The following issue of The Bulletin was prepared by Deb Lewis (Co-ordinator, Statewide Vision Resource Centre).
The following activities are coming up between now and the end of the year:
For the complete list of activities for 2005 including downloadable programs go to: http://www.visiontech.svrc.vic.edu.au/pd.htm
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
The SVRC Braille Games Day will be held on Friday 29 July from 10.00am to 2.30pm. We’ll provide the morning tea and the games – BYO lunch, a drink and any games you wish to share. All welcome!
The SVRC Vision Loss Support Group will be held on Saturday 20 August from 2pm till stumps! The speaker for this session will be from Centrelink. All welcome!
This is your last chance to join Space Camp 2005. Any students who are interested and a VT to accompany Marion Blazé are invited to contact Jeni Blake on 0428 134660 immediately.
Renwick College invites you to the following 3-day workshop 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
When: Thursday 22 – Saturday 24 September 2005
Where: Renwick College, Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind
Children
361-365 North Rocks Road, North Rocks NSW 2151
Workshop fees: $390.00 (includes morning/afternoon tea and
lunch) – GST exempt
This three-day series of workshops will outline a comprehensive program for developing braille literacy skills for students with vision impairment 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 workshops will explore specific strategies and guidelines for planning activities and developing resources. Sessions will include:
For more information about the workshop or registration please contact Sharon Lachmund on telephone/TTY (02) 9872 0207, fax (02) 9873 1614 or email sharon.lachmund@ridbc.org.au
Where: Perth, Western Australia
When: 25-30 September 2007
If you wish to place your name on the ‘early notification database’, please send an email to admin@senses.asn.au
Where: Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
When: 16 to 21 July 2006
For further details visit: http://www.icevi.org/conference/worldconference.htm
Professional Development opportunity for Visiting Teacher and Service Co-ordinators from Renee Williamson, RVIB Tertiary Education Consultant
This workshop de-mystifies the tertiary selection process. It covers the Special Entry and Access Scheme (SEAS) administered by the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC). Understanding these processes can be crucial to the successful application of a person with a disability into a university or college.
Where: 201 High Street, Prahran
When: 17 August
Time: 9.00am to 12 noon
Cost: No cost
Presented by: Renee Williamson RVIB Tertiary Education Consultant,
and Suzanne Connelly, VTAC Director, Information and Publicity
Who should attend: Visiting teachers, careers advisers, educators
and disability service providers working within the education system.
For bookings or enquiries: telephone Natasha Brake on (03)
9520 5555 or email college@rvib.org.au.
Professional Development opportunity for Visiting Teacher and Service Co-ordinators from Karen McKenzie, Training and Development Co-ordinator
This workshop will track the career paths of a range of people who are blind or vision impaired. It will also explore how they achieve their work tasks, including the resources and equipment available to them.Participants take away comprehensive course materials.
Where: 201 High Street, Prahran
When: 23 August 2005
Time: 9.30am to 12.30pm
Cost: $150.00 (GST inclusive)
Presented by: Robyn McKenzie, Manager, RVIB Employment Services
Who should attend: Careers Teachers, Vocational Counsellors,
Employment Consultants, Careers Practitioners, Rehabilitation Counsellors, Visiting
Teachers, and Disability Liaison Officers.
For bookings and enquiries: contact Robyn McKenzie on (03)
9520 5555 or email robyn.mckenzie@rvib.org.au
The Disability Co-ordination Officer Program is offering students and staff the opportunity to meet with the experts from VTAC and Universities and TAFE’s to maximise the successful entry of students with disabilities into tertiary education.
