The Bulletin

Statewide Vision Resource Centre

Number 11  Friday 20th July 2001

The following issue of The Bulletin was prepared by Lea Nagel (Visiting Teacher, Eastern Region) and Deb Lewis (Co-ordinator, Statewide Vision Resource Centre).

Inside this Issue

Professional Development 2001

VT PD Day 13th August

We are looking forward to another exciting PD program for Visiting Teachers this term. Quantum Technology's Trevor Boyd has kindly offered to come and enlighten us on talking software for computers - bring your laptop and we'll load on a demo version! Other exciting topics may include communicable diseases in school settings, preparing for VCE - starting in year 7 and other surprises! Hope to see you there!

SPEVI Dinner and Panel - Monday 6th August

The term 3 SPEVI Dinner and Panel will be on Asperger's Syndrome: Implications for Mainstreaming. Panel members will include a VT, Speech Therapist, O&M Instructor, Psychologist, Braille Instructor, Parent and Primary Teacher.
When: Monday 6th August - 5.30pm drinks and nibbles, 6pm panel, 7pm dinner
Where: Carronbank School for Deaf Blind Students, 7 Allen Street Glen Waverley
Melway Ref: 71 C4
RSVR to Deb Lewis deblewis@svrc.vic.edu.au or (03) 9841 0242 by 1st August.

Formation of a National Parent Group

Susan La Venture, Executive Director of the National Association for Parents with Visual Impairments (NAPVI) USA, met with parents and with staff during the holidays in Victoria and also in NSW. As a result, it appears that a national parent body will be formed in the next few months. Hopefully, information will filter through to the Statewide Vision Resource Centre and we will be able to keep you up to date!

Why are we Fundraising?

Article by our Community Service Student, Bryony:
I am a year 10 student at Avila College in Mt. Waverly. I am a member of a group of students who are fundraising to attend a program called "Space Camp for the visually impaired." I was told about this program at the end of year 7 by my Visiting Teacher, Marion Blazé. Ever since then it has been my goal to raise enough money to attend.
I have been working very hard trying to raise money through such events as cake stalls, talent quests and film nights. I have also been selling chocolates non-stop since they arrived at the Resource Centre.
Space Camp offers such opportunities as scuba diving and the chance to socialise with visually impaired students from around the world.  As well as these amazing opportunities this program helps to build social, decision-making, teamwork and leadership skills. These experiences added with the trips to Disneyland and Universal Studios are things to which I am counting down the days.
With the support from many people and organisations I am half way to achieving my goal. When I depart from the airport on September the 15th this year I will be embarking on my dream come true.

Chocolate Drive

Thank you very much to all who have sold or bought chocolates from the Resource Centre. We still have more to sell, so please help us send students and chaperones to Space Camp by selling a box of chocolates, or buying a block of chocolate for $2 each.

Movie Night

Enjoy "Bridget Jones' Diary" and help Janie McLeod raise money to send students who are blind or vision impaired to Space Camp! Bring a friend!
When:   Monday 30 July 6.30pm
Where:  Balwyn Cinema, 231 Whitehorse Road, Balwyn
Cost:  $13.00
Please phone us at the Statewide Vision Resource Centre to let us know how many people are attending by Wednesday 25th July.

Final Space Camp Meeting - 17th August

The third (and final) meeting for our Space Campers (ie students, parents and Visiting Teachers) will be held on Friday 17th August at 2pm - one month before 'D-Day' (departure day!!!). We hope that all our Space Campers will be able to come, even though the meeting is scheduled during school time. We will be doing that last minute planning - what to bring, final decisions about activities etc.
Some of our Space Campers are keen to get together socially before the big overseas trip - perhaps bowling and a meal after the meeting. Please let me know if you will be joining the group by emailing deblewis@svrc.vic.edu.au
By the way, the final payment of $2500 is due by 1st August - please make sure all the students make their final payment by this date!

