The following issue of The Bulletin was prepared by Deb Lewis (Co-ordinator, Statewide Vision Resource Centre) & Helen Caldow, visiting teacher Eastern Metropolitan Region (thanks Helen).
The SVRC PD program for term 1 and 2 appears below. For the complete list of activities for 2004 go to: http://www.svrc.vic.edu.au/PD2004.html
All activities are open to subject teachers, integration teachers and aides,
careers teachers, therapists, parents VTs, 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 |
Date |
| Educational
Support for Students with Low Vision For class and subject teachers, integration teachers and aides, therapists, parents and visiting teachers supporting students who have low vision (Maximum participants: 80) |
Friday 26 March |
Professional Development Event - Term 2 |
Date |
| O&M
Morning Linden Woodruff, Guide Dogs Victoria |
Thursday 29 April |
| ZoomText
Workshop 10am to noon Trevor Boyd, Quantum Technology |
Tuesday 4 May |
| Educational Support for Vision Impaired Students with Additional Impairments – for class and subject teachers, integration teachers and aides, therapists, parents and VTs | Mon 10 May |
| BrailleNote and ScannaR Demonstration – Thursday 20th May from 10am to 12noon. Ramona Mandy | Thursday 20 May |
| Mountbatten
Workshop (for Beginners) 10.00am to 12.30pm Trevor Boyd, Quantum Technology |
Wednesday 26 May |
| Visiting Teacher Day | Friday 4 June |
The ever-popular ‘Educational support for students with vision impairments’ is filling up fast – so if you want to join us on the day – Friday 26th March – please get your registration forms in fast! Professor Hector Maclean will be one of the many excellent speakers on the day!
Report by Di Bennett, visiting teacher, Catholic Education Office
Although the attendance numbers were a little light, the day was a very informative and worthwhile one. Participants were given an opportunity to experience through a simulation activity what it may be like for their blind student in their classrooms. They were blindfolded, lead by a visiting teacher to a “classroom” and asked to find the blank page in a braille book quickly whilst being given verbal facts about blindness which they were also expected to take in. Needless to say not a great deal of this information was recalled accurately.
The next activity was “Fun with Braille” – where the participants
had the finer details of the braille code introduced while they were able to
have a play and attempt to reproduce the braille alphabet on the good old Perkins
(a Mountbatten snuck into this activity)! A number of participants went away
wanting to learn braille via correspondence with Maria (our star head transcriber).
Odette and Toni provided a practical look at tactual books with the ‘what
to do’ and the ‘what not to do’ sides of the coin presented.
The possibilities are endless and are only limited by one’s imagination,
however we still need to consider the child that is asked to interpret the tactual
representation of our diagrams or pictures. Something that should always be
considered is how practical or relevant is the picture or diagram, and is it
vital for the blind student to know? For example contour lines on a map for
geography???
Denise presented the role of the visiting teacher illustrating that the visiting teacher is part of a multi-disciplinary team which may consist of the following: student, parent, teachers, principal, physio, speech therapist, aide, O&M instructor, LVC, EVAC, RVIB and of course SVRC.
Lynne Murdoch and Kate Stephens demonstrated the 15 or so uses of the BrailleNote – there were so many features that I was unaware of that I almost regret my student getting a laptop! Here are some of the features; personal data assistant, planner, address list, email, media file, book reader, scientific calculator, GPS (global positioning system) and a utilities file. So much in such a compact light weight piece of equipment.
After lunch we had the entertaining Lil Deveril (nice to put a face to a report!) showing the framework for O&M which can be used for all students across all year levels and levels of orientation and mobility competencies. Some very simple activities can be used for establishing where a student is at in their understanding and skill level for O&M. Lil also informed us about the wonderful camps that Guide Dogs offer throughout the year, an experience all students value.
A former student of Denise Probert’s, David Gauci informed us of the
various sports and recreation for blind and vision impaired students, with his
message being “attitude is the only real limitation to activities for
vision impaired people.” Many sports can be simply modified by adapting
the playing area or equipment such as using balls with bells or brighter or
bigger balls. He is happy to discuss some practical adaptations with those in
need of some ideas and can be contacted at Vision Australia.