When: Wednesday 3 August, 7pm – 9.30pm
Where: The Camberwell Centre, 340 Camberwell Rd, Camberwell
Cost: Free
Who should attend: Career Counsellors, Disability Support Staff,
Visiting Teachers, Parents of VCE students with disabilities, VCE students with
disabilities
Presentations will be provided by: Deputy Director – VTAC, Tertiary Selection Officers, Tertiary Career Counsellor, Regional Disability Liaison Officer, Disability Liaison Officer, Tertiary students with a disability
Other information:
For further information and to book contact: Joanne Webber, Disability Co-ordination Officer, North & East Melbourne and surrounds - tel 9925 5269, fax: 9925 1091 or email: joanne.webber@rmit.edu.au
RSVP: by Wednesday 27 July 2005
The next RVIB Study Group will be held on Wednesday 20 July, 1.30 – 4.00pm at 201 High St Prahran in the Board Room. This Study Group will be on the topic of Course and Career Identification. This is a pertinent topic for students wishing to apply for tertiary study in 2006 and for students who are already in study and are wishing to gain some career direction. This month the RVIB Study Group has two guest speakers; one from the Melbourne Career Information Centre and another from the RVIB Employment team. The session is set to be an informative and interactive experience.
A light afternoon tea and refreshments will be provided.
Please contact Tertiary Education Consultant, Renee Williamson, with any questions about the Study Group or tertiary related issues: tel (03) 9520 5555 or email renee.williamson@rvib.org.au
The following study group is scheduled for Wednesday 17 August is on the topic of VTAC and direct application processes.
Article by Dr Mike Steer, Renwick College, Royal Institute for Deaf & Blind Children & The University of Newcastle.
Being a specialist teacher of students with vision impairments has a great deal to offer, whether you work in a School for Specific Purposes (SSP) environment, or in an itinerant (visiting) capacity. For example, for many such specialist teachers, professional life is characterised by a high level of job diversity, as well as:
So what’s wrong? Why aren’t you happier? Some people are of course naturally happier than others. That’s a matter of temperament, so if indeed you are of a sunny disposition and generally happy with your lot, don’t bother to read on. This brief article is not for you. If on the other hand, you’re not particularly happy with your work or your life, Australia’s first ever program devoted solely to teaching people how to be happy has recently opened in Sydney. The Happiness Institute is one of the first programs of its kind in the world and claims that it practices one of the most exciting breakthroughs in contemporary care – positive psychology. You can read about the work of the Institute at: http://www.depressionet.com.au/news/happiness.html
Dr Timothy Sharp, Founder and Director of the new Happiness Institute proposes the following 10 strategies (“top tips”) for being happy (Bagnall, 2005):
Reference
Bagnall, D. (2005). Science of happiness. Summer Reading, pp. 96-98.
Thanks to Helen Caldow, Visiting Teacher, Eastern Metropolitan Region for this gem!
Hand Tool - H
Text select tool - V
Text Select/column select - Shift + V
Graphics select tool - G
Zoom - Z
Zoom in/out - Shift + Z
Select current comment attachment tool (eg note tool) - S
Cycle through current comment attachment tools - Shift + S
Select current text markup tool (eg pencil tool) - N
Cycle through text markup tool - Shift + N
Select current graphics markup tool (eg highlight tool) - U
Cycle through graphics markup tools - Shift + U
Previous screen - Page up
Next screen - Page down
1st page - Home
Last page - End
Previous page - left arrow
Next page - right arrow
Scroll up - up arrow
Scroll down - down arrow
Go to page - Ctrl + N
Go to previous view - Alt + left arrow
Go to next view - Alt + right arrow
Zoom in - Ctrl + +
Zoom out - Ctrl + -
Go to previous document - Alt +Shift + left arrow
Go to next document - Alt +Shift + right arrow
Show/hide full screen - Ctrl + L
Show/hide thumbnails - F4
Show/hide bookmarks - F5
Show/hide toolbars - F8
Show/hide menu bars F9
Navigation pane/Document pane - Shift F6
Next window - Ctrl + F6
Next floating window - Alt + F6
Find - Ctrl + F
Find again - F3
Query - Shift + Ctrl + F
Search Results - Shift + Ctrl + G
Previous document (search) - Shift + Ctrl + [
Next document (search) - Shift + Ctrl + ]
Select Indexes - Shift + Ctrl + X
Read page - Shift + Ctrl + V
Read to end - Shift + Ctrl + B
Pause - Shift + Ctrl + C
Stop - Shift + Ctrl + E
Source: July 2005 edition of PAC Mate e-news
Quantum Technology has announced some new developments for the PAC Mate. These include:
For more details, see the e-news(letter): http://www.quantech.com.au/technology_for_life/enewsletters/pacmate_july05.htm
For PAC Mate (and many other) tutorials see the Freedom Scientific website: http://www.freedomscientific.com/
HumanWare, recently announced the next in the BrailleNote products – BrailleNote mPower. BrailleNote mPower offers many new features including:
For further in formation go to: http://www.humanware.com
Fantastic news for Harry Potter fans but also good news if you’re not. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ by JK Rowling will be the first ever novel in the UK to be published simultaneously in braille, large-print and standard print on 16 July (the audio is available on 25 August).
