express themselves more powerfully and learn more personally through music, and I think the ability to have this out there for people Nation and worldwide is so important not just for the blind or disabled, but for anyone who has a different path in life and who still reaches for their dreams and aspirations. It is a universal thing I believe every individual faces in life at some point.

I recently got a small grant from Yale University Alumni Ventures to devise a curriculum for blind and sighted students, educators of both blind and sighted children, and potential employers of blind people in the workforce which will also use the recording of "Do You Dream in Color?" as a means for discussion and the basis for the curriculum. So there are many exciting things about this project in the works.

We need to raise $20,000 in a month, and if we do not meet this bench mark, we will not receive any of the moneys accumulated up until that point. Anything helps, whether it be a dollar. Also, please pass this along to others who you think would be interested in this project. If you donate certain amounts, you get certain perks like dinner with the artists, jewelry custom designed for you by me and my jewelry line, The LR Look, and many more. Please see the link below for details, as well as a short video with excerpts from the piece.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1554137244/do-you-dream-in-color-featuring-laurie-rubin?ref=email

Thank you in advance for your help. It is much appreciated, and I look forward to embarking on many exciting adventures with all of you via this exciting venture.

Best,

Laurie

More on Keyboard Shortcuts

2011-05-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

Wow, I love reading other webpages that trumpet the time-saving advantages of using keyboard shortcuts! One of our sharp teachers sent me the link to this one (thanks again, Venessa!). Watch the video as Becky Worley, one of my favorite media tech people, shows some popular Windows and Mac keyboard shortcuts. Then, check out the rest of the page for links to some other great sites with keyboard shortcuts for Windows, Mac, and Ubuntu. See, you don't have to be visually impaired to love using keyboard shortcuts!! Check the yahoo webpage, Upgrade Your Life--Time-saving keyboard shortcuts

Student Shares His Experiences from the NFB LAW Program 2011

2011-05-03T21:57:00.000-07:00

One of our students, Gabriel, who you may already have met through his Apex podcasts (see March, 2011), went on a wonderful trip to Washington, D.C. last month. The National Federation of the Blind LAW (Leadership and Advocacy in Washington) Program offered 25 blind/low vision students the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C., "to explore the inner workings of our country’s government, its history, and its culture while staying at the national headquarters for the National Federation of the Blind in Baltimore, Maryland." [for more information about the NFB, visit www.nfb.org] Gabriel was kind enough to share his experiences of the trip with us through a 2-part podcast. In Part 1, Gabriel talks about the daily schedule of activities that NFB organized, and what he learned about both the history of the National Federation of the Blind, and about how the United States government works. Any of you who have already listened to Gabriel's Apex podcasts know that he presents his information clearly, in an organized manner, and with enthusiasm. Teachers, make sure you check out Part 1, and you'll definitely want to share it with your students! Note that the file is about 35 minutes, so it may take a few minutes to download; it's totally worth the wait!!
Part 2 of Gabriel's podcast is my personal favorite, and I've listened to it twice already. I won't say much more than listen for Gabriel to really speak from his heart about what he learned about independence during this trip. I HIGHLY recommend you give it a listen (it's about 6 minutes)! Click on the links below to download and listen to Gabriel's fantastic podcasts, and please post a comment with your thoughts--I know Gabriel would love to get some feedback!
Link 1 to Part 1 of A Trip to the National Federation of the Blind
Link 2 to Part 2 of A Trip to the NFB, Gabriel's insights about independence as a blind person

Another Student Weighs in on the Apex

2011-04-05T21:37:00.000-07:00

Actually, our first Apex contest winner (see November, 2010), Karen from Marshall High, sent me a couple articles with her impressions of the new Apex accessible PDA a couple of months ago (sorry for the delay posting, Karen). One of the top features that our students want to learn about is how to get online with this cool braille device. Karen gives a nice description of how to use the new built-in wireless feature of the Apex to get surf the Internet. Read her article below:

After using the Apex for almost one month and a half, I have successfully connected to the internet via a wireless connection! I found that when setting up a wireless connection, scanning is the best means of finding your connection's SSID (service set identifier), or the name that identifies the network. When I scan for example, various wireless connection SSIDs may appear such as 2WIRE740 or Organizer because several people may have wireless connections. JAWS names the SSID when displaying how much signal strength is available, so when scanning for SSIDs, you must create a connection configuration for the name that matches that of the computer. Therefore, if you have two bars of signal for the SSID titled Smith, use this SSID when creating a connection configuration on the Apex. A connection configuration gives the Apex the information it needs for each separate internet connection such as how you connect (dial-up, wireless, etc) and specific information depending on which one is available. You may need to create several configurations for home, school, etc. In my case, I use a wireless ethernet connection at home and an ethernet connection at school; ethernet connections happen when you plug in the Apex to an Ethernet cable; the ethernet port is on the rightmost corner of the Apex when the thumb keys are facing you with the keyboard facing up.

A connection configuration is analogous to having different braille codes. When using English braille for instance, there are certain dot combinations for you and others to understand the code, such as dots 256 to identify a period. In this example, the SSID is English braille because this is how everyone identifies the type of braille you are using, and the 256 is specific to only this code. In another example, Nemeth could be an SSID for the Nemeth code, and dot 2 is specific to the number 1. Just like each code has specific dot combinations, each connection configuration needs specific information to be able to connect.

How do you set up a wireless connection? First, enter the options menu (space with O) and press C for the connectivity menu which consists of several items such as "create a new dial-up or lan connection" and "active connection details" which gives you information about the connection such as signal strength and whether or not you are connected to the network; use this option AFTER you have made a configuration. Signal under -81 is very low; from -81 to -71 is average signal; between -71 ed -67 is good signal; and excellent reception is between -67 and -57. From the connectivity menu, there are different ways to create a connection. You can either choose "create a new dial-up or lan connection" which gives you more flexibility in choosing the type of connection, or "configure a new wireless connection" from the "wireless ethernet" menu if you know you will create a wireless connection. Choosing either option opens the list of inputs; in this example, I use "create a new dial-up or lan connection." Under "connection configuration name," choose a name for the connection that makes sense to you; my connections for my house and Marshall are called Home and School, respectively. Under device to use, press space with dots 3,4 to go through the different connection options such as wireless ethernet connection or ethernet network connection. Going back to the braille example, the options under device to use are like specifying what equipment you are using to make braille such as a slate and stylus or brailler. Depending on which connection type you use, the options after this step differ. Assuming you choose wireless ethernet, most of the options can be left the same except for the ones explained below. Type in your SSID if you know it; if not, you can scan for it, which is explained later. The options "use WEP" and "use WPA-Psk" are asking you what kind of security your connection has. According to Ms. Schindler, WEP is an older security type that is hardly used anymore, so enter no. [Note: although WEP is an older protocol, it is still being used, especially in our schools around the LAUSD, so this may be an option for some Apex users when setting up their wireless connection.] For WPA-PSK, enter yes; the pre-shared key prompt is asking you to enter the password for the connection. Now, press space with E followed by Y to add the record.

To scan for your SSID, turn on wireless ethernet from the wireless ethernet menu in the connectivity menu, and press S. Choose the correct one from the list, and press enter to create a configuration as described above. The difference between creating a connection this way is that only the fields relating to wireless connections are displayed. Scanning is also helpful after a configuration is created because the Apex tells you whether or not which connections are available depending on where you are. When at an airport, you could scan for a connection, create a configuration, and be online before you know it.

How do you connect to the internet? From the main menu, press I, and type in the web address. When prompted for the connection configuration, the one you just created will be the default if only one configuration has been created. Once you choose the configuration, you will be prompted to wait while the page loads. Enjoy!

Back Up Your Important Files on World Backup Day

2011-03-30T21:04:00.000-07:00

As a great reminder to us all that computers crash sometimes--and how sad if you were just finishing up your greatest term paper or had just made that wonderful digital family photo album when it happened--comes:

World Backup Day

"On March 31, as part of the global data-saving initiative, you are encouraged to back up all of your cherished photos and videos, and important documents. If you've ever had a hard disk fail, and not had a backup to fall back on, you'll know that it's a bit like losing a sizable fragment of your soul. If you've never backed up your important files -- or if you only back up sporadically -- do it on World Backup Day!" from the website http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/28/march-31-is-world-backup-day-2011/
Whether you use a usb drive, an external hard drive, or back up to the 'cloud', use tomorrow as the day to save your photos, music, and documents somewhere other than on your computer. Forewarned is forearmed.

Review of the Braillenote Apex by Gabriel

2011-03-27T21:18:00.000-07:00

Gabriel has provided us with another great podcast about Humanware's Apex, the newest model of their accessible PDA/braille notetaker. This time, Gabriel talks about a lot of Apex's new features, and he compares the Apex to its previous model, the mPower. Click on the title to download the file and give it a listen!