The day concluded with the wisdom and knowledge of Trevor Boyd and Brett Scarr
from Quantum Technology, showing various adaptive technology devices for our
blind students. These included a Perkins with a slim line, Mountbatten Braille
Writer, JAWS speech output software and one of the latest pieces of technology
for braille users, the PacMate.
The feedback from the staff member from one of my schools (she attended on her day off) was that it was an incredibly valuable day and was sorry that her colleagues were not able to attend. She gained so much from the simulation activity, the information given and from chatting to other teachers and aides. As she teaches French, she will now consider the way in which information is delivered in the classroom for maximum effectiveness.
When: 15-18 May 2004
Where: Carlton Crest Hotel, Sydney
Please call or email if you would like a copy of the program and registration forms.
Source: http://www.spectronicsinoz.com/info.asp?info=summer_school
When: 9 to 11 November 2004
Where: Surfers Paradise
Registration: $385 (including GST)
The conference, hosted by Spectronics, which will focus on “inclusive learning technologies” - those technologies designed to support students with disabilities and/or learning difficulties. It will include sessions looking at these technologies in three different interest streams:
For more information: heather@spectronicsinoz.com or (07) 3808 6833
This project has been funded by DE&T for teachers, school staff and families who support students with complex communication needs, in particular those with communication devices. The training will focus on strategies to support students to maximise the use of their aides. Workshops will be free.
Details can be found by contacting Hilary Johnson and Rosie Miller on (03) 9843 2000.
The deadline for Special Arrangements for June exams including the GAT to be
in to VCAA is Friday 2nd April 2004.
Have you made an appointment with Deb Lewis to visit your student or discussed
with her the way that the information is to be conveyed to VCAA???
If not, you may wish to give her a call before you read the rest of this page and set up a meeting time! Thanks!
You can find exam papers for the past five years on the VCAA website. They are available to download as a pdf file. Go to: http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/exams/pastexams.html
Reviews by Helen Caldow, visiting teacher Eastern Metropolitan Region
These two books are both terrific. They are down to earth and user friendly for teenagers and adults. Both put VCE into perspective and do not advocate that a student’s whole life will be ruined if a score of 99 is not reached! Both books discuss goal setting and study skills and are also strong on caring for your health and on balancing study and leisure.
From a visual point of view, they have pros and cons. The basic text of Michael’s book has good, high contrast print with large clear cartoons. It also has panels printed on grey backgrounds with watermark pictures and old style typewriter print, which may be difficult for students with vision impairments. Erin’s book also has some panels on grey and is in a less busy style.
If I were to choose one, it would be Erin’s book. It has more tips about getting the most out of school, study skills, general life skills and life after school. It is a very good resource for VTs who have secondary students. It would make a great basis for teaching study skills and for discussing and developing individual responsibility for learning.
A new website to promote post school options to people with a disability is now available online. Pages include:
Go to: http://www.rmit.edu.au/ssg/dco
Reference: http://svrc.vic.edu.au/transition.htm
Nola Birch and Clare Rhoden’s presentation on the Educational Support for VCE Students with Vision Impairments day on 23rd February was accompanied by a very informative handout – which you can find here.
Written by Lea Nagel, visiting teacher, Eastern Metropolitan Region
A cheerful group of students arrived at Vision Australia in Kooyong on the 4th March for a fun day. Some came from afar: Bendigo and Werribee. A grandmother came down from Up Country to bring her grandson who goes to school in the Northern Region. Particularly special was the opportunity to listen to and play with the sporting champions who came to share their enthusiasm in their chosen sports.
A yacht was brought inside, and the children all had a turn in the hammock seat, pulling the steering lever and adjusting the ropes. Two swish tables were a highlight, and children, visiting teachers, parents and volunteers all enjoyed playing against the professionals. Cricket, golf, carpet bowls and ten-pin bowls were set up, and everyone had the opportunity to play for as long as they liked, with 1:1 instruction from leading players in each sport.