TextHelp! Read & Write Version 5

Gerry Kennedy sent across an excellent review of Read & Write and notes that it is an excellent literacy support package. It caters to upper primary aged students, especially to secondary and tertiary aged students as well as to adults. Gerry notes:
"TextHELP! Read & Write Version 5 has even more features, improved word prediction and for the first time, introduced in this exciting new version, female voices. Read and Write is a very useful and practical literacy application that enhances writing and promotes confidence. It assists people with their text creation. Frequently, we find some individuals struggling or failing with literacy. A product such as Read & Write is an ideal intervention and support package for users who may need help with their computer based writing and reading. It caters to all ages, especially teenagers and adults. There are few software applications that suit students in secondary schools. In my experience, older students take to Read and Write. They enjoy the voices, the text-to-speech facility and the characters that appear on screen.
This cleverly designed software supports reluctant writers, older children in primary who need additional support, users with dyslexia and people who require computer-based tools whilst composing or reading text. People who wish or need to scan text, have to read unfamiliar passages or who have reading and writing difficulties are catered to as they can independently negotiate writing tasks with ongoing success and support. Over time, they become more capable of and therefore willing to self correct and edit their work with immediate results, rather than waiting for guidance or help. This stimulates and motivates people who might otherwise give up or avoid writing, and compromise their education and further learning opportunities in general."
If you would like a copy of Gerry's entire article, please call or email Deb Lewis - deblewis@svrc.vic.edu.au
TextHELP is available from Spectronics. Phone (07) 3808 6833.

New Space Book in Braille

The following is from a NASA press release (01-108): Visually Impaired Students Touch the Stars with New Hubble Book:
Students who in the past have not been able to experience some of NASA's spectacular discoveries now have a unique opportunity to touch the stars. Some of the most majestic space images from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope are now part of a special Braille book that combines tactile illustrations with striking images of planets, star clusters and nebulae, as viewed by Hubble. The book, 'Touch the Universe: A NASA Braille Book of Astronomy', is aimed to allow visually impaired students the same opportunities as those who are sighted to engage themselves in space science.
The images are made of plastic overlays produced in a heat vacuum, or thermoform, machine. The  tactile thermoform pages, placed in front of the colour HST images, make these images accessible to readers of all visual abilities.
The book is suitable for middle school students, high school students, and adults and is expected to attract the attention of mainstream educators.
Apparently an initial print run of 400 copies have sold out, but they are hoping to produce more! Photos of students from the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind examining images from "Touch the Universe" are available on the Internet at http://analyzer.depaul.edu/ttu/.

'Scrubbing' when Reading Braille and Writing with Handframe and Stylus

Recently there has been a discussion on braille reading on the AERNET discussion group. Jodie, a braille reader made the following comments on 'scrubbing':
I taught myself Braille as an adult. I had a hard time breaking the 'scrubbing' habit, then I realized the cause. I was pressing down too hard on the signs.  I was 'trying too hard'. I could feel the braille and the paper too. What I find is that with a light touch where I am just skimming the tops of the dots, I don't scrub.
Another suggestion I have is to think of the braille signs as solid shapes rather than individual dots.  The G is a 'square'. The 'the' sign is a distinct shape etc. This makes reading faster.
Also, when writing with a slate, I don't think of the braille as 'reversed'.  I think of it as if I'm writing from below. There was a study done of perception and blindfolded sighted people turned objects over to study all their sides with the side being studied 'on top'. Blind subjects didn't turn the object, they examined all sides leaving the object stationary.  I suspect that is how I 'see' the braille from the bottom.

Technology Options Series of Books

Andrew Downie, (Open Training and Education and Education Network - Distance Education, NSW) has produced an excellent series of books which provide information on technologies to assist with studies and work. The books discuss equipment that meets the needs of a wide variety of people.
Titles in the series include: The books cost $16.50 each plus postage and handling.
The order form is attached to the print edition of The Bulletin - I can email you an Acrobat Reader formatted version if you receive your edition of The Bulletin via email or read it on the web. Or you can telephone O-Ten Mail Sales on (02) 9715 8222.