Apex Exploration Podcast

2011-03-20T12:03:00.000-07:00

One of the questions I asked of our students who wanted to be the first students to win the use of the Apex braille notetakers (See my November, 2010 post for more information on the contest):
"How will you 'give back'?". In other words, how would these contest winners, as premier users in the Los Angeles Unified School District of Humanware's newest accessible PDA, help other students learn about the features, advantages, and ways that using the Apex can help them in their school career? Well, Gabriel, one of the winners, is creating a series of podcasts on how the Apex can be a wonderful (and fun) tool to complete school assignments, read digital books, and even use as a GPS device! Here is the first of his podcasts. If you click on the title/heading of this blogpost, Gabriel's podcast will start downloading to your computer. I apologize to Gabriel for taking so long to get his first show posted, but I had a learning curve to figure out how to post an mp3 file to my blog. See, teachers learn new skills every day, too! So, enjoy Gabriel's first Apex podcast--I think he did a fantastic job!--and check back for another of his podcasts soon, as well as the comments from another of our Apex contest winners.

Celebrate Mardi Gras by Visiting the Bookshare Blog!

2011-03-08T09:35:00.000-08:00

Well, it's Mardi Gras, laissez les bons temps roulez! Did you know that Bookshare has a blog? Check out their recommendations for some great New Orleans reading at http://blog.bookshare.org/
They have so many great resources on their website, check out the Training link for more information about how to use their wonderful service!

Another Honor for One of Our Apex Winners

2010-12-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

Karen A., the Marshall High student who was a winner in our "Win the Use of an Apex" contest has just received another award. Congratulations; I'm so excited for her. I'll let Karen tell you about it (read on):

"After my GEARUP counselor informed me about the Questbridge National College Match Program, I applied. The Program assists "high-achieving low-income" high school seniors in gaining admission and full four-year scholarships at some of the most selective universities. Questbridge's thirty partner colleges include Princeton, Yale, and Stanford, as well as Amherst College, Scripps College, and the University of Southern California. Not only are the Questbridge application and the schools' application fees waived, but Questbridge also has a national Quest Scholars Network for its students to mentor one another while in college.
"In order to apply, I had to fill out an online application, including a number of written questions allowing me to give a fuller picture of myself than I could have otherwise done in a typical college application. This is because the Questbridge application asks open-ended questions such as how applicants spend their weekend; another asked what inspires students in life. Students must also rank up to eight of Questbridge's partner colleges. Finalists are then selected, and we had to send additional information to each of the schools we ranked. After a few weeks, finalists are either matched with a school, or those that are not can forward their Questbridge applications and apply to Questbridge partners through regular decision.
"I am very humbled and thankful for being awarded a Questbridge scholarship to the University of Southern California!"
For more information, please visit:
http://www.questbridge.org/students/program.html

November Keyboard Shortcut

2010-11-29T22:19:00.001-08:00

Well, November is ending, but here's a keyboard shortcut that can carry you into December and beyond:

Quitting/exiting an application/program--for the Windows user, press and hold Alt, then press the F4 key. This works for most applications, including Type to Learn, Zoomtext, and browsers such as Internet Explorer and Firefox.
On a Mac, the shortcut to quit applications is Command-q. Try them out, they can help students and teachers work more efficiently on the computer by not having to search for that mouse cursor!

Congratulations to the Winners of Use of the Apex Accessible PDA!

2010-11-24T08:23:00.000-08:00

Well, it was a difficult choice, but the winners of the "Be the First LAUSD student to Use an Apex" Contest* are: Karen A. from Marshall High School and Guadalupe G. from Nobel Middle School. We also have a runner-up, Gabriel L. from Irving Middle School. Gabriel will be assigned a special Apex that has the Sendero GPS software, maps and blue-tooth receiver while he is being trained by one of our Orientation and Mobility Instructors. All three students wrote terrific essays in response to questions I posed. Their responses are presented below. Congratulations to all the winners, and to the other 6 students who submitted essays to the contest, you will be placed in the queue to be the next students to upgrade your mPowers as we purchase new Apex accessible PDA's. Thanks to all the students who participated in our contest!

*PLEASE NOTE: the winning essays entitle each of the winners to trade up their mPower BrailleNote to the new Apex while they are students in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Visually Impaired Program.

WINNER 1: KAREN A., MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL, GRADE 12
QUESTION: We seem to be moving more and more toward digital files (electronic books as .brf or DAISY files). If you had the choice today, would you choose an embossed hard copy of your books, or would you prefer an electronic file to use on your braille notetaker? Why? Would you prefer certain types of books in one format or the other? Explain your preferences.

Winning Essay: With technological advances, I still consider embossed braille books very important. Embossed Math and Science books provide readers with proper use of the Nemeth code. Because my Calculus book is only available in audio format (CD), I have no idea on the more advanced nemeth symbols for characters like ' and Greek letters like θ. Consequently, I have low scores on standardized mathematics tests because the only time I ever see these symbols is on tests unless the problems I am solving are transcribed for me. Most of the time, I must write and solve these problems in computer braille on my mPower so my teacher can see my work in print, and because computer braille only uses the numbers from the Nemeth code, other Nemeth symbols for characters like π must be assigned on the keyboard and braille display so that they print out accordingly. Because my classes move so quickly, it takes too long to do my homework on the brailler and have someone overwrite it. I also prefer embossed science books for the same reason. In this case however, my chemistry and physics books are available electronically; both of them are very difficult to read because of the extra characters added in the files. In my Physics book for example, a problem when translated in computer braille may look like:
frac (m/s) over s/frac = frac m over s/frac × frac 1 < over s/frac = frac m over s^2/frac
because of the HTML code used for computers
In grade 2 [contracted] braille, the same problem looks identical except the less-than is spelled out. It is so much easier to simply look at the problem in an embossed book where it WOULD look like:
(m/s)/s=m/s*1/s=m/s²
Physics is already hard enough to understand with the book in front of you; students do not need the extra confusion of trying to decipher example problems which are meant to help you, NOT frustrate you.
On the other hand, I prefer electronic books for books with more text such as English and History books. First of all, electronic books allow me to access multiple books instantaneously on my mPower WITHOUT having to search for the correct volume, flip to find the page, etc. Rather than having to read one volume of a history workbook to copy the questions and through another embossed textbook to find the answers, I can access both these books with the press of a button. Secondly, obtaining an already available electronic book is much easier than accessing an embossed book which can take months. All I do is either download or request the book from Bookshare [www.bookshare.org] or WebBraille [www.loc.gov/nls], open the book file, and find the chapter or section with the find command. Although I do take the extra time to find and replace the dashes in front of page numbers, this demands much less energy than having to carry three or more volumes of the same book home. Plus, electronic books allow each person to have his or her copy of the book without having to share one volume. Thirdly, I love having novels for English electronically because it facilitates my ability to take close reading notes, which involve analyzing citations throughout the novel. If I were reading a book such as Heart of Darkness in embossed braille, I would have to literally copy the quote word by word out of the book, whereas with an electronic book, I copy and paste the quote into the file containing my notes. Despite the pros and cons of embossed and electronic books, I will continue using both to my advantage depending on what is available.

WINNER 2: GUADALUPE G., NOBEL MIDDLE SCHOOL, GRADE 8
QUESTION: How will you ensure the longevity of your Apex; in other words, how will you care for it? Write a list of at least 5 precautions you will take to keep your Apex safe and in good working order.

Winning Essay: I came to Nobel [Middle School] from Blend, Mr. Pouliot taught me to use the BrailleNote and then I was given an mPower, I have had the same mPower for the last three years it has never had to go in for repair since I have had it, I would like to be one of the first students to have an Apex to use. My mPower has been my best friend and has helped me to be a good student. ... I have always taken good care of my mPower. I don't download stuff to it, or mess around with it. I use my thumb drive, and I am always careful when I put my thumb drive in or take it out. I always try to be careful when I print to not jam the cable in or pull it out too hard. I only use the charger that came with my unit and I always charge it at home. Last week, Mrs. Tomlinson taught us a few new things that will help keep our mPower working longer. Please consider me for an Apex, I will be a responsible user and take good care of it.

RUNNER-UP: GABRIEL L., IRVING MIDDLE SCHOOL, GRADE 8
QUESTION: Being the first to receive the newest technology brings with it some responsibility. Write an essay on how you would benefit our program by being one of the first students to receive an Apex. How will you share your experiences and knowledge of learning to use this new braille notetaker? Why do you think it is important to share your knowledge?

Winning Essay: One way I would love to give back to the VI program after winning the Apex is to create audio tutorials in mp3 format that explain how to use the Apex from beginning to end. One of the things I liked when I got my Victor Reader Stream were the tutorials that were on the Stream. The thing that made these tutorials so special from all the other ones is that you can clearly hear what is going on with the Stream as the person explains it step by step. I've always loved to record things, so I have a lot of technology I can use to make sure that all the BrailleNote prompts are heard as I explain them on the tutorial. I think that audio tutorials are much more helpful to a person learning how to use any new piece of technology because when something is being read on the computer, often times it is difficult to understand. However, if you have real person going through it step by step, and allowing you to hear what the BrailleNote is doing or saying, it'll be much easier for someone who does not have much experience with this piece of technology to quickly get the hang of using it.
Another thing that I think would be very beneficial for the VI program is someone who can work with people who are learning how to use the Apex over the phone or in person. I can be that person. Often times, people who are listening to a tutorial get it right away, but sometimes people still have questions. This is where working with the person who made the tutorial over the phone or in person is helpful. I'm always reachable via my cell phone, and I am more than willing to take the time to work with people using the Apex over the phone for as long as necessary, or until they understand it. I think that this would help out the program a lot, because there might even be less BrailleNotes sent in to Humanware for repair.

