The Bulletin

Statewide Vision Resource Centre
Number 2, Friday 11th February 2005

 

The following issue of The Bulletin was prepared by Deb Lewis (Co-ordinator, Statewide Vision Resource Centre).

Inside This Issue

PD Program for Term 1, 2005

The Statewide Vision Resource Centre Professional Development program for term 1 appears below. For the complete list of activities for 2005 go to: http://www.svrc.vic.edu.au/pd2005.htm

All activities are open to subject teachers, integration teachers and aides, careers teachers, therapists, parents, principals, Visiting Teachers, students etc. Please remember to register: tel (03) 9841 0242, fax (03) 9841 0878 or email svrc@svrc.vic.edu.au

Professional Development Event – Term 1, 2005
Date
O&M Morning
Linden Woodruff, Guide Dogs Victoria		 Tuesday 15 February
Mountbatten Workshop (for ‘beginners’) – BYO Mountbatten
10am-12.30pm (setup 9.30am), Trevor Boyd, Quantum Technology		 Monday 21 February
Educational Support for VCE Students with Vision Impairments (low vision and blind students) – Years 9, 10, 11 and 12 – for subject & careers teachers, integration staff, therapists, parents, VTs & students (minimum participants: 25) Friday 25 February
Educational Support for Blind Students – for class and subject teachers, integration teachers and aides, therapists, parents and VTs supporting students who utilise braille Wednesday 9 March
Educational Support for Students with Low Vision – for class & subject teachers, integration teachers & aides, therapists, parents and VTs supporting students who have low vision (maximum participants: 80) Thursday 24 March

VT Day – the first for 2005

The VT Day this week appeared to me (the casual observer) to be up to our usual standard! Weather and a few other unforeseen circumstances conspired to interfere with a prompt start time but once underway, the day went more or less like clock-work!

One of the highlights for me was Ramona Mandy’s session on braille/voice-related software and hardware. All things considered the session was presented at a fairly sophisticated IT level with plenty of erudite terms, technological details and jargon… AND THE GREAT THING? Our audience – the Visiting Teachers – were not phased at all. “What’s ‘blue tooth’ technology?” Ramona calmly explains and moves on… It’s great to see just how skilled we have all become!

SPEVI Conference – Melbourne 2005: Some More Feedback

One of the exciting events of the SPEVI Conference in Melbourne in January was the launch of the ‘SPEVI Principles & Standards’ document, a much discussed, rewritten and re-rewritten document that has passed through at least a generation of hands of educators in the field of vision impairment.

It is now available for download from the RIDBC website. You can access it:

With so many sources, it won’t be hard to find and anyway I can highly recommend this as a valuable read and a fabulous resource for those of us in the field.

I’d like to personally thank Dr Mike Steer and anyone else who was involved with its discussion, compilation and finally its production!

Mike and Deb at the conference

Above right: Mike Steer and Deb Lewis (yes me!) at the launch of the ‘SPEVI Principles & Standards’, Mike clutching above-mentioned document!

I am definitely hoping for something more ‘meaty’ and substantial soon as an epitaph to the most successful SPEVI Conference – by like perhaps the next edition of The Bulletin…

In the mean time I thought I’d try to explain what my friend Jody is doing standing on my shoulders while a relieved and smiling Lil from Guide Dogs holds a reunited and much relieved SPEVI Bear and baby…

Basically it is a kind of difficult situation to explain…

When a small baby bear wanders off at the SPEVI family BBQ being held at the Pavilion Restaurant in the middle of Fitzroy Gardens whilst sitting on Lil’s lap, it is possible that all hell may break loose…

Has baby bear been run over on one of the busy streets? Has he wandered off and got lost? Where could he be???

Well naughty baby bear turned out to be hiding in a vent above the front door of The Pavilion – and required some quick circus action from the above-mentioned Jody (and me)!

Jody on Deb's shoulders with Lil (on the ground) holding the reunited bears (and a banana).

Renwick Courses for 2005

Renwick have not finalised their courses for 2005 but here is brief information for your diaries:

Braille Literacy - A Functional Approach

When: September 22 - 24
Presented by: Dr Diane P Wormsley, Associate Professor and Program Director of the Professional Preparation Program for Teachers of Children with Visual and Multiple Disabilities, Pennsylvania College of Optometry.