The day was a great success. Instant friendships were formed over lunch, and email addresses swapped.
It is really important for all children to have peers, and opportunities for
networking amongst children with vision impairments are relatively rare. The
experience of rubbing shoulders with successful adults who have vision impairments
is invaluable in developing self confidence through having role models, and
by seeing how possible everything is for people who are blind.
Visiting teachers need to encourage their students and their families to make
the most of opportunities provided by the hard work and dedication of blind
and sighted volunteers. More of these Come N Try Days are being planned for
this year. Let’s make the most of them!
Brent Franklin from VicSwish has invited blind juniors (under 18’s) to
join a Saturday Swish club at Vision Australia Foundation, Glenferrie Road Kooyong.
It will be held on Saturdays from 11.30am-2.30pm, starting later this year.
Interested blind students can contact Brent on 9263 2444, or mobile 0412 704
749.
Mobility lessons can be organised to help students get there, and a lift could be arranged for students coming in from the West.
Swish is GREAT FUN!! Come and join!!!
The VSSSA conducts events for students with a disability in swimming, cross country and track and field. Special schools can become affiliate members upon payment of $25. Further enquiries can be directed to VSSSA Executive Officer, Rob Bowtell on 9350 8030.
Source: http://www.svrc.vic.edu.au/triedandtrue.html
Compiled by Meredith Walsh, visiting teacher, Northern Metropolitan Region
What are some strategies for teaching braille to children, including mainstreamed students and older students, who are making the transition from print to braille? The ideas were included in the print edition of The Bulletin - you can find them by clicking on the link to Tried and True.
Source: OzBrl discussion list
All foreign words should be written in uncontracted braille. When an entire text is in a foreign language, the special accented letters should be used.
For a list of accented letters for foreign languages, go to: http://www.brl.org/ebae/appendixb.html
The following foreign languages are included:
Source: BrailleNote Update, Summer 2003
LiteralSystems.com have recently launched their website aimed at providing MP3 audio recordings of classic literature and poetry to anyone who wants it: students, teachers, parents, children. There is no charge or membership required. The fun thing about these MP3 files is that a real person with a real voice reads the story to you!
Ramona Mandy, Pulse Data Australia has tested the files on the BrailleNote’s media player and they play very well. However, she recommends that you download them to a PC first as there does seem to be some sort of glitch where you may need to attempt the download a couple of times before it works.
Works already on the website for download include titles by authors including:
To download your titles, go to: http://www.literalsystems.com
If you’d like to be on the mailing list as they announce new audio book releases please contact Warren Smith: warren@literalsystems.com
This is a very American site for children. It has a few sequence activities and colouring activities with well-known rhymes. It also has Rebus rhymes for young children – rhymes with pictures inserted. These can be copied and pasted into Word and enlarged or modified into the Australian version. Go to: http://www.enchantedlearning.com
This is another very American site with a Hangman game that involves hanging
a kangaroo. The pre-set clues are American but also include some phrases. Children
love the grumpy, rude kangaroo who tells them off! It is a useful, co-active
game for the end of a session and for keyboard practise. The game can be downloaded
onto your hard drive or onto a CD.
Go to: http://www.miniclip.com/hangaroo2.htm
This great, free download allows you to make personalised word search activities. The size of the word list, size of the font, the font case and the direction of the words (horizontal, vertical, diagonal) can be changed. This is a terrific activity for developing scanning and figure ground skills. Follow the Word Search Factory prompts to Word Search Factory Lite: http://www.schoolhousetech.com
Innovative Concepts are marketing a silicon based flexible computer keyboard which has a silent action, is spill-proof, washable and rolls up to fit in your handbag or school bag! It plugs into the computer’s USB or PS2 port (can also connect to a PS1 with adapter) and comes in a range of colours.
We currently have a couple of examples on display at the Statewide Vision Resource
Centre – so pop in and take a look!