Scholarship Money Available to Legally Blind College Bound Students

2010-11-04T20:11:00.000-07:00

I got this information in an email and thought I'd pass it on to interested high school students who are college bound and legally blind.

The National Federation of the Blind Scholarship Program application is now available online. This national scholarship program is available solely to persons who are legally blind and living in the United States or Puerto Rico. There are 30 awards, from $12,000 to $3,000. In addition, each winner will be assisted to attend the NFB Annual Convention for 2011 in Orlando, Florida. The annual contest begins the first week of November 2010; all documents required from the applicants must be postmarked by the March 31, 2011, deadline. Applications and full details are available online at http://www.nfb.org/scholarships.

Questions may be emailed to scholarships@nfb.org.

Bookshare Training Help Resource

2010-10-25T22:01:00.000-07:00

Click on the title of this blogpost to get to Bookshare's great training support page. Watch or listen to webinars and online learning guides.

Narbonne Students Present Tanzania Outcry

2010-08-01T21:15:00.000-07:00

The visually impaired students from Narbonne High/Carnegie Middle School were determined to get the word out this summer about the mutilation and murder of visually impaired people with albinism in Tanzania, Africa. Students Celia, Triana, Tina, Natalia, Myrachele, Ana, Ashley, Chaneece, and Chelsea decided to use a multimedia approach: they researched this atrocity on the Internet, made flyers to alert other students in their school, made several oral presentations to high school students at Narbonne High. To continue to spread the word and broaden their audience, they used GarageBand on the iMac to create a podcast. Check out the podcast here (note: the music playing in the background is A Song for Peace by Teresa Jennings)

This project was spearheaded by Mrs. Stokes, one of our fantastic Orientation and Mobility instructors. The final project included the support and encouragement of Mr. Sakamoto and Mrs. Cook (teachers), Mrs. Ascencio, Mrs. Flora, Mrs. Fuentes, Mrs. Paredes, and Mrs. Shahin.

For more information about how you can help stop albino slaughter in Tanzania, Africa, click the link below:

www.sas.albinism.org

If you'd like to learn more about albinism, visit NOAH, the National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation. [Thank you, Shirley Kirk--our amazing program coordinator--for bringing the information back from the NOAH conference--you got the ball rolling!]

Student Supports Teacher

2010-05-02T21:40:00.000-07:00

Our school district (Los Angeles Unified), is going through tough times, as are many other districts in California and around the country. Some wonderful teachers are getting RIF (Reduction in Force) letters, for no reason other than that they are new teachers. As a teacher, I feel powerless to do much to change this situation. Just when I become pessimistic about what's happening in education, along comes a terrific student to remind me that nothing is accomplished if you don't try to make change happen.
Gabriel is a 7th grade student at Irving Middle School, and he recently found out that one of his favorite teachers got a RIF notice. Instead of sighing and being sad, he decided to become an advocate on behalf of his teacher. I'm so proud of Gabriel for standing up and speaking out. I want to share some of the impressive letter he wrote to our district superintendent in support of his teacher.
I've included a portion of Gabriel's letter below. His V.I. teacher told me that Gabriel came up with the idea of writing a letter, and emailed other students in his class to have them write letters on his teacher, Mrs. Tovar's, behalf. Whether or not Gabriel's letter, and those of his classmates, can help save Mrs. Tovar's position, Gabriel has succeeded in becoming an advocate. Change doesn't happen without effort, but can begin with one voice. Read on ...

"... Let me tell you about my experience as a 7th grade student in Mrs. Tovar's English/history class. Mrs. Tovar is the kind of teacher that you can just tell really loves her job and cares about how her students do in her classes. A lot of teachers lack the energy needed in the classroom to get students to want to learn. She makes me want to learn. I've never walked into her class with a negative attitude. I've always loved learning from her for several reasons. The first reason is that she relates to us in a way that some teachers can't. She knows how each individual student learns best, and if she doesn't, she works hard to figure out how we do. Once she knows how we learn best, she will teach us in a way so that we can be more successful in school. Also, Mrs. Tovar makes learning fun. She doesn't just give us the textbook and make us read and answer questions. She gives us assignments that allow us to work in pairs, groups, and even sometimes as a class. She actually makes the 7th grade standards fun for us. That is something that a lot of teachers can't do, and if the student doesn't like the teacher or doesn't want to learn from that teacher, students are less likely to pay attention. If students do not pay attention, they will not be able to be successful in school. ...
"Another thing I forgot to mention is that I'm blind. I'm not the only blind student who is in her class. She has one more student who just entered her class in the middle of the year. Now I know it isn't easy to work with blind students. I mean now Mrs. Tovar has to remember to get everything transcribed into braille, figure out how to modify those visual assignments that she has, make sure all the maps get raised up so that we can feel them, figure out a way for her to raise up the homework calendar and show us exactly what stamps we get, how to explain visual pictures to us so that we can see it in our head, and more. I mean that deserves some credit. I have to honestly say that Mrs. Tovar is so far the best teacher I've had as far as working with us is concerned. The only other teacher who does better is the Visually Impaired teacher. I think that it is important to give Mrs. Tovar a lot of credit for the extra things she has to do for us. She is very efficient in doing all the things listed above, and I've never had a problem in her classes. ...
"I could probably cover three more pages arguing for Mrs. Tovar to retain her position. As Superintendent of LAUSD I know you make important decisions everyday. I'm asking you to do the right thing and make one more. Thank you for your time and understanding in this matter.
Sincerely,
Gabriel L., Irving Middle School

In Celebration of National Poetry Month (April) ...

2010-04-29T20:59:00.000-07:00

As I was looking back at some of my emails, I found a wonderful poem written by one of our students. I wanted to sneak in this poem before April ended. Her name is Laura, and I posted one of her poems toward the end of last school year. Rereading some of her poems, this one just hit me (with all of the wars and war-like behavior I've been reading about in the news lately, Laura's poem struck a chord). Laura uses her mPower (an accessible PDA for braille reading and writing), daily and enjoys writing. She is in high school now, and I hope she continues to share her thoughts and insights with us. Enjoy:

AT THE BLOODY FIELD
by Laura D.

As I peer at the bloody field
and see comrades dead
they shout at us
"This is war and war is hell."

I shout back
"war is hell"
but if war is hell
and you cause us hell
we'll return the favor

and so
doing so
we are giving hell to the world.

Accessibility of the Mac--CTEBVI 2010 Workshop

2010-04-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

I'm here at the California Transcribers and Educators for the Blind and Visually Impaired, our state conference held once a year. This year it's in Los Angeles, at the LAX Marriott. I'm presenting a workshop on the accessibility of the Mac computer. I've been a Mac person for many years, but have spent the last couple of years exploring Apple's newly accessible hardware/software for people with visual disabilities.
I'm lucky to know a wonderful former student (she graduated from high school in June, 2009), who agreed to be my 'guinea pig' to test out a Mac Mini with OS 10.6--Snow Leopard. Paola worked with the Mac in the computer lab with me, and then took it home to see what she could do on her own. I asked her to write her initial reactions of trying to use VoiceOver to do what she's used to doing on a Windows computer. Here's the short article she wrote a couple months ago. As you'll see, Paola had some successes and some frustrations, but I think this is an evolving option for computer users who have limited vision or are blind. Enjoy her review, and if you post a comment or question for Paola, I'll make sure to pass it along.

"To be honest, I am only a recent Mac user. I was introduced to the Mac when I started helping Ms. Schindler at Frances Blend on Fridays so I have only been using it for a few months. Still, it is enough time for me to notice several pros and cons about the Mac.

"One of the good things about having a Mac is that it already comes with a built-in talking program so you don't really have to buy any extra programs like JAWS or Serotek. Voice Over has a very human sounding voice that is easy to understand and you can adjust the speed and pitch very easily. There are also other voices besides the main voice which is Alex. I myself prefer Alex, but you can take your pick. Another thing I enjoy about the Mac is that you can navigate websites that are not always accessible with JAWS. Sometimes on websites, there are links and when you press enter on them with JAWS, they make a little clicking sound and don't open. On the other hand, the Mac opens these links quite easily. One example of a website like this is Fanfiction. When I went on this website with JAWS, I had a hard time accessing my account. However, when I tried it with the Mac, I got through quite easily. Yahoo mail is another thing that's easier with the Mac. It's becoming a little bit less accessible with JAWS these days. Since I have a yahoo email account, this was not good news for me. With the Mac however, I could check my messages and reply quite easily. Those are just some of the good things I have discovered about the Mac.