This three-day series of workshops will outline a comprehensive program for developing braille literacy skills for students with vision impairments including adaptations to meet the needs of deafblind students and students with multiple disabilities using a functional approach. As well as providing a theoretical framework the seminar will explore specific strategies and guidelines for planning activities and developing resources. Teachers who attend should come prepared with a child in mind who has not been successful in learning braille around whom the activities of the workshops will be directed.
Fee: $390

Induction PD Program for New Special Educators

The Victorian Chapter of Australian Association of Special Education (AASE) will be presenting this program over two sessions from 4.30-7.30pm on 2nd and 9th March 2005 at Montague Continuing Education Centre, 100 Montague Street, South Melbourne. It is also planned to present a similar program in the Latrobe Valley, also in March 2005.

The programs, facilitated by experienced special educators, will be free and will allow ample time for discussion and questions.
For further information, contact the Victorian Chapter of AASE at:
PO Box 1246, Healesville, 3777 or email foster.lesley.a@edumail.vic.gov.au

UEBC Workshop

The Victorian subcommittee of the Australian Braille Authority (ABA) is holding a workshop on Unified English Braille (UEB) to provide an opportunity for all braille readers, educators, producers and other stakeholders in Victoria to gain exposure to the code before a decision is made on its adoption in Australia.

When: Saturday 19 February 2005, 2-5pm
Where: Day Centre, Vision Australia, 454 Glenferrie Rd Kooyong
Guest Speakers:

RSVP: Leona Holloway, ABA secretary, (03) 9864 9701 or leona.holloway@nils.org.au

JVIB

The following issues of the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness include the following articles:

November 2004

December 2004

Shareware, Freeware and Demos

Lyn Robinson has amassed a range of links to shareware, freeware and demos of assistive technology for people with vision impairments. The range includes links to:

This page also contains links to several excellent text-to-speech programs by Special Education Consultant, Gerry Kennedy including ‘Natural Voice’.
Go to: http://www.svrc.vic.edu.au/softwaredemo.html

ReadPlease! Getting Started

Gerry Kennedy has kindly allowed us to reprint his information sheet, ‘ReadPlease 2003 – Getting Started’ which is attached to the print edition of The Bulletin or can be found at: http://www.svrc.vic.edu.au/ReadpleaseGettingStarted.doc

Update: BiTS: Books in the Sky

The BiTS system is a secure digital multicast system for delivering audio books, newspapers and other text to people who are blind or vision impaired. The user is able to store up to 24 hours of audio content on an ‘Audio navigator’ and can then easily navigate around the chapters and pages of books, or various pages and sections of newspapers.

The Royal Society for the Blind in South Australia has been piloting this amazing new system and has only recently expanded its services. You can get more information on the program at http://www.rsb.org.au/BITS or at http://www.audio-read.com.au or by contacting Tony Starkey at RSB in Adelaide on 8223 6222.

BrailleNote Discount

BrailleNote features include:

Pulse Data Australia are offering the following discounts until 30th April 2005:

For further information contact Ramona Mandy on (03) 9686 2601 or rmandy@pulsedata.com.au

Armadillo Army: Vision Training Maze Game

Source: American Printing House for the Blind website

Armadillo Army will provide hours of exciting fun while helping students who are visually impaired practice necessary skills.

This maze game is a maze game which uses three mazes with lanes that are wide and bright. The game is designed to cause the student to practice and perfect his lateral eye movements, vertical eye movements, searching skills, timing skills, visual discrimination skills, peripheral detection skills, eccentric viewing skills, and eye-hand coordination. The maze is a two-dimensional overhead view as with Pacman, but is much larger. Armadillos are over-running Texville. Only you can save the city.

The main character is Tex, a yellow humanoid with a ten-gallon hat, whose goal it is to gather up goodies in the maze and yet keep away from the dust devil and armadillos which roll at random through the maze. As Tex gathers up goodies, he gets points. When he gets enough points, he accumulates power with which he can zap armadillos and make them disappear.