Even if you’re not a Harry Potter fan this is great news for Right to Read. This isn’t just any novel - it’s Harry Potter - a book which makes book shops open at midnight to sell it and the security matches the crown jewels.
It will now be very difficult for publishers to use security as an excuse for not providing readers with access to a book before publication date. And if readers can demonstrate that there is a real market for large print and braille books (publishers seem to think we’re inventing visually impaired readers) then they may see that it makes commercial sense too.
You can buy a copy of ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ in Grade 2 braille at the recommended retail price of £16.99, by phoning RNIB customer services on 0845 7023153, e-mailing cservices@rnib.org.uk or ordering online at http://onlineshop.rnib.org.uk. Place your order by Wednesday 13 July, to receive your book on Saturday 16 July [Ed: not sure how that will work if you don’t live in the UK, though].
The 18 point large print versions will be available from all libraries and bookshops. Unfortunately it’s more expensive than the standard print version at UK£21.00. The ISBN is 0747581525.
The name for the amalgamated organisation comprising Royal Blind Society, RVIB and Vision Australia Foundation will be Vision Australia: Blindness and Low Vision Services.
‘Families in Partnership’ is a new model of family support and service delivery developed by families for families following extensive research on best practice overseas and in Australia. It is focused on personal supports and relationships, enables individuals and families to have more input into the purchase of equipment and services, and works in partnership with agencies, funders, communities and businesses.
Families in Partnership has established a partnership with a Department of Human Services approved fund-holder to manage support packages and other funds for people with disabilities.
Contact Vern Hughes on vern@partnerships.org.au or visit the website at http://www.partnerships.org.au/FIP.htm for further information.
Information from Dean Johnson, Guide Dogs Victoria’s Children’s Mobility Services
Thank you to all the parents who have supported the programs that the CMS run over the years. Without the support of parents many of the programs we run, such as the Big Night Out would not operate. The CMS staff realise that at times it is difficult to get their children to and from program venues and we appreciate the time and energy this takes.
The Children’s Mobility Service provides a range of O&M programs to students across the age range. Junior programs provide students with a range of experiences and activities that are mainly O&M Instructor initiated and directed. The students who attend the Junior programs are predominantly primary school age children. The amount and nature of the direction given by staff is in line with the age appropriate skills and needs of this age group.
Senior programs allow and encourage the students to take more responsibility for initiating and undertaking activities. The students are encouraged to consider the choices available and make their own decisions about what they want to do. The students who attend the Senior programs are predominantly secondary school age students and the amount and nature of direction and leadership provided by staff, as with the younger students, is in line with the age appropriate skills and needs of this age group.
Having a choice about what to do and when can be a very new and frequently daunting experience for many program participants and some students take to it more readily than others. However students consistently report that one of the things they like and appreciate most about CMS programs is the fact that they are given choices. While students are given the opportunity to select and direct their own activities, they are given this freedom in the context of being appropriately supported and supervised by O&M staff. The development of decision making skills is an important goal of O&M programs in general and of group programs in particular.