"Although the Mac does have its good points, there are also some things that may need some work. For example, sometimes when you go to certain web sites, voiceOver will say "Safari busy" and refuse to read anything even those the website clearly appears on the screen. No matter what key you press, the computer will only say, "busy" over and over again. One website where VoiceOver does this is Gmail. That is one glitch that in my opinion, needs to be checked out. Another thing I've noticed is that I can't navigate the internet as quickly as I did with the pc computer. Still, as I am a recent Mac user, I may just not know all the commands yet. When I'm on a website on the Pc, I can go to links list, press the letter of the link I want until I find it, and press enter. This gets me where I want to go much faster. With the Mac however, I have to go through all the links until I find what I'm looking for. Like I said though, my problem may only be that I don't know all the commands.

"In conclusion, I think that the Mac is a very good piece of assistive technology for the visually impaired and a lot of people would benefit from it. I know I have a lot to learn and I look forward to exploring more about the Mac world."

Search Engine With Option for Low Vision Users

2010-03-04T21:11:00.000-08:00

I just read about a new search engine developed by a young woman to help her grandfather. The site, www.good50.com has an option to click below the search field that changes the contrast to white on black, and enlarges the text you type in the search field. Want to get directly to the low vision version? Try this link: http://www.good50.com/index2.html
Incidentally, I got the lead to this resource from Steve Bass; he ran the Pasadena IBM User's Group for many years, wrote for PC World magazine, and now has a wonderful online newletter called TechBite. He always has some great tips, mostly for Windows users, and some fun waste-of-time links. You can subscribe to his free online newsletter by going to www.techbite.com
Incidentally, the story behind the creation of the low vision search engine is from The Washington Post Online.

Tips to Keep Your Windows Machine Running

2010-02-25T21:19:00.000-08:00

This week, our "Malware Maven," Anita, gave a great demonstration of a couple of ways to keep Windows computers running smoothly. Here are two tips she gave us at our meeting:

1. Install CCleaner (free download from http://download.cnet.com/ccleaner/ ). Here's the description from CNET's website: "CCleaner is a freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner." Think of it as a house cleaning for your computer.

2. Run the Defragmenter program that comes with Windows. You can find it by pressing the Windows key--then P for Programs, A for Accessories, S for System Tools, and D until you get to Disk Defragmenter; then press Enter. Choose the Analyze button, and Disk Defragmenter will evaluate whether you need to defrag or not. See the screenshot below:

Thanks so much, Anita, for working your magic to keep the computers in the V.I. classrooms running!

Got Fonts?

2010-02-25T21:01:00.000-08:00

Here's a link to a great resource for fonts for your computer (Windows and Mac). Most of them are free (or free for personal use), and there are directions on the website explaining how to download and install them on your computer. There are tons of fonts, everything from school to handwriting to holiday fonts. Thanks to Venessa for sharing the site with me! I took a quick screenshot of just a few of the fonts you can download.

Go to www.dafont.com

Great Web Resources for Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments

2009-11-29T22:53:00.000-08:00

Well, the Best in Tech 2009 was a fantastic event (thank you NFB and Center for the Partially Sighted)! I came away realizing how much I need to learn about the newest technologies for people with visual impairments. It's hard to keep up with all that's available, but thanks to the efforts of many visually impaired computer users, you can listen to some great online mp3 podcasts.

Here are a few links to try out with lots of great listening articles:

www.blindcooltech.com Learn more about the iPhone and Mac accessibility, audio information about the healthcare bill, directions on how to make a braille picture of a pumpkin, and so much more! I'm still discovering all the podcasts on this page--there's really something for everyone.

www.blind-geek-zone.net Here's where you'll find Joseph Lee's great podcasts about all things related to the BrailleNote. For anyone thinking about diving into the world of the Mac with a less expensive Mac Mini, there are two extensive podcasts that go over all of its features, by a blind user who has never used a Mac before. This is a great podcast series, because it includes all of the stops and starts of setting up a Mac computer for the first time (including the frustrating moments when the Mac doesn't start--turns out it wasn't plugged correctly). Oh, those IT people are saying, "Told you so!"

http://www.serotalk.com Try Tech Chat 41 – Assembling a Portable Computer, Screen Reader and Reading Solution for Under $1,000, Tech Chat 42 Self-employment and Working From Home, or Tech Chat 39 Twitter 101 (maybe this will help you understand what "tweeting" is all about (in 140 characters or less).

http://blindworldblog.blogspot.com/ Shane Jackson's blog has lots of audio podcasts, as well; mostly Mac accessibility related. He has a great step-by-step podcast on installing Snow Leopard. Shane has been such a Mac proponent for blind computer users that he is now working in an Apple Store in Alabama. He is the go-to person when ANYONE comes in the Apple Store wanting to know about the iPhone or the MacBook.

Think we work in a low incidence field? You may not think so after checking out these two websites (they have an unbelievable number of links about or for people with visual impairments):

http://www.airsla.org/cat_vision.asp (this site has links to many great podcasts by Dr. Bill Takeshita--look for the link "Low Vision Technology"

Well, these should keep you going for awhile--Happy Holidays and enjoy browsing and listening!

The Best in Tech 2009 Workshop

2009-10-14T21:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Dr. Bill Takeshita for helping to organize what looks to be a great tech workshop! It's being presented jointly by The Center for the Partially Sighted and the National Federation of the Blind, San Fernando Valley Chapter. I'm really looking forward to the event, and best of all--it's free!

The Best in Tech 2009

Speakers include:

Bob Sweetman will tell you which are the best GPS Systems
Louis Herrera will talk about the i-phone
Robert Stigile will compare the Book Sense and the Victor ReaderStream
Julian Vargas will describe why he chooses to have the KNFB Mobile Reader and his Nokia N82 cell phone
Racquel Decipeda will explain why she chose to have Talks telephone software over the Mobile Speaks
Marc Gerberick will tell you why he likes the Mac computers and Voice Over
Stephanie Rood will talk about the ABISee Twix and Eye Pal Solo
Dr. Brett Nagatani will tell you the most popular video magnifiers chosen by his patients
Ken Metz will tell you why he uses the Voice and Braille Sense note takers
Keith Christian will talk about System Access for students
Dr. Bill Takeshita will tell you which desktop video magnifiers his patients most often choose

Vendors will include:

A.B.I.See, the makers of the Eye Pal, California Telephone Access, Enhanced Vision, Eye Tech Low Vision, Freedom Scientific, Humanware, Leo Drell and Help with Vision, Magnisite, Optelec, Sweetman Systems, Your low vision store

Come and learn from actual users of the most popular adaptive technology devices for people with low vision. Vendors will be present to allow hands on experience with the devices and you may purchase items at special discounted prices.

WHEN: Saturday November 21, 2009
9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

WHERE: Radisson Hotel
6161 W. Centinela Ave.
Culver City, CA 90230

RSVP at NFBEvents@gmail.com or call Robert Stigile (818)419-5331

Visually Handicapped Scholarship Fund Awards Speech

2009-06-07T20:50:00.000-07:00

One of our former students, who's now a student at California State University Long Beach, gave a wonderful speech at our VH Scholarship Fund Awards ceremony last week. He graciously agreed to share his words here on the blog, so enjoy reading of his experiences and advice for our graduating seniors!