The goodies include ice-creams, jelly jars, bucket of water, diamond jewel and chilli peppers. There are also baddies that can make life difficult – dust devil, pumpkin, cactus etc. There are three mazes with three levels in each. Colours, sounds and music can be adjusted. Totally blind students can also play the game and there is online help! To order go to: http://sun1.aph.org/tech/aa_info.htm

  • Armadillo Army (APH catalog #: D-03400-00): US$49.00
  • Armadillo Army Electronic Distribution (APH catalog #: D-03400-ED): US$39.00
 Image of an example of an Armadillo maze.

PIA: Braille and Print in the Same Document

ViewPlus Technologies recently announced the release of the Pro Ink Attachment (PIA), technology for adding ink print to braille text and tactile graphic documents. ViewPlus worked with Hewlett-Packard Specialty Printing Systems to incorporate HP Inkjet into their professional series braille printers. The PIA prints the corresponding ink characters above or alongside the braille embossing. The PIA also allows for images to be embossed and printed. Anything that appears on the computer screen can be made into a raised, printed image on paper.

Attaching the PIA instantly transforms the ViewPlus Pro braille embosser into an embossing printer.

The Pro Ink Attachment comes with software to translate text to braille in MS Word and Excel. For more information, email info@viewplus.com

Report of ‘The New Vision Camp’ at Howqua January, 2005.

By experienced camper/reporter Sam from Bendigo

This is a four day camp held at Howqua at the end of January each year and run by the Seventh Day Adventist Church. It is only for kids with a vision impairment and there are numerous exciting activities to take part in. Each camper has their own personal camp leader to assist them where and whenever they need them. The accommodation is in comfortable cabins with full amenities, a large common/games room, a lounge area and separate dining facilities. Activities included

The camp could be improved if more ‘camper’s attended, as all those who went had a blast of a time and are itching to return again next year. So, we hope to see stacks more next year.

Details and enquiries can be obtained from Vicyouth Summer Camps at Nunawading on (03) 9259 2157.

TRAC Creative Music & Jazz Camp: A summer residential program for blind & visually impaired teen musicians in the USA: Jazz Camp Scholarships

Scholarships are available for all blind and visually impaired teen musicians who are accepted for the 2005 TRAC Creative Music and Jazz Camp, a summer residential program, August 4-14, 2005, in New Orleans.

Applications are available at http://www.unotrac.org/jazzcamp

The camp was created for blind and visually impaired students, ages 13-19, with at least two years of musical experience, an acceptable grade point average and basic computer skills. Students do not need to have prior experience in playing jazz. Applicants must also submit an audition tape and have a recommendation from a music teacher. Up to 18 students will be accepted based on musical skills and experience. The scholarships cover the costs of all classes, dorm housing, meals, support materials and extra curricular activities. Students must supply their own transportation to New Orleans.

The camp is held at the University of New Orleans Training, Resource & Assistive-technology Center (TRAC) and offers a fast-paced curriculum that includes instruction in specialized software that enables visually impaired musicians to compose, arrange, notate and make multi-track recordings on personal computers; a creative movement component; seminars and jam sessions with professional musicians; classes in music theory and jazz history; field trips to music venues; and the opportunity to perform at a public concert.

The staff is led by Camp Creative director Henry Butler, a performer, composer and recording artist with an international career; and Camp Technology Director Bill McCann, a musician and president of a company that designs and sells assistive technology software. Both are successful in their fields and blind. Their example and mentoring educates the students in the possibilities and practicalities of careers in music.

For additional information visit the http://www.unotrac.org or contact Rose Angelocci at rangeloc@uno.edu or phone USA 504-280-5700 or Noble Wiltshire at wiltshire@cox.net or phone USA 504-280-5715.

Macular Degeneration Info Days

Source: Live Wire Low Vision February 2005

The MD Foundation is holding a series of seminars about Macular Degeneration. Representatives from Quantum will also be there to talk about how electronic magnifiers can help.