Price: $29 – two sizes available (laptop and desktop)
For more information contact: Innovative Concepts on 1300 307 229
PO Box 181 Seaford Vic 3198
Email: plpro@bigpond.net.au
The Mimio Xi now has a wireless upgrade available for $400. It will provide a robust connection over a distance of 10 metres with no line of sight required. Contact Peter Goldie at Australian Presentation Systems on 9840 4700 or via email: pgoldie@auspres.com.au
Source: OnLine Newsletter Volume 1, Issue 3, 2003 by Tom Macmahon
The free version of the WordWeb program has proven very popular and invaluable to many. Once downloaded (as a 5 MB file), WordWeb can be installed with a link to Microsoft Word, but if this option has not been chosen, or if you do not have Word on your PC, the program is still very useful for quickly finding concise definitions or helpful thesaurus entries. For US$18, the Pro 2 version can be purchased, offering enhanced search capabilities, expanded database, cross-referencing and access from most Windows programs.
The following information is designed to assist non-mouse users, but will undoubtedly make good sense to (and even prove edifying for) all the ‘point-and-click’ readers out there!
To open WordWeb at any time, either:
1. Go to the shortcut via Start, Programs, or locate it in the Start Menu if a shortcut has been placed there, and press Enter. (Remember, pressing the letter w repeatedly will bring you to the WordWeb shortcut). or:
2. Press Control plus w if this shortcut key combination is active. (If you want to create your own shortcut, simply:
3. From within Word:
Proceed as described below.
To close WordWeb, tab again to the Close button and press Enter, or simply press Escape.
Tip: To select a single word when within Microsoft Word, either:
1. Place the cursor at the beginning of the word and hold down Shift and Control
and press the Right Arrow key; or:
2. With the cursor placed anywhere in the word, press F8 to turn on the Extended
Selection Mode. Press F8 again to select the word. Press Escape twice to turn
Extended Selection Mode off.
WordWeb can be used with Windows 95/98/2000/NT/Me/XP. The free version (5MB file), which does not have the word list, search, anagram, or customization features, is available from: http://www.wordweb.info/free or http://www.wordweb.co.uk/ where you can also purchase WordWeb (with more features) for $26.98.
Review by Phill McKenna, Statewide Vision Resource Centre and http://www.hi.com.au
The Heinemann e-Dictionary comes on CD and easy to use. You type in a word and it will give the word meaning. It will state whether it is a noun, adjective, verb etc and will give the origins of the word. There is no option for enlarging the print but it may work with enlargement software.
The Heinemann e-Atlas is an interactive CD. It has audio output in certain sections. Other features include:
Tip supplied by Emily van der Nagel, visiting teacher Lea Nagel’s daughter
Here’s a nifty, new enlargement trick for your students using computers. If you have a natty, new mouse with a scrolling wheel in between the left and right click buttons, try this! In a Word document, hold Control while you roll! Try it to see if it works in other programs!!!
Don’t just read this tip – GIVE IT A GO!!! – We think you’ll like it!
Source: BrailleNote Update, Summer 2003
BrailleNote KeySoft Version 5 and GPS manuals are now available for download in text and PDF formats from the Pulse Data International web site. The direct link for this page is http://www.pulsedata.com/Products/Blindness/braillenote_manuals.asp
This could happen to you!
How many of you readers have all of your files, computers and possibly back-ups
all stored in one location?? Have you planned for fire or theft?
In early March this year, a large part of Malvern Valley Primary School was razed by fire. Late last year, three visiting teachers had moved there, bringing professional libraries collected over many years, an odd assortment of furniture, and filing cabinets full of student files.
All gone!
Luckily all three visiting teachers had their laptops in the boots of their cars, so reproduction of current files will be possible.
RVIB College conducts practical workshops and courses for those who may interact with people who are blind or vision impaired. Attached is our 2004 Calendar of Training and below is a list of our courses. Training can be customised to meet the needs of particular groups.