Think Big, Be Bold
By Anthony Vasquez
June 2, 2009

To my fellow students, parents, family members, friends, teachers, administrators and other distinguished guests: It is truly an honor to be this year’s guest speaker. I would like to thank everybody responsible for this opportunity to speak to you all today. Congratulations to our scholarship recipients, I am sure all of you have worked hard to get to where you are today and cannot wait for high school to be over and done with. But of course high school is as much the end of one chapter in our lives as it is the beginning of a new one, and that is what I will talk to you all about today, what I have learned over these past four years about having a productive and enjoyable time in college, both inside and outside of the classroom.
I was born with glaucoma and can see a little bit out of my right eye. I get around using a cane and throughout school I read Braille books and used the Perkins Brailler, note takers like the Braille Lite and Braille Note and computers with JAWS to help me do my assignments. All along I had the help of my resource teachers and family. At around this time four years ago, I was in a similar position as you are today. I knew where I was going to college, what my major would be, and that I would get help with getting books in an electronic file to read on my computer. I am now a senior at Cal-State Long Beach. Having been in college for four years, I am a little wiser about the world and a whole lot more confident about myself. And I think that is the key to long term success in anything, be it writing a research paper, studying abroad, competing in sports, you name it. It all starts with how we view ourselves. Self-perception will play a very important role in the outcome of whatever it is you set your hearts on, that is for sure. We may be blind, but we are not helpless. Let’s always remember that.
The first thing I have learned that you need to do to really enjoy yourself and get the most out of life is to think big and think critically. Here’s what I mean. When I first started college I already had picked a major. I had worked for the school paper at my high school (Narbonne), and really liked interviewing people and learning new things about the school. So I picked journalism. I could learn about the world and teach others at the same time. But to me that didn’t seem enough, I also wanted to learn a foreign language. I thought that not only would it be a fun thing to know another language besides my native Spanish and English, but it could come in handy when applying for a job; it would be another skill I could have and another way to meet people and make new friends. So I was wondering which language to pick and I was thinking “what’s a foreign language that’s not too commonly studied?” It seemed to me most people who took foreign language courses studied Spanish, French, German, so I thought about an Asian language. Arabic? Japanese? Chinese? I decided to stick with Mandarin Chinese because I knew of the growing influence of China in the world, lots of people speak the language, and heard it was really hard to learn. Why not challenge myself in college? It would be the best time to try and learn it. I have been studying Mandarin for three years now and have had a great time. Language study then led to the study of Chinese history and culture and it led to my chances of study abroad in China last year, first for two weeks in January of 2008 and then for two months last summer.
Second, be determined. I wanted to see other parts of the world, to meet people from far away lands in their country, I wanted to study abroad. But when I first started college, it seemed pretty difficult. Could I even pull it off? How would I do this? I was blind, after all. But it didn’t stop me. My first trip was with Dr. Scott Wilson, a Cal-State Long Beach professor I had for a Chinese culture class. Convincing my parents that I would be alright was pretty easy because I knew the professor already, but the second trip was part of a national program ran by the University of Arizona where everybody would just meet in the capital, Beijing, and move on from there. My parents and the program’s directors were really worried for my safety. How would I get around? Chinese traffic is different. China has lots of people. These were their concerns, some of them valid ones. I had a feeling that if I just changed my mind and decided not to go, everything would be all right. But here’s the thing about thinking critically. If I had quit, everything would not have been all right. I would have denied myself an opportunity to prove to myself that, with some help, I, as a blind student, could pursue the same opportunities as any other student. I would have denied myself the chance to experience a foreign country and learn from its people about self-reliance and independent decision-making, and not to forget, practice my Chinese. I never imagined I would climb mountains in China, but I did. I never thought I would have sat on top of a camel by the Great Wall of China, but I did. It’s the thrill of the unexpected that keeps me going. Uncovering the mysteries of the world and meeting new people motivates me to stay focused. Eventually after some time of persuasion by myself and David Sanfilippo, the director of Disabled Student Services at Long Beach, the director’s agreed to hire a Chinese college student to go places with me so I wouldn’t depend on classmates. And that was that. It took lots of planning to do this. Lots of convincing of staff members, of my parents, but it all worked out fine. I made friends in China and because of the experience, I am more confident in my own potential and feel more empowered.
When you come across a tricky situation, first tell yourself what it is you want to get done. Plan for as many possible outcomes, good ones and bad ones and pick what you think is best. Talk to those around you, keep them up to date with what you’re thinking, chances are more people collaborating on something will give you a better idea as to what you should do. Asking for help does not mean you are giving up, it simply means you know where somebody could make things easier for you. But once you feel confident in doing something, it is ok to tell people that you don’t need help for that anymore. It isn’t rude. What you shouldn’t do is give up because of fear. “What if you get kidnapped?” one of my brothers asked about going to China, well I thought I suppose that could happen, but it’s pretty unlikely. I trusted myself. Remember to trust yourself. Imagine that you have already gone through the struggle and have succeeded.
In college, you will find out that people are more accepting. If you had a tough time in school with bullying, getting picked on that kind of stuff, just forget about it, you’re out of there and a whole new thing is beginning for you. Get involved. You probably heard this from your teachers or family, join clubs. That kind of stuff does matter. Just as grades and academic achievement is good, so is being involved in extracurricular activities. Whatever you do after college, graduate school and employers look for that. It’s about being well-rounded. It’s about making connections. Being part of a group helps. Be unafraid in new places, all of our friends now were once strangers before we met them, remember that. And definitely don’t be afraid to approach professors about your disability. Let them know as soon as you can, even before the term begins if possible. This way you can introduce yourself to them and at the same time find out how the class will be like. Get the names of the books you will use so that you can get them in an electronic file. Most schools have the resources to do this now, they’re supposed to anyway. Be bold! Say hi to a random person, you never know what will happen. If he or she doesn’t say hi back, at least you tried.
Be resilient. You will come across unfriendly people, that’s for sure. Do not give up because of a bad experience. The world is a crazy, but interesting place; you only live once, so enjoy it. Pick a worthwhile goal and seek it with all you got. Make sure that you love what you are studying; otherwise there is no point. If you don’t have one already, find a role model to look up to, a mentor. Surround yourself with positive people, family, friends, whoever gives you strength and motivation to move forward, keep them close, if not physically then communicate with them often.
A peaceful life depends on balance and moderation. You cannot have work without play, if you do, you will not enjoy what you do. For me, playing basketball, reading books, studying Braille maps, listening to radio from far away places, eating good food, traveling, these are my pastimes. If you can do well at balancing your work and your play, and your sleep, then you’ll be all right. Find a passion and pursue it. Eric Weihenmayer, the first blind person to climb Mt. Everest wrote in his book Touch the Top of the World: “I don't climb mountains to prove to anyone that blind people can do this or that. I climb for the same reason an artist paints a picture: because it brings me great joy.”
Before I finish, I have one more thing. With your increased freedom comes greater responsibility. One of these will be to manage money. Right now is a great time to begin learning about budgeting, about the cost of things, because you will not live at home forever. One day you will be part of the big world and will need to know how to open a bank account, find an apartment, get and maintain good credit and that’s just the beginning. Ask your parents about money, read books about it, read and listen to the news, be aware. Whatever goal you have, keep in mind the economics of things. For starters read Rich Dad, Poor Dad, it’s available on tape.
I’m sure that your talents will help you in the future, just keep in mind that being critical about the world around you is important, but stay positive. More often than not, people are good and there will always be someone out there to help you out. Just remember to speak up for yourselves and be noticed. Have confidence in your abilities and improve on your weaknesses. That way you may help others around you better.
There will be times when you feel down. That is natural. Just remember that the glass is half full and that there are more things that you can do than that you can’t do. Helen Keller once said: “I am only one, but still I am one. I can not do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do.” Without a doubt, knowledge is power. Be yourselves and don’t hold back in pursuing your dreams. Do like that T.I. and Rihanna song and: Just live your life. Trust me, there really is no telling where it’ll take you.

A Shout Out for Gaggle.Net--Attention to Accessibility Issues!

2009-05-31T19:26:00.000-07:00

Gaggle provides a safe, secure, email service for teachers and students. Several years ago, I set up email accounts for some of my students who have visual impairments. The accounts were simple to set up and with some experimenting by the students, they found their email to be accessible using a screenreader. Our own school district does offer student email accounts, but they involve lots of red tape to set up, and turn out not to be keyboard/screenreader accessible. Thank heavens for Gaggle!
Then, a few weeks ago, I started to hear from my students that they could no longer access their email messages. I went to www.gaggle.net and discovered that Gaggle had changed the look of the service, giving it a Web 2.0 look. Well, it may have LOOKED wonderful, but it was no longer accessible via the keyboard and a screenreader. Another instance of companies trying to make the web more visually appealing, but in the process excluding some people. Sad, right?
But, here's the great part! I found a contact email address at Gaggle, and wrote to let them know how upset I was that my students could no longer access their email with a screenreader. Well, within an hour of my sending an email, I received a response from Gaggle, letting me know that they have switched all of our accounts back to the old, yet accessible, layout. I went back to check, and true to their word, the emails were accessible again! I was pleasantly surprised, as well as grateful to Gaggle for actually paying attention to accessibility issues of their consumers.
There was another wonderful outcome from this experience, and it came in the form of a letter one of our students wrote to Gaggle. I've copied it below, so please read on and celebrate one of our students being proactive and helping companies understand that attention to accessibility is important and appreciated.

To: admin@gaggle.net
My name is Karen A., and I have an email account with Gaggle; as a visually impaired person, I know how difficult it is to find an email server accessible to those of us who use screen-readers such as JAWS for Windows. One of these few email servers is Gaggle.
I would like to thank Emily and the rest of the Gaggle staff for helping to restore Gaggle to its original format so that VI students can continue benefiting from it. Not only does Gaggle allow me to send and receive emails and attachments efficiently, but it also allows me to communicate in a quick, easy manner that is increasingly one of the main forms of communication.
I am really appreciative of the fact that you take all of your student population in to account, so keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
Karen A.

Highlighting Student Achievements, Part 1

2009-05-27T21:08:00.000-07:00

I created this blog mostly to offer up some technology tips for teachers of students with visual impairments. Today I offer a little treat: we have so many talented students in our program, I thought it might be nice to devote a bit of space on the blog to some of their achievements. Laura is an 8th grader at Irving Middle School. She is a braille reader who uses her mPower (braille notetaker/accessible PDA), to complete her school assignments and read e-braille books. She loves writing, as well, and she gave me permission to share this poem she wrote. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Keep writing, Laura, and keep sharing! (Thanks to her teacher, Laurie G. for being a proud teacher who wanted to share her student's talent.)