For further information call 1800 111 709

Vision Simulation Site

We have located a lovely site with photos simulating vision impairments. There are also notes which are read aloud as a commentary to compliment the photographs. You can view it as a presentation by clicking the Next button or just click on individual slides. The photographs and descriptions encompass many vision impairments including:

Go to: http://www.acbvi.org/albums/Vision/index.html

Vision Study

Message from Gillian Cochrane, Centre for Eye Research Australia, The University of Melbourne’s Ophthalmology Department

The Centre for Eye Research Australia is currently undertaking a Department of Education & Training approved study that will hopefully further support services for students with Low Vision (6/18 – Perception of Light and/or field restriction down to 10 degrees). The aim of the study is to provide a model for support services so that governments anywhere can work out how many trained staff and the type of equipment and other support is needed to better support students. The study is the first of its kind and this type of study is not being done anywhere else in the world.

Initially a ‘quality of life’ questionnaire for low vision students is being developed as part of the overall study. To do this, the knowledge and experiences of low vision students (minimum age 12 yrs), parents, class teachers who have experienced a low vision student in their class and visiting teachers are needed.
A series of focus groups (discussion groups) is being run to tap into all this knowledge and experience. Students, parents and class teachers are still needed to take part. Each person would only be expected to take part in a focus group once. They last no longer than 1 hour and are held as locally as possible to a group of interested people. At least 6 people are needed for any one focus group to make it work well. So come along and be part of groundbreaking, cutting edge research! Come and share your knowledge and experience and know that it will help many others!

If you are interested please contact Gillian Cochrane via email g.cochrane@pgrad.unimelb.edu.au or phone (03) 9929 8392 or 0409 165 545.

Thanks to all from Gillian

Magnifying Pendants

This almost fits into the ‘what’ll they think of next?’ category, and yet … perhaps it could be just the thing!!! One example is the 6x silver pendant magnifier with silver chain shown below:

It’s approximately 3.5cm wide and includes an 11.5cm matching silver chain. Apparently it allows you to “easily magnify anything, anywhere, with style”!

And there are plenty more examples to choose from: Independent Living Aids Inc. 200 Robbins Lane, Jericho, NY 11753
Toll-Free Sales: USA (800) 537-2118
Technical Support: USA (516) 937-1848
Fax: USA (516) 937-3906
E-mail: can-do@independentliving.com

Image of pendant and chain.

Item number 581242: US$18.95

Bioptic Driving

VisionConnection: http://www.visionconnection.org/Content/ForProfessionals/PatientManagement/PointCounterpoint/PointCounterpointBiopticDriving.htm

For many adults, driving a car is an important part of maintaining independence and an important symbol of autonomy. Most states have restrictions and requirements that allow individuals whose vision is not perfect to drive safely and legally. One such provision is bioptic licensure. As of the year 2000, 33 states in the USA and the District of Columbia allowed bioptic licensure for driving; five states allowed the use of a bioptic telescope for driving, but only after meeting current department of motor vehicle requirements; and 14 states did not allow bioptic licensure (Grover, 2001, Aging and Vision).

There is no nationally accepted standard for bioptic licensure and no consistency in visual acuity requirements across the states that permit it.

How it works: The bioptic system comprises a telescope mounted on a pair of spectacles above the normal center of gaze. The wearer uses the telescope to spot traffic signals and road signs, not for constant viewing. Special training is needed to learn to use bioptic spectacles effectively. There has been no definitive research on the safety of bioptic driving. A 1994 study by the California Department of Motor Vehicles found that bioptic drivers had an accident rate 1.5 times higher than the control group, but a citation rate one-third lower (Kelleher, 1996).

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that “The ability to drive safely using bioptic telescopes should be demonstrated in a road test in all cases.”