Auditions for the 2001 RVIB 'Evening at Ormond Hall' Concert

Your students are being invited to participate in the RVIB Concert, 'Evening at Ormond Hall' Concert which will be staged at Ormond Hall, Moubray Street (adjacent to RVIB), Prahran VIC 3181 on Friday 19th October at 7:30pm.
The Ormond Hall Concert is an opportunity for students who are blind or vision impaired to perform and showcase their musical talents.  All money raised through this concert is returned to students through music scholarships. From the last concert, approximately $1900.00 was distributed through scholarships to encourage musically talented students.
For further details, contact Emily Shanahan on (03) 9808 6422.

Rehearsal Schedule

Tickets will go on sale Monday 3rd September.  Prices (inclusive of GST) are as follows:
Adults $22.00, Concession and children $16.50, Family $66.00 (2 adults and 2 children).
Tickets are available by contacting Rachel or Arlene on 03-9808 6422.

Moon - an Alternative to Braille?

Moon is a tactual reading code, where letters are represented by shapes, not dots. The Statewide Vision Resource Centre holds a copy of the RNIB's "Moonbase Information Pack". Inside is a report on the Moon conference held at Birmingham University, October 1997, entitled "Does Moon Have a Future?" The Pack includes several articles, a fact sheet and information on using Moon as a route to literacy. Please contact the Statewide Vision Resource Centre for a copy of the Information Pack.

Simply Talker 2000: New and Cheap!

A new screen reading product is available from EconoNet International Speech Series. Simply Talker 2000, works with Windows 2000 and costs $US100. Simply Talker 98 is used for Windows 98 and 95 and costs $US50. For further information, go to http://www.econointl.com/.  The site has 30 day demo downloads for each of the products, and gives details of compatibility and features.

S.P.E.V.I.

S.P.E.V.I. are making arrangements for the 2003 Conference, entitled "An Eye to the Future". It is planned for 12 - 17 January at the Radisson Resort, Gold Coast. To be placed on the mailing list, contact the SPEVI 2003 Conference Secretariat, PO Box 3496, South Brisbane Q 4101 or go to their website: www.icms.com.au/spevi2003/.

Athletics for Students with a Disability

Athletics Victoria have arranged some events for people with a disability: Certificates will be presented to all participants.
Entries close 8 days prior to the event. The events are free of charge.
More information on the Victorian Secondary Schools' Sports Association is available on www.vsssa.org.au/.
For further information about Athletics Victoria, contact Sam Nash 9428 8195, or sam@athsvic.org.au/.

TADVIC

TADVIC is a volunteer organisation called Technical Aid to the Disabled, Victoria. (TAD operates in each state.) Its mission is "to ensure that Victorians, whose need for physical independence cannot be met commercially, have access, at cost, to purpose designed equipment". TADVIC's Winter edition Magazine includes photos of ingenious pieces of equipment, designed for individual needs, including a reading stand that enables the reader to be lying on her back without needing to hold the book. There's another photo of an adjustable reading stand designed to allow a man with a vision impairment to read in bed. TADVIC can be contacted c/- Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre, Yarra Boulevard, Kew VIC 3101. A copy of the magazine is held at the Statewide Vision Resource Centre.

Articles of Interest: "Teachers of the Visually Impaired: Roles, Rights, and Responsibilities"

By Marlene Culpepper, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, Columbus, Georgia.
In this article, Culpepper outlines how she provides service to her students, emphasising the importance of high expectations on her students to learn and to become self-sufficient. Culpepper suggests how the regular education teacher can collaborate with the special education teacher for the best outcomes.
This article appears in "Future Reflections" Convention Report 2000 vol 20 no 1. Please contact staff at the Statewide Vision Resource Centre for a copy.

Challenge Camp Pics

Leanne is busy copying the digital photos for the Challenge Campers on to disks for the kids - we did take quite a few pictures - so you'll have copies within the next week or so! They would make very nice talking books or PowerPoint presentations - feel free to show them off at our next PD day!
See also our website for details of activities and some pictures - you'll find it all at: http://www.svrc.vic.edu.au/CC2001.html/.

Staff News (and there's quite a bit!)

A Note for VT's searching for Braille Books in our Compactus

Jenny, Sue, Maria and Emilie advise us that: If you have something you would like included in The Bulletin, contact Deb Lewis (who can be emailed at deblewis@svrc.vic.edu.au)

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Web editor Lyn Robinson. Last updated July 2001
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