What Would It Feel Like, To Fly With the Birds?
by Laura D.

What would it feel like,
to fly with the birds?
To experience their freedom,
their glory,
their joy
To never be trapped,
as I am right now
To never ask why,
when,
where,
or how,
To live in the moment
to live for just now
To live with the wind,
the sun,
and the sky
To be like the wind,
care free,
and alive
To caress the ocean,
as dolphins swim by
To sleep with the stars,
twinkling so far
And escape pain,
that showers like rain.

So how would it feel like,
to fly with the birds?

Would everything seem better,
or would it just get much worse?

Great Podcasts by Dr. Bill and Others!

2009-05-04T20:29:00.000-07:00

For those of you who've never had the pleasure of meeting and talking with Dr. Bill Takeshita, well then head on over to AIRS-LA
and click on the Vision link across the top of the page. AIRS-LA stands for Audio Internet Reading Service-Los Angeles. Its purpose it to help "those who are blind, sight-impaired, reading-impaired, low-vision, or who suffer diseases that make it difficult or impossible for them to read. Our mission is to provide podcasts of news, information, and entertainment that's otherwise inaccessible to them."
There are tons of great podcasts on everything from the latest medical advances in eye care to technology for people who are sight impaired. Dr. Bill has a whole series of podcasts called Low Vision Technology. One I just listened to was about how accessible the new Macintosh operating system is for people with low vision.
The Health links offers podcasts on everything from "Cooking in the Dark," to "Vision Loss - How Others Have Coped With It." Go check it out, and thanks, Dr. Bill, for all your work in the field of low vision!

Magnifier in Windows 7 Coming Soon?

2009-04-29T21:35:00.000-07:00

I was checking out a link in an email I got from Microsoft about Windows Accessibility. The next Operating System to be released is called Windows 7. It's in Beta right now, but if you want to read about their new and improved built-in magnifier, check out the promised features at: Windows 7 Magnifier
It looks as though the Magnifier will finally have a full screen mode. I missed the opportunity to download the beta Windows 7 for free, so if anyone's tried it out, I'd love to hear comments.

Hello, I'm an Accessible PC

2009-04-13T19:57:00.000-07:00

Knowing keyboard shortcuts helps when using the computer. They are more efficient and save time for anyone who wants to streamline use of the PC. If you're just tuning in to the benefits of using keyboard shortcuts, let's ease into it by focusing on just one for this posting: Windows key-D for Desktop.
No matter what you're doing on the computer, you can quickly get back to the desktop to open another application by pressing the Windows key and the letter 'd'. When you see the desktop screen, you can then choose another application by pressing the beginning letter of the program you want to launch. For example, after pressing Windows-D, pressing the letter 'i' will move the focus to any application that begins with that letter, such as 'Internet Explorer'. Just press Enter to launch the program.
Try it out!

Hello, I'm an Accessible Mac

2009-04-13T19:34:00.000-07:00

Well, I thought I'd start a short series based on Apple's great, "Hello, I'm a Mac," "Hello, I'm a PC". Both the Mac and the Windows computers offer accessibility features. After the iPod Nano came out last Fall, I loved the voice feature that Mac added to enable people to access the menus of the iPod without having to look at the screen. I have thought since it came out (and suggested as much to every Apple Store rep I saw), that Apple should be advertising this talking feature to the general populace. Whether you're exercising or driving in the car, being able to choose the song you want without having to look at the screen is a great new feature. Now, Apple has released an even more accessible iPod, the new Shuffle. Check it out at the accessibility page on Apple's website.

And Now, a Moment for the Mac

2009-01-19T13:52:00.000-08:00

Those of you who know me, know that I can be a proponent for the Mac computer (understatement?), even though most of the accessibility we've used in the past has been Windows-only software. Well, times they are a-changing, slowly but surely.
Here's a link to some great, easy to understand, explanations on how to make Mac with OSX more accessible. The website is about accessibility for the Apple and Mac, and has some great articles on new applications and news items.
Check it out at http://atmac.org/series/mac-accessibility-101/
Not all of the articles are specific to the field of visual impairment, but it's been great to read that there are people out there who are trying to make the Internet specifically, and the computer generally, accessible to people with disabilities. Sooner or later, we'll all need to take advantage of some of these adaptations, so support the movement for Web Accessibility by reading and talking about it with your friends. As President-Elect Obama (and I'll be changing that to President Obama as of tomorrow!) has said, "Change is Coming." Embrace it!!

Fair Use Information in this Video

2008-12-08T15:59:00.000-08:00

More Keyboard Shortcuts

2008-12-08T08:35:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are practicing a getting into using keyboard shortcuts instead of the mouse, check this out. I got this link by listening to the NosillaCast Podcast (thank you Allison for a wealth of information!). Go to http://www.keyxl.com/ to find keyboard shortcuts for many popular applications, including Microsoft Powerpoint. I've only just started looking through the site, but it seems pretty comprehensive. There are keyboard shortcuts for Google apps, mp3 programs, and more.

Adding Captions to Videos

2008-11-16T14:46:00.000-08:00

Well, I always learn a lot when I go to technology workshops. Yesterday, I went to CUELA (Computer Using Educators Los Angeles). I attended some great workshops about Google Earth and Sketchup; two free applications you can download at Google's website. In the afternoon, I attended a workshop about using iPods in the classroom. I got some wonderful resources, but one of the other benefits of attending was talking with some really tech-savvy computer users. One of the workshop organizers shared a great website to help add captions or translations onto your videos (thank you, Matthew!). I went to check it out, and within about 30 minutes, I'd finished captioning my first video. This video segment was filmed in 2004, and showed one of my students explaining how she reads and organizes her braille books. This might be useful for teachers to show to classroom teachers to help them understand the space requirement for those braille books. Check out the video, then go to http://dotsub.com to see how you can caption or translate videos yourself!

Tutorial on Creating a Keyboard Shortcut to Applications

2008-11-01T17:40:00.000-07:00

Click on the link below to go to a step-by-step tutorial on how to create a desktop keyboard shortcut. Note that this is a very visual pdf file.
Creating a Keyboard Shortcut to JAWS

Here are the text directions:

This is the procedure for how to add a desktop keyboard shortcut for JAWS.

1. Select Programs

(1) Press Start Menu and then (2) select All Programs (or Programs, depending on your version of Windows).

2. Select JAWS

Press 'j' for JAWS (if you have more than one J program, keep pressing 'j' until JAWS is highlighted).

3. Select the JAWS Icon

Press Enter and then press the down arrow until JAWS is highlighted.

4. Right-click [press Applications key] on Properties

Press the Applications Key (key on keyboard that looks like a lined piece of paper with an arrow pointing to the paper). Press the up or down arrow to move to Properties; press Enter.

5. Press the Keys to Create the Shortcut

Press the Tab key to move to "Shortcut key" field; press the Control key and the letter J on your keyboard (the Alt will be added by the computer).

6. Apply the Shortcut

(1) Tab to Apply and press Enter to apply your change; (2) Tab to OK and press Enter.

7. Create a Desktop Shortcut

Repeat Steps 1-3; press Applications key and down-arrow to Send To; press Enter and down-arrow to Desktop (create shortcut); press Enter. Press Esc until you're back at your Desktop.

8. Start JAWS Using Keyboard Shortcut

You should now see a JAWS icon on the desktop. If you press and hold the Ctrl and Alt keys, and press 'j', JAWS should start up (be patient, it may take a moment or two).
You can create desktop keyboard shortcuts for other programs (Microsoft Word, Internet Explorer, etc.), following the same procedure. Good luck!

Link to Listening Skills -- Ideas for Teaching

2008-09-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

Here's a great website for ideas in teaching listening skills to your students. Has activity ideas, lesson plans, etc. You can search by grade level range (e.g., K-2, 3-5, through high school age). To access the lessons and other great ideas, you need to register, but it's free. Check it out at:
http://www.learningthroughlistening.org/Classroom-Teaching-Tools/25/

Online Typing Programs

2008-03-03T16:23:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you may be working with a student on a computer that doesn't have a keyboarding program. Well, if you can use the computer to get to the Internet, then your student may be able to practice his/her typing skills. Try some of the links below, and let me know if any of them work for you. Note that in order for these websites to be accessible for students with low vision, you may need to use either Magnifier/Zoomtext on a PC or Zoom on a Mac. None of these programs provide any speech output, so they wouldn't be good alternatives for students with very limited or no vision.
1. Good basic typing program that shows accuracy and speed, as well as listing the errors. This is the link to lesson 1, but look on the left side, and you'll see other lesson links: Type Online
2. Links to several alternatives for typing: Keyboarding
3. A fun typing program for 2nd-4th graders (Note that characters have English accents): Dance Mat Typing
4. This site has online typing practice; gives speed and accuracy as the student is typing. No lessons per se; has real and nonsense words that assumes the typist already is familiar with touch-typing on a QWERTY keyboard. Typing at the speed of thought
If you'd like your high school student to get a little more practice typing, here's a link to Winter Concert, Across the Universe, and to Heath Ledger story (thanks Ruth, for the documents).