Point/CounterPoint are seeing discussion on this topic:

Do you think it is discriminatory for states to prohibit bioptic driving? Do you think bioptic driving is safe and all states should allow it? Or do you feel it’s unsafe under any circumstances? What training should be required? Please share your thoughts and experiences. Email pointcounterpoint@visionconnection.org

For DE&T Employees: Department Communications

Archives of DE&T MAIL messages may be viewed by those with a DE&T login and password either via the EduLibrary website or via the EduLibrary Outlook Public Folders:

2005 DE&T MAIL
Website address: https://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/Schools/Circulars/2005/
Outlook folder path: All Public Folders/EduLibrary/Schools/Circulars/2005/

2004 and previous years DE&T MAIL
Website address: https://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/Schools/Official%20Memoranda%20Circulars%20and%20Notices/ (see subfolders under this area)
Outlook folder path: All Public Folders/EduLibrary/Schools/Official Memoranda Circulars and Notices/ (see subfolders under this area)

English and English Literature Resources

There are hundreds of links on the Teaching Company’s curriculum resources webpage including:

Go to: http://www.teachingcompany.com/CurrEnglish33.html

Competencies for Specialist Teachers of Students with Vision Impairments

Article by Dr Mike Steer
Renwick College
Royal Institute for Deaf & Blind Children; and
The University of Newcastle

In September 1999, the European branch of the International Council on Education of the Visually Impaired (ICEVI) held a small-scale professional workshop in Bratislava in the Slovakian Republic, to discuss specialised training for teachers in the vision impairment field, and the need for a competency-based approach. The event is now part of our field’s history, but several of the outcomes are highly important. At the conference, Marrianna Buultjens from the Scottish Sensory center in Edinburgh defined the term competency as follows:

“A competence is an ability to carry out a specified task or activity to predetermined standards of attainment. A competencies-based approach means describing what the student will know and be able to do at the end of the course and teaching practice, rather than simply stating the content of the course.”

After many hours of discussion, those at the conference produced a set of competencies and standards that they suggested could be of use as a model by European training programs. I have presented these with some minor terminological alterations as worthy of consideration as a model for our own Australian training programs. To some extent they support the focus of the recent Principles and Standards document produced by SPEVI. This can be accessed at the Renwick College website http://www.ridbc.org.au/services/renwick/publications.html. The several postgraduate course advisory committees at Renwick College use this competencies framework as a foundation for course construction and evaluation.

Teachers of students with vision impairments:

Teachers of vision impaired children and young people work across the whole age range from pre-school to adult life in a variety of educational settings, i.e. special schools/classes, units in mainstream schools or colleges/TAFEs, resource centres in mainstream schools or colleges/TAFEs. They may also work as part of an itinerant (visiting) teacher service and visit children in their homes.

In carrying out their roles, they will be called upon to meet the needs of those for whom the effect of their vision impairment ranges from total blindness to limited but useful vision.

These teachers will be:

Competencies required by a teacher of the vision impaired:

The teacher should be able to demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of:

  1. current national and international developments in curriculum and assessment and their implications for learners with a vision impairment
  2. the anatomy and physiology of visual functions in normal development.
  3. the implications of vision impairment on physical, cognitive, emotional, social and language development.
  4. the educational implications of the pathology and treatment of eye diseases and conditions.
  5. the significance of vision impairment for those with severe learning difficulties or multiple impairments.
  6. the principles of assessment of functional vision.
  7. an awareness of the importance of mobility training.
  8. appropriate strategies to enhance functional vision.
  9. appropriate equipment and techniques in the area of communication technology for those with a vision impairment.
  10. the various roles of a teacher in a special school, a visiting teacher or a resource teacher in a mainstream school or college.
  11. the range and functions of support services available to those with a vision impairment.

The teacher should be able to demonstrate the ability to:

  1. carry out an appropriate assessment of the needs of pupils with a vision impairment and to present a report of that assessment, taking note of any potential audience (for example, an assessment should include the use of developmental scales and/or orientation and mobility checklists).
  2. evaluate competing demands in the planning of the curriculum for a vision impaired student e.g. the implications of including time for mobility training upon other areas of the curriculum.
  3. design and implement appropriate curricula, taking into account the individual learner's needs, age, culture and stage in education.
  4. design, produce, present and evaluate material in the appropriate medium, e.g. tactile diagrams, Braille, size, and environmental conditions for students, using both traditional methods and new technology.
  5. choose and employ appropriate methods of teaching and appropriate methods of communication for each student with a vision impairment, including those with multiple or dual sensory impairment.
  6. monitor and evaluate the implementation of individual student programs.
  7. use materials designed to evaluate and train residual vision.
  8. co-operate with a qualified mobility specialist in the design and delivery of mobility programs.
  9. employ appropriate strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy to the young Braille print user and the young Braille user.
  10. use techniques for teaching Braille to all students who need it.
  11. read and write Braille to acceptable standards.
  12. assess and plan for the application of micro technology in meeting the needs of students with a vision impairment.
  13. use a range of hardware and software and employ criteria for evaluating usefulness and appropriateness.
  14. establish and use network resources, both learning material in schools and other centres.
  15. advise and help colleagues on the choice and implementation of appropriate curricula (this should include the use of appropriate technology to promote communication, the production of materials in a range of media, concept learning and access to information).
  16. lead training sessions for teachers, non-teaching assistants, parents and relevant others in the field of vision impairment.
  17. assist parents and learners (where appropriate) to participate in the decision-making process.
  18. support the integration of a vision impaired student into the community.
  19. demonstrate the above competencies in relation to special and mainstream schools and in an itinerant advisory role

Other focal discussion areas at the ICEVI event in Bratislava included:

A complete report of the event can be found at: http://www.icevi-europe.org/tt/ttw2/topic3.html#d

The Loss of World Leaders in the Field of Vision Impairment

Recently three world leaders in the field of vision impairments, one from scientific research and two from the education have passed away. All of these wonderful people will be sadly missed.

Dr William Dobelle was a pioneer in the field of artificial vision research. He, along with a team of other scientists, developed an artificial vision system that uses a tiny glasses-mounted camera to relay images to a portable computer and transmit them to electrodes surgically implanted in the brain’s visual cortex. In a test, this system restored limited navigational abilities to a volunteer who was blind.

Alan Koenig who made many contributions to advance literacy and personnel preparation including co-writing or co-editing such well-known titles as “Foundations of Braille Literacy”, “Foundations of Low Vision: Clinical and Functional Perspectives”, “Assessment of Braille Literacy Skills” and also “Learning Media Assessment of Students with Visual Impairments: A Resource Guide for Teachers”, a resource upon which the SVRC has based much of its ongoing work on learning media assessment.

Dr Sally Mangold taught at San Franscisco State University and retired recently from that position. Dr Mangold was best known for her dedication to improving braille literacy through her teachings, product development, curricula and her example. She was a mentor and an example to thousands of children who are blind or visually impaired, their parents and families and the professionals in the field.

Student News

For Sale: Mountbatten

MB Writer. Upgraded software, serviced and new battery. $2,200
Tel: Pam Hyden on (03) 544 74 259 AH

Vision Consultant Needed

Carey School in Kew requires the services of a vision consultant for two students in the primary school approximately once a term. If you would like further information please contact Lorraine Graham on (03) 9816 1380 or email lorraine.graham@carey.com.au

Thanks to “Statewide Family and Friends”

Braille Transcriber Maria Elford recently organised a collection of supplies for Ronald McDonald House at Monash Medical Centre. Here is an abridged version of their letter of thanks:

Many thanks for calling in with all the Christmas gifts from the Statewide Family and Friends. They are beautiful donations and very much appreciated by the many families who stay here. At Ronald McDonald house Monash we can’t change the reality of a child’s illness but we can make a difficult situation a little easier for the parents of these children.

Weird but Apparently True: Seeing Eye Monkeys

Source: The Age, 2nd February 2005

In Lopburi, 160 km north of Bangkok, the world’s first monkey hospital – in the city’s zoo – provides first aid and retraining as an alternative to the seeing eye dog. It apparantly takes about two years to train the monkeys – Lopburi macaques – as they have very short term memories.

Finally

Thanks to Lyn Robinson, Sherry Cunningham, Chris Grimmer and Mike Steer (x3) for their contributions to this edition of The Bulletin and thanks to my fabulous proof-reader Dianne Skillern and my lovely team of stuffers who have made this edition possible!

If you have something you would like included in 'The Bulletin', please contact:

Deb Lewis (who can be emailed at deblewis@svrc.vic.edu.au).

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Web editor Lyn Robinson. Last updated February 2005
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