For further information or a calendar of activities, please contact Karen McKenzie or Chris Edwards on 9520 5555 or email college@rvib.org.a
RVIB is holding a series of free forums for young people and their families or support workers.
When: 31 March 2004
Where: RVIB Training Technology & Employment Services 201
High Street Prahran
Participants: maximum 20 people per forum - you can book for more than one forum. All forums are by reservation only - early booking is recommended
Forum 1: Career Prospects through Higher Education: 12:00-1:00pm
Forum 2: Employment: We See Ourselves Working: 1.00pm-2.00pm
Forum 3: Assist - Working with Wood & Metal: 2.00-3.00pm
Forum 4: College, Courses & Training: 3.00-4.00pm
Forum 5: Vistech - Technology Based Assistance: 4.00-5.00pm
To book, please contact Chris Reed at: tel (03) 9520 5555 fax (03) 9521 3685 email chris.reed@rvib.org.au
Films with audio description have a professional narration explaining what
is happening during quiet periods when the characters aren’t speaking.
Facial expressions, body language, scenery and anything else that helps people
understand the film is described by a skilled narrator who arranges their script
around the main film soundtrack so that it does not interfere with the original
film.
Why do people with vision impairments enjoy audio descriptions? (Comments by
blind and partially sighted viewers, taken from the RNIB Descriptive Video Services
catalogue 2003)?
Source: http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/publicwebsite/public_dvdarticle.doc
As Carolyn Mentiplay noted in her article in SPEVI News, Volume 1, Issue 3 (reprinted in Issue 18, 2003 of The Bulletin), DVDs may be a particularly useful medium for students with low vision as they:
Mentiplay notes, “sadly, only a few commercially available titles have audio description for the vision impaired (sometimes called English Audio Descriptive or English for the Vision Impaired). Those I was able to find included ‘Moulin Rouge’ (Special Edition), ‘Ransom’ (Special Edition), ‘Dead Poet’s Society’ (Special Edition), ‘Enemy of the State’ (Special Edition), ‘Crimson Tide’ (Special Edition) and ‘Daredevil’ (Special Edition).”
Sources of videos and DVDs with audio descriptions are few and far between. It is worth checking your local library and/or video shop first then exploring some other options.
National Information and Library Services (NILS) has a number of titles available for loan – go to http://www.visway.org.au and type in the word ‘video’ – a list of over 500 titles (not all with audio descriptions) appears with information about the format (eg ‘audio described video’) and the availability (eg ‘copy available’). Contact the library via email: library@nils.org.au
RNIB has a number of titles on video and DVD available through
their Online Shop. To see the list of titles available, click on: http://onlineshop.rnib.org.uk/storefront.asp
and then go to Products then to Games and Hobbies then to Videos (Audio Described).
You can order online after registering as a user or you can order via email
CServices@rnib.org.uk,
phone +44 (0) 1733 375 400 or mail PO Box 173, Peterborough PE2 6WS UK.
AudioVision Canada has a collection of approximately 450 movies with audio descriptions. Their movies are available in two formats – video and AudioCinema®. The video version is a video of the movie with a described narrative woven into the original sound track (C$38.50 with a minimum of 2 copies of a given title per order). AudioCinema® is an audio version of the described movie on audio cassette (C$14.95 and no minimum order). There would be a 2-7 week turnaround to Australia. Payment may be made via Visa, Mastercard or cheque. For more information, go to: http://www.audiovision.ca/estore.asp or contact Rob Trimbee: rob@nbrscanada.com
Just for fun – or even for information, you can find a version of the colour vision impairment text here: http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/8018/Test.html
Many of our students are concerned as to whether or not they should disclose their vision impairment – when enrolling at university, applying for a job etc. For information about post secondary education, employment and legislative requirements go to: http://sites.uws.edu.au/rdlo/disclosure
Article by Dr Mike Steer, Senior Lecturer, Renwick College
The blind children we teach today are tomorrows adult Australians, so that what happens to Australians who are blind or vision impaired is critically important to us. In late 2002, Collette O’Neill, national Policy Officer for Blind Citizens Australia pointed out in an issue of Access, (DEAC’s national disability issues journal), that the Australian Government should acknowledge “that people who are blind face barriers to their participation in society as a consequence of the inaccessible way that infrastructure and services are provided” (O’Neill, 2002, p.24).