Link to Abacus Lessons

2008-03-01T09:33:00.000-08:00

Although the page hasn't been updated in awhile, here's where to find some Abacus podcasts, as well as a few other good links about braille. Check it out:
http://lore.schindler.googlepages.com

BrailleNote Wiki Offers Support

2008-02-08T22:15:00.000-08:00

One of our very tech-savvy high school students has created a fantastic wiki about the BrailleNote. Stop by and check it out at http://braillenote.pbwiki.com
The site offers support in everything from creating a document to connecting to the Internet, from BrailleNote Basics to Behind the Scenes.

Directions to Download Web Braille Books

2007-12-06T06:55:00.000-08:00

The National Library Service offers many wonderful resources, including e-braille books, known as Web Braille. Here are the steps to follow to locate braille books in electronic format. Before you can download any Web Braille books, you need to call your local Braille Institute library to get an account. The staff in the library have been wonderful, so give them a call (go to www.brailleinstitute.org for more information about library services).

1. Go to the National Library Service website: www.loc.gov/nls
2. Click on Search the Catalog.
Hopefully you have a book title or author’s name in mind as you’re searching. Let’s use an example (thank you Mrs. Tomlinson and Jesus for the great idea--I love the Lemony Snicket books, too!). Author: snicket lemony
3. Tab to the field “Keyword” and type in web braille
4. Tab to the field “Material Type” and choose Braille (for those using a screenreader there is an arrow in this field, so use your arrow keys to hear the choices).
5. Tab to Search and press enter/return.
6. If there are web braille books available, your query results will list how many are available. For my example of Lemony Snicket, there were 13 results listed. The author and title of each book is displayed along with information about the publisher, book number and volume. Next, you should notice a link that starts with "http". This is the actual link to download the e-braille book. If you’d like a short description of the book before you download it, then click on “More on this record” and the next page will give more information, including “Notes,” that provides a summary of the book.
7. To download the e-braille book, click on the “http” link. At this point, the computer will prompt you for your username and password as authentication. You should already have this information that you got from calling your local Braille Institute library to set up an account. Type in your username and password, then press enter. NOTE: The next page is the Web Braille Agreement information. Please read this and understand that under Fair Use Laws, a braille reader is entitled to download this book for his or her own use. Discuss the meaning of the agreement with your students/teachers.
8. Click on the appropriate option: I Accept, Best for PC users will download the book to your computer.
A dialog box will appear, asking whether you want to save or open the file. Click on Save.
9. Here is a very important step. The computer keeps track of files by number, but if you want to know which book you’re downloading later, make sure you change the name to something you’ll remember. If it’s more than one volume, type the title or part of the title followed by the volume number. Example: I’m downloading The Grim Grotto, which is two volumes, so I type: Grim Grotto1 for my first volume. Next, I find my Web Braille folder that I created on my computer Desktop, and then click Save to save the volume in that folder. The file should download quickly. To get the next volume, press backspace to go back to the page with the links, then click on the next volume, save it as Grim Grotto2, and click Save.
10. You can now transfer the book to your book reader, or open it in a braille translation program such as Braille2000 or Duxbury, and emboss the book.

Good luck, and post a comment about your successes or problems. Happy Reading!

Share Your Bookmarks using Del.icio.us

2007-11-11T17:58:00.000-08:00

Del.icio.us is a social bookmarking website. What is "social bookmarking," you ask? Well, first of all, it's a way to save your favorite websites in a central place on the web, where you can access them from whatever computer you're sitting in front of. But the real power of social bookmarking comes in being able to share your bookmarks with others, and in finding new resources through other people's bookmarks. There are several social bookmarking websites, but here are the directions for Del.icio.us:
1. Go to www.delicious.com
2. Click on Register (top right link between Login and Help).
3. Create a username and password. Your username will be the name through which people will be able to locate your bookmarks.
4. Once you've registered, click on the Help button, and look for 'Bookmarking--install the tools for saving bookmarks.' There are links for installing the tools for Internet Explorer, Firefox, and "bookmarklet buttons for any browser" (e.g., Safari). After running the two installers, you should find two new buttons on your browser toolbar.
5. Now go to it! Whenever you find a great website you'd like to remember, click on your Tag button, and you'll see a new window that has the URL listed for you--type in a description if you want, and then type in tags (category words) and click on Save. The tags will really help you find/organize your bookmarks later.
Here's the URL to part of my Del.icio.us bookmarks: http://del.icio.us/VIAccessible/accessibility
Check it out and browse the links I've discovered so far. When you have some sites to share, give us your Del.icio.us name by posting a comment to this blog.

Changing WindowsXP Display for Low Vision Users

2007-11-10T08:11:00.000-08:00

In my last post, I explained how to change the mouse pointer size in WinXP. Here are some other things you can do to enlarge the desktop without specialized software.
I want to preface these tips by saying that software such as Zoomtext or MAGic are wonderful products to help students who have limited vision access the computer screen. But, what happens for these students when they go home, to the local library, or other places that do not have computers equipped with these software programs? While some students may need the features and screen enlarging capability of specialized screen enlarging programs, other students may be able to access the computer just fine with these "free" alternatives.

To enlarge the desktop font:
1. Open the Control Panel in Windows XP.

2. Click on Display (in Classic View).

In Category View, first click Appearances and Themes:

Then click Display: (Note that in Appearances and Themes, you'll see links to Mouse Pointer and High Contrast, described in previous posts.)

3. In Display, choose the Appearance tab, change the Font size to Extra Large Fonts, click Apply to see how the desktop has changed. Next, click the Advanced button (above Apply).

4. Here's where you can experiment with the Windows menu items. Click on Items, then choose Icon and change the font to 16 point. Click on OK, then Apply, and see what that may have changed on the desktop. Click on Items--Menu, or Items--Message Box, and change the font size for those, as well. Click on Apply after each to see how it has changed text size in various windows. Go ahead and explore some of the other Items to see what happens when you change the font size, or change the Font itself (Tahoma seems to be the default font).

Hopefully, some of these simple and free alterations to the desktop will enable your student to see the basic fonts and menu items to get into programs. From there, he/she may be able to use Windows Magnifier (described in a previous post), to access applications such as Wordpad, the Internet, etc. I'd love to hear comments on this or other suggestions you have to make the computer more accessible to persons with visual impairments.

Changing the Mouse Pointer Size

2007-10-25T20:35:00.000-07:00

Here's another little tip to help students with low vision to access the computer display without spending extra money on specialized software. Windows XP actually has quite a few built in features that allow anyone to change how the desktop looks.
Try these steps:
1. Click on Start button at the bottom of the screen. Move up to Settings, then to Control Panel and click. You should now see a window with many icons, including "Mouse":

2. Click on Mouse, then look for the tab Pointers.

3. Click on the down arrow under Scheme, then choose the pointer configuration that works best for your student (test them out!). When you find the one that works best, make sure to click Apply, then OK. This will make sure the computer remembers your pointer preference.

Accessing Windows Built-In Magnifier

2007-10-22T20:45:00.000-07:00

Here's another great tip from Michael, along with directions to access Windows own Magnifier--did you know Windows provided this free little application for people who have limited vision?
Follow the directions below and see how it works for you/your student.

1. Press the “Windows” key on the keyboard, or left-click the “Start” icon located in the lower left corner of the computer screen.
2. Go to “All Programs”.
3. Go to “Accessories”.
4. Go to “Accessibility”. [Note: In Windows Vista it's called Ease of Access]
5. Left-click on “Magnifier”.

At this point two dialogue boxes will appear. The first is titled “Microsoft Magnifier”. This box simply describes the population that will benefit from its use. If you do not wish to see this message each time you access the magnifier, click the “Do not show this message again” box prior to clicking “OK”.

The second dialogue box is titled “Magnifier Settings”. Here you can choose your magnification level, up to nine times the size of the original. It also offers Tracking and Presentation options, including color inversion (i.e., reverse imaging).

You may resize the width of the magnification window, make it vertical rather than horizontal, or float it around the screen to a different location. Use the left-click option for this operation.

You can create a desktop shortcut by right-clicking the “Magnifier” icon before opening the program. Move to the right, and choose Send to--Desktop (Create Shortcut). Left click, and the Magnifier icon should appear on your desktop. You may rename it if desired by right-clicking on it and selecting “Rename”.

Note #1:
The magnifier comes in handy when using the built-in calculator, which has exceptionally small lettering on the function keys: + -* / =.

Note #2: The magnifier works with the High Contrast Settings.

Note #3:
Activating the magnifier tends to jumble the icons on my desktop. Be prepared!