The latest Big Night Out program run by the Children’s Mobility Service was on Thursday 23 June when 9 boys with RP met at Guide Dogs. The O&M staff demonstrated the use of the Miniguide to the boys and a number of them had a try at using the aid in the office area. The Miniguide is a mobility aid that assists people to travel safely by identifying environmental features through sound or vibration, depending upon the model used.
The boys, accompanied by the CMS O&M staff, walked to the La Porchetta restaurant in Ivanhoe. The walk was a challenge for the students as they were required to travel through unfamiliar territory in low light conditions. The restaurant is also quite a distance from Guide Dogs so we were more than ready for food by the time we arrived. At some points along the walk where the street lighting is almost non-existent, it proved to be quite confronting for the boys to travel along the sometimes narrow footpath with traffic travelling at high speed close by. Some of the boys brought out their canes to use and were able to share their experiences with each other about cane use.
We had a great night and look forward to the next Big Night Out.
The CMS team have just returned from the North East program that was held from the 4th to the 9th of July. Twelve students attended the program and by all accounts had a very enjoyable time. The first night was spent in Wangaratta and the following 4 nights in Bright. The accommodation in Bright is at the River Lodge at Bright Caravan Park. The Lodge provides an excellent venue for group programs as it has a terrific communal area as well as bedrooms with bunks. It is close to the township and you can easily walk to the shops and facilities in town from the Lodge. The trout fishing was a lot of fun as was the time spent in the Wandiligong Maze. The rally everyone participated in finished at Beechworth and the staff insisted on having afternoon tea at the Beechworth Bakery.
The next Junior program run by the CMS will be from September 19 – 22. Details will be in the upcoming CMS newsletter.
The Sydney program will be held December 5 – 9. Details will be in the upcoming CMS newsletter.
Note: Please contact Rachel Morgan on 9854 4469 if you require further information about any of the CMS programs listed or any other aspect of our service.
Blind Citizens Australia Melbourne Branch, Young Blind Citizens Victoria and Computer Users Group are hosting the Blind Citizens Australia BCA Trivia Night
When: Saturday 13 August 2005
Time: 7.30pm
Where: Angel Hotel, 621 Dandenong Road Malvern
MC: Derek Guille, ABC Radio
Cost: $20 which includes finger food. Drinks at bar prices.
Cash, cheque and credit cards accepted for payment - cash payments must be made
at the BCA office, 13 Barrett Street, Kensington.
RSVP: by Friday 29 July through the BCA office (03) 9372 6400
Diana Yates from the Solomon Islands has requested materials for some students with vision impairments. Diana request is as follows:
The Disability Support Group in the Solomon Islands have finally decided that we could use their building for the training of children and adults who are blind and visually impaired. We desperately need resource materials to set up the early intervention room for the younger groups such as talking books and sensory things for tactile as well as vision.
There are also a group of students with low vision who are at high school who require both educational and recreational material including those that can be used for training on daily living skills.
If you can help please contact Associate Professor Jill Keeffe, Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne, WHO Collaborating Centre for the Prevention of Blindness via email jillek@unimelb.edu.au, phone (03) 9929 8375 or fax: (03) 9662 3859.
Thanks to Visiting Teacher Lillian Adler for supplying our first entry in the ‘Braille in the Community’ Competition. It’s a packet of tablets from the GenRx pharmaceutical company. The braille includes the company and product name with the strength in mg and the company phone number. The packaging also indicates that a copy of a large print leaflet can be obtained by contacting the company!
What have you found? Please bring in the object for our display (and we get
to keep it) OR a photo and description of the example you have found.
And yes, there are groovy prizes for the best and worst – we’ll
let you know soon.
The competition will be open till the end of term three and winners (best example and worst example) will be announced early in term four.
Thanks to Maria Elford, Frances Gentle, Jill Keeffe, Nadia Mattiazzo and Mike Steer for contributing to this edition of The Bulletin. Thanks also to my fabulous proof-readers, stuffers and mailers.
Deb Lewis (who can be emailed at deblewis@svrc.vic.edu.au).