Unlike Australia, much of the positive change that has occurred in service provision to those with disabilities in North America during the 1960’s and 70’s had its origin in the ‘organised outrage’ and pressure exerted by the parent movement in Canada and the USA. However, the patterns of service evolution that have evolved in several of our Australian states appear to indicate that Government-generated activity (Commonwealth, State and Local), rather than parent and family outrage has been the prime motivator.
Since the early 1980’s, possibly generated by initiatives resulting from the International Year for Disabled Persons, there has been impressive, pervasive and even massive service system reform in all Australian States. What, if anything, can be learned from analysing the patterns and trends in service development that have occurred during this period?
If one can accept the general notion that social movements follow a pattern that resembles the wave seen on an oscilloscope, that is, they follow a rather fluctuating cycle of:
the result might be visualised as depicted in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Government policy and services development
It might successfully be argued that service provision-related events in Australia, from an historical perspective, could be about to ascend the wave (in the diagram) towards a state that many people would regard as ‘good’ in relation to the phases that have preceded it. This determination could perhaps be attributed to several of the recent reforms in our field, for example, the Commonwealth and various State Disability Services Acts and Agreements, or the various Anti-Discrimination legislative reforms. The ascent to ‘good’ would then, (if one accepted the model), crest at a ‘complacency’ stage before gradually commencing the downward slide towards various levels of ‘neglect’. As events unrolled, the downward slide would (if and when it occurred) pass through descending levels of poorer and poorer conditions for increasing numbers of people who were blind or vision impaired.
As the downward slide continued and gained momentum, an observer or analyst might expect to notice the increasing collapse of support networks and the gradual abandonment by Government of increasingly large numbers of vulnerable and needy people.
It would be surprising, however, if such a decline continued for long. Once conditions became again scandalous, people within or outside Government would begin to organise around the problem, new leadership would emerge, there would be media involvement and the pressures would begin again. For this reason, it is likely that such agencies as Blind Citizens Australia are critically important to the increased welfare of Australians who are blind or vision impaired. These are the sorts of organisations that would be major vehicles for bringing the plight of their constituents to public and private sector attention.
Moving from the present to the future is of course an inexorable, relentless process. We do it whether we want to or not. Moving to a future that looks (even through the glass darkly) that it will feature greater and better community participation possibilities for Australians who are blind or vision impaired, involves the interplay of several crucially important elements.
In trying to shape future events, thinking about and learning from past patterns and processes becomes highly important. In urban or rural communities where the balance of power relationships between the formal (Government) and informal (community agencies and special interest groups) sectors varies at times from relative fluidity to outright confrontation, history tells us that several factors and principles are useful for all to keep in mind when thinking about the ingredients necessary for creating successful new services and new ways of delivering them. Some of these elements are as follows:
It is important that everyone engaged in designing and implementing new ways of serving people who are blind or vision impaired, explore ways of applying these several ‘key’ concepts in their local context. In particular, history tells us that it is important to identify the important decision-makers and ‘influencers’ in the system, so that strong advocacy through coalitions of community groups can direct their energies at these people.
Membership in and support for BCA is highly important if you’re a professional in our field. You can obtain information on joining by emailing bca@bca.org.au
O’Neill, C. (2003). Blind faith and welfare reform. Access, May-June, 24-27.
Our Mountbatten brailler recently went out on loan – but I can’t remember who has it – can that person please let us know so we can stop worrying that we’ll never see it again. Ta!
Thanks to Helen Caldow, Carolyn Mentiplay, Lea Nagel (again) and Sarah Cornish for contributing to this edition of The Bulletin. Thanks also to my fabulous proof-readers Dianne Skillern and Lea Nagel.
Deb Lewis (who can be emailed at deblewis@svrc.vic.edu.au).