How to Enlarge the Screen On a Mac

2007-10-17T21:20:00.000-07:00

Well, most of our software for students who have limited vision or are blind is only for Windows computers. But what if you have a student who's in a classroom where there are only Macs available? If the computers have OS10.3 or above (you'll see a little blue apple in the upper left of the display), then here's what you can do for those students who have limited vision.
1. Click on the blue apple in upper left. Click on System Preferences.

2. Click on the Universal Access icon (blue circle with stick figure inside).

3. Click on Mouse and Keyboard (Trackpad for laptop) tab. Drag Cursor Size slider to the right to enlarge the cursor/arrow to desired size.

4. Click on Zoom (under "Seeing tab"). This turns it on, but you won't see any change on the display yet. To enlarge the display, press and hold the two keys to the left of the spacebar (alt/option and apple/command keys), then press the + key. To reduce the size, press the same two keys to the left of spacebar, then press the - key.

For students who need high contrast, you can click on Display (under Zoom option) and click on White on Black option. You can adjust the contrast with the slider.

Hope this works for you!

Some Great Keyboard Shortcuts for Accessibility

2007-07-22T11:01:00.000-07:00

Michael, a fantastic teacher in our VI (Visually Impaired) Program, gave me some great keyboard shortcuts to help make the Windows environment more accessible to students who are blind or who have low vision. He gave me permission to share his files, so I'm posting two of them here on the side of this blog: Keyboard Shortcut Commands and Word Shortcuts. My favorite from the Keyboard Shortcut Commands is setting for high contrast, helpful for some students who may be light sensitive: Access Windows High Contrast Settings: “Left Alt” + “Left Shift” +
“Print Screen”, then press OK. The screen will change to all black, with white text. If you leave the computer idle for a certain amount of time, it'll revert back to the regular screen, but if you need to change it back on your own, simply press the same keys as you did to start it. Thanks, Michael, and I'm continually in awe of the people in our program--I learn something new every day!

More on NECC and Universal Design for Learning

2007-07-01T13:24:00.001-07:00

My days at NECC were filled with new terminology and resources to explore. I've spent the last few days delving into a little bit of the CAST website: Center for Applied Special Technology. Here's the opening paragraph at their website: "Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a framework for designing curricula that enable all individuals to gain knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm for learning. UDL provides rich supports for learning and reduces barriers to the curriculum while maintaining high achievement standards for all."
I came to understand that UDL is helping to focus technology accessibility on people of all ages and abilities who have had difficulty learning in a traditional educational setting. To learn more about the concept of UDL, as well as some WONDERFUL resources, go to Dr. Dave Edyburn's handout for his NECC session about making text accessible.
One of the more intriguing concepts that Dr. Edyburn demonstrated was that of Cognitive Rescaling. In today's world of so much text to try to digest, he suggested that using Microsoft Word's AutoSummarize tool might help. Try it out: open a text document (or copy and paste paragraphs of expository text from a website), then click on Tools--AutoSummarize. The window offers several choices, including highlighting key points, or creating an Executive Summary, along with the percentage of the text to use. AutoSummarize does just that--summarizes the text. Imagine the possibilities for students who struggle with reading information at a more complex level than they can understand, and who are then just tuning out or turning off. In Dr. Edyburn's handout you'll find a clearer and more eloquent description of Cognitive Rescaling.
One website that was referred to often during discussion of UDL was Windows to the Universe. The About the Site link states: "Because we have users of all ages, the site is written in three reading levels approximating elementary, middle school and high school reading levels. These levels may be chosen by using the upper button bar of each page of the main site." Go take a look.
I walked away from NECC feeling eternally grateful that there are so many people out there who have a passion for a certain aspect of technology, and spend all their time focused on learning about that one aspect. For someone like me, who tends to feel overwhelmed by all the potential of the web, and often doesn't know where to begin, I just need to go to my del.icio.us bookmarks and find that one site that can help me with what I need to know today. I'm so grateful not to have to reinvent the wheel; the challenge is just to know where to find the tools to put the wheel together.

Initial Thoughts About NECC 2007 in Atlanta

2007-06-27T13:05:00.000-07:00

First, Wow! I've spent the last two days feeling overwhelmed and humbled by all the technology innovation I've seen going on here at NECC in Atlanta. I thought CUE was great, but this conference has blown me away. I started late and missed the first big day of the conference, so I needed a day to get oriented. I went to the keynote on Tuesday, which was great (most of the highlights you can get by going to the NECC website). A lot of the conference handouts are available online, and many of the sessions were podcast.
The rest of Tuesday, I spent wandering around the exhibits and the conference center. An interesting thing happened while wandering. I had been disappointed searching the conference website initially for sessions related to special education. Well, while wandering, I happened upon an area tucked away, called "The Playground", that had several tables set up with information on accessibility. Through discussion with one very enthusiastic young tech person from Florida, I found out that I had been using the wrong term for searching. I should have been looking under Universal Design. In my next post, I'll be writing more on the fascinating information I learned about Universal Design, which actually focuses on diverse learners of every kind. I have a lot of links to share, but today, I'll just give this one: Teaching Every Student in the Digital Age: Universal Design for Learning. This is a book that you can purchase, but is available online to read, as well.
One more link I want to share today, for anyone who'd like to get started learning more about Web 2.0 with an emphasis on Universal Design. It's called 90 Days of Summer, and is a calendar of links, one a day, to start exploring. Get started on this, and I'll have more links later!

I've Only Just Begun!

2007-06-18T17:50:00.000-07:00

I've learned so much from the Read/Write Web class these past few weeks. But, this is only the beginning. I'm teaching summer school this summer, and plan to use one of my blogs with my students. First, as a way to for my students to think and then respond to questions I may post. Second, as a way to learn and then practice how to use JAWS and Zoomtext (the screenreader, screen magnifier) to access those pages through keyboard shortcuts I'm teaching to the students.
In addition, I want to complete a thought I had had with my students this year: making a podcast with my students related to visual impairments. One idea was to talk about things that are 'pet peeves' for my students. One of my students said that he hates when kids and adults call his (mobility) cane a 'stick'. So, stay tuned and take a look at my webpage during the summer to hopefully listen to our podcast. Room B1

Podcasting Accessibility

2007-06-09T21:51:00.000-07:00

I've had to experiment with posting podcasts to make sure that my students who are blind are able to listen to the shows. I've used GarageBand on a Mac, and then converted the files to iTunes files (with an m4a extension), then posted them at my webpage: Room B1
Since the speech software, JAWS, that my students use only works on PCs, I found that they were having difficulty accessing the files. So, using an online file conversion site called Zamzar (www.zamzar.com), I converted the files to mp3, which can then be played using Windows Media Player or Real Audio. My student who is blind and in 4th grade is now able to listen to the files at home. He is more tech savvy than many of his general education peers!
I find that it's a constant challenge making sure that projects we do are accessible to my students. I know that accessibility is also an issue for people who have hearing impairments. A suggestion for teachers who podcast is to post the text document along with the podcast. I learned this through an online class I took about accessibility and the web. I'd be interested in hearing other suggestions to help make the Web 2.0 as open as possible to all who surf it.

Fun Way to Learn the Braille Alphabet

2007-05-28T10:19:00.001-07:00

I'm posting a link to APH's website (American Printing House); it's a great rap about the Braille alphabet created at the Helen Keller School in Alabama. APH has posted the lyrics, a link to the mp3 file, and credits. Check it out and see what you think--this would be great for a general introduction to Braille: Braille Rap

Link to Room B1 Website

2007-05-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

I started to post some information videos and podcasts related to children who have visual impairments, as well as some links to other great websites. So, let me just direct you to my webpage: Room B1
I hope to post some more of our videos in the future, about how my students use technology in the classroom.

Blindess Information for Kids

2007-05-25T19:53:00.000-07:00

I found this website and wanted to share it. http://www.mcwdn.org/Blind/BlindKidsMain.html
It's a great place for kids to go to find out more about blindness, in easy to understand language. Check it out!

A newer technology

2007-05-18T22:03:00.001-07:00

I posted pictures of some of the more traditional tools of my trade. Here's a photo of a great technology tool for Braille readers. It's called a BrailleNote (the newest version is known as an mPower), and allows students to word process, surf the Web, keep a planner and address book, read ebooks and listen to mp3 files (the mPower even has a digital recorder). To find out more, go to http://www.humanware.com/Products/

Link to WebBraille

2007-05-18T21:45:00.000-07:00

OK, I've been asked several times by students, "What is the website to find WebBraille books?" Here it is: http://www.loc.gov/nls/
In order for students to be able to download ebooks in Braille, you must call the local Braille Institute library and ask to sign up for a WebBraille account. You'll get a user name and password that you will need to use each time you want to download a book. The book is saved in .brf format, so it should be readable on Braille Notetakers. Happy reading!

Introduction and Some Tools of the Trade

2007-05-16T21:00:00.000-07:00

Hi, this is my first post as a blogger. I'm a teacher working with students who are low vision and blind. I'm interested to see how accessible blogs are for blind computer users.
Although I embrace much of the newest technology, I am still a fan of any tool that will help my students (and me), learn.
Here a few of the more traditional tools of my trade: