The following issue of The Bulletin was prepared by Deb Lewis (Statewide Vision Resource Centre).
Inside This Issue
- Professional Development 2001
- SVRC Mini Expo
- SPEVI Xmas Drinks
- Available from the SVRC
- Space Camp Report
- Braille Books
- Mobile Education Unit
- Audio Description - Singing in Rain
- Guide Dogs News
- Braille Literacy Increases Job Opportunities
- Finding your way in Victoria - Website
- JVIB
- VisAble Telescope
- Tactual Grid Paper
- Through the Maze
- RVIB Xmas Sale
- Vision 2002 Conference
- RVIB Freebies
- Computers for people with Disabilities
- International News: Blind Leading the Blind
- Staff News
- Student News
- SVRC Freebies
- Tentative SVRC PD and Camp/Activity Dates for 2002
Professional Development 2001
Mountbatten for Beginners - with Trevor Boyd: Wednesday 14 November
Expo 1pm - 6.30pm: Monday 10 December
SPEVI Christmas Drinks - SVRC 6pm: Monday 10 December
SVRC Mini Expo - Monday 10th December
The final activity to be conducted by the SVRC for 2001 will be the
SVRC Mini Expo. The SVRC Mini Expo will focus on education issues for students
with vision impairments. We invite you all to attend. Please bring your
students, their families, school staff and interested people. There is
no cost for the Expo and tea and coffee will be available.
Displays will be open from 1.00pm to 6.30pm.
Displays will be provided by distributors including:
- European Eyewear - Graham Sheils
- Horizon Software - Bernice Fox
- Quantum Technology - Trevor Boyd
- Micro Marvellous - John Gaeth
- Robotron - Andrew Ingram
- VisTech - Jim Pipczak
Call the SVRC for further details on 9841 0242.
SPEVI Christmas Drinks
Christmas drinks will be held at the SVRC from 6.00pm on Monday 10th December, following the SVRC Mini Expo. All are welcome to join us!
Available from the SVRC
The following resources are available for Visiting Teachers:
1. Teacher's Manual for Adapting Science Experiments for Blind and
Visually Impaired Students
2. Print copy of the teaching materials from the 3VI CD-ROM
3. Meredith Walsh's CD-ROM is capable of producing really professional
end of year reports as
well as information packages in preparation for 2002. Meredith is very
willing to explain to any VT interested in impressing the recipients of
their reports. $30.
Space Camp 2001 - Report
The following report was prepared by Space Camp chaperone, Janie McLeod. The report and more photos can be found on the SVRC website at http://www.svrc.vic.edu.au/SpaceCamp2001.html/.
"I was excited before but now I am past excitement!" This conveys the
sense of anticipation with which seven 15-17 year olds from a variety of
Victorian schools looked forward to two weeks in the US visiting Los Angeles
and the Space Camp in Alabama during the week held especially for students
who are blind or vision impaired.
It was difficult to decide whether the trip should go ahead after the
events of September 11. The US Space Camp organizers decided that the Camp
would still be held, our parents agreed their children could go and held
their collective breath for two weeks, while the three chaperones weighed
up all the issues including the huge effort everyone had made to raise
the funds. We all felt that as security would be extremely tight everywhere
it was a comparatively safe time to go and this proved to be correct. For
example, we spent one hour forty-five minutes at Huntsville Airport watching
every item in our 11 suitcases being searched, so we knew there were excellent
precautions being taken and felt reasonably safe when flying.
During the first week we recovered from the flight and visited Disneyland
and California World. One student commented that, " We went on so many
scary rides that I don't feel scared of anything any more." It was a thrill
to meet most of the Disney characters when our group was invited to take
part in the evening parade.
Once we arrived at Space Camp our team, with 150 others from Mexico,
Canada, Scotland and the US, started their training to be astronauts. They
were divided into teams of 15 and practised the same types of training
real astronauts practise before a mission. They attended lectures on the
history of spaceflight and other topics. In the NASA Museum they saw the
command module which took Neil Armstrong to the moon and back. In the IMAX
cinema they saw footage of real astronauts in space and life in a space
station. There were some sessions dedicated just to team-building exercises.
To experience weightlessness they learnt to SCUBA dive and performed repairs
to equipment at the bottom of an 8m tank. One of our girls who is blind
and has a hearing impairment said after spending 20 minutes underwater,
"I'll remember SCUBA-diving for my whole life."
Other comments about the specialized equipment were:
"The multi-axis trainer which spins you in all different directions
was fun and you didn't feel sick."
"I liked the moving chair on a giant spring that supported you. You
felt you were walking on the moon with one-sixth the gravity."
"Trying on an astronaut suit was painful. The helmet was so heavy it
hurt my shoulders."
In three one-hour practice missions the students worked in three different
settings: Mission Control, the Space Station and the Orbiter, communicating
through headsets and microphones. They performed experiments, repaired
equipment and flew the orbiter listening to others giving instructions
from Mission Control. The books of instructions they read to operate the
orbiter were in large print or Braille. One student said on her return
to school, "I want to learn more Braille. It was so useful at Space Camp."
One person had to wear a harness and help repair a satellite. He floated around the orbiter suspended from the ceiling to get an antenna to replace a broken one and give it to a blind girl who was strapped into a seat on a robotic arm and who replaced the antenna while listening to instructions through her headset.
The trainee astronauts learnt to deal with system malfunctions and accidents such as a broken leg. By the final six-hour mission they were competent at handling any problem they encountered. One commented, "I had to rely on other people and we really learnt to work as a team." Others said, "The missions were the best part because we worked together."
The students were all very proud to graduate but sad that they had to
leave their new friends. Back at school their feelings were:
"I want to study more about science and astronomy and work in a space-related
industry."
"The best part was trying different things you wouldn't normally do."
" I don't want to watch much TV anymore. We became the best of friends
with kids from all over the world. I'm emailing all of them this week so
I can keep up these friendships."
We are very grateful to everyone who supported this event. Lives have
been changed in many ways because of it. We can see increased self-confidence
and self-esteem, greater willingness to take risks and try new activities,
an appreciation of the value of teamwork and an easier acceptance of their
impairments. There were many other individual benefits to the young people
who participated in the adventure, including wonderful memories and new
friendships.
Thank-you for your assistance.
For more photos and reports
See photos and report from Space Camper Michael, on the Maroondah SC
website at http://www.maroondahsc.vic.edu.au/frame_activities.html/
Braille Books
The following books are available for loan in braille from the Statewide
Vision Resource Centre:
1. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - the second book in the
Harry Potter series
2. The Paw Thing by Paul Jennings
Mac walked over to the safe and opened it. Then he took out the black
book and flipped over the page. "Ah ha," he yelled. "Just as I thought."
He pointed a long, skinny finger at Singenpoo. "You're the one. You're
the one that gave them the recipe."
Singenpoo crouched down in the corner. She was frightened by all the
yelling.
Mac had flipped his lid. He thought the cat had been reading his book.
"Don't be silly," I said. "Cat's can't read ..."
Mobile Education Unit
Leanne Nagel has been investigating storage for students with vision
impairments and has discovered the Mobile Education Unit. There are several
models available, some incorporating storage shelving, provision for tubs,
adjustable shelves or hanging space, drawers, magnetic boards, white boards,
pin boards or chalk boards. They have not been designed specifically for
students with vision impairments, but they are really handy for our kids!
They have castors at the bottom, so that instead of the student having
to move closer to see the board, the unit can be wheeled closer to the
student. The display board is big, encouraging teachers to write in large
pint, and the unit can be positioned in different places in the room, depending
on glare conditions.
For further information, contact Educata 9336 1482 or Educational Furniture
Industries 9302 3067.
Audio Description: Singing in the Rain
The following information is from the Disability Information Line, which
can be found at http://www.disabilityinfo.org.au/.
'Singing in the Rain' with Audio Descriptions can be seen at the Regent
Theatre Tuesday 15 November 1:00pm $57.00 or Saturday 1 December 2:00m
$67.00
Tickets are being held for vision impaired people, so please book as
soon as possible for this very popular show.
Tickets from EASE ticketing telephone 9699 8497.
News from Guide Dog Association of Victoria
Upcoming Events - Children's Mobility Service
O&M for Country Kids - Monday 3 to Friday 7 December
2001
Primary and Secondary School children from rural Victoria
This is an opportunity for students from country Victoria to make good
use of the time at the end of term four. Spend a week in the Guide Dog
Association of Victoria residential Training Centre participating in an
Orientation & Mobility program, designed specifically around each student's
needs.
Apply by Friday 9th November 2001.
'City Limits' Camp for Secondary School Students - Monday 7 to Friday
11 January 2002
This one-week program will combine Orientation & Mobility sessions
in the Melbourne Central Business District. The focus will be on gaining
a broad understanding of what it is like to travel in a busy city area,
how the city is set out, and using major landmarks. This is a chance to
share learning experiences and challenges with others with a vision impairment.
During the evenings participants will have the opportunity to visit some
of those places discovered on the day sessions.
Apply by Monday 14th December 2001.
Children's Mobility Service Christmas Party
Monday 17 December at Guide Dogs in Kew
Free!! For lunch.
For students, parents, Visiting Teachers and Integration Aides.
12.00 Opportunity to tour GDAV
1.00 Lunch
2.00 Kris Kringle (If you want to participate in the Kris Kringle please
bring along a gift suitable for either sex to the value of $5.00.)
RSVP to Gwen on Ph 9854 4477 or via email at - gwen.c@guidedogs.asn.au
Primary School Camp - Report
During the Term 3 School Holidays the Guide Dog Association of Victoria
held a primary school camp based at the Association's Training Centre in
Kew. Eight children attended the camp that had the theme 'Making Sense'.
The children enjoyed a variety of activities ranging from a trip to the
beach at Ricketts Point to spending the day at Healesville Sanctuary. Some
students particularly enjoyed throwing seaweed at Linden and Dean and splashing
water over anyone who came near them. We also took the tandem bike and
did some bike riding along the beachfront bike track.
One day of the camp was devoted to Sensory activities related to hearing,
touch, taste and smell. The camp provided a great opportunity for the students
to get together with their peers and have some fun and even learn some
new Orientation and Mobility skills at the same time. The highlight of
the evening activities was the disco where we had some groovy disco Kings
and Queens dancing under the mirrored disco ball hanging from the ceiling.
As with all our camps the students were issued with a Camp Booklet which
had details about activities undertaken during the week.
New Staff Member - Children's Mobility Service
On November 12 Rosslyn Turton will commence employment with the Children's
Mobility Service at GDAV as an Orientation and Mobility. Rosslyn has recently
completed her studies and is looking forward to meeting and working with
students and Visiting Teachers.
Contact:
Dean Johnson 9854 4506 or dean.j@guidedogs.asn.au
Rachel Morgan 9854 4467 or Rachel.m@guidedogs.asn.au
News from Around the World: Braille Literacy Increases Job Opportunities
Press Release by Mediacom at 2:52pm, 17th August 2001:
Literacy rates in New Zealand are a concern not just for the sighted
community but also for the blind and sight-impaired community says the
Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind (RNZFB).
"Braille is the only medium that is truly compatible with print and
research shows that people who can read braille are more likely to be employed
than those who can't," says Paula Daye, RNZFB Divisional Manager Adaptive
Living Services.
"However, of the Foundation's 12,500 members only about 360 are listed
as braille users."
To combat this the Foundation has developed a 'Literacy Through Braille'
project. It aims to improve access to tertiary education and increase employment
opportunities for blind and sight-impaired New Zealanders through braille
use.
The project is in Stage II of its lifespan - Heightening awareness
of and encouraging interest in braille.
"Braille is an essential tool for literacy for blind or sight-impaired
people," says Martine Abel, Literacy Through Braille Project Manager.
"It is the most effective medium for making notes, writing down telephone
numbers, labeling and other types of self communication. Braille also enables
independence. For example, braille users can write their own shopping lists,
no longer needing to rely on other people."
One of the aims of the Literacy Through Braille project is to increase
Foundation member's awareness of the advantages of braille.
"There are a lot of stereotypes about braille that we aim to remove,"
says Ms Abel.
"People think that braille is difficult to learn, but we have many
older members that have been taught.
"People also think that if they have the computer technology with the
synthesised voice mechanisms then they will be employable. However, in
many cases braille is the precursor to this technology. Braille gives general
literacy skills of reading, writing and spelling. It enables accurate and
precise work, essential to many jobs.
"For job seekers braille gives the added aspect of job readiness. It
will not get a person a job, but will make them more employable."
Stage II of the Literacy Through Braille project has three core tasks.
"While the main aim is to market the importance of braille we also
need to be sure that we are prepared for the increased interest in learning
and reading braille," says Ms Abel.
"We will assess the current braille resources to ensure there will
be sufficient quality braille books available. We will also review our
teaching process and put in place systems that are time and staff
efficient."
The project runs from August 2001 to March 2002.
Need to Find Your Way by Road?
Marion found a most excellent website recently which will help all of
you who need to get from somewhere to somewhere else. You type in your
location and destination eg Donvale to Bendigo and not only do you get
a map, but you also get step-by-step instructions as to how to get there!
The steps also include distances and approximate times between turns. For
example, 'turn right Lonsdale St - E direction - 146 meters - 18 seconds'.
You can also zoom in and out with the click of your mouse. The colours
are pale brown, green, mauve, cream and white but print quite well in black
and white.
Go to http://www.travelmate.com.au
then see the Map Maker section.
JVIB: September 2001
- Distance Education in 2001
- The Status of Distance Education in Personnel Preparation Programs in Visual
Impairment
- Live and Online: A Year-round Training Program for Teachers of Students with
Visual Impairments in California
- Online Instruction in Braille code Skills for Preservice Teachers
JVIB October 2001
- The Evolution of a Distance Delivery System that Supports Content, Students,
and Pedagogy
- Web-based Teacher Preparation in Visual Impairment: Course Development,
Teaching, Learning, and Quality Assurance
- Sources of Stress in Mothers of Young Children with visual Impairments
- The UAB Distance Model in West Virginia and Iowa
VisAble Video Telescope
According to the Artic website:
The VisAble Video Telescope provides CCTV-like magnification power
to hundreds of vision tasks anywhere, anytime, without drawing unwanted
attention. To others it looks like you are using a video camcorder. Press
the image hold button to capture a view like taking a picture. Store it
in a purse or hang it around your neck. Use it for distance or mid-range
tasks like recognizing faces or spotting signs. You can also use it like
a magnifier for reading labels or menus. The VVT300 compensates for difficult
lighting environments.
VideoTelescope is approximately $4,000
Technical Info
- 35 degree field of view
- Zoom 40X (10X optical, 4X digital)
- Close-up focus to infinity
See the Artic Website for further information: http://www.artictech.com/index.htm
(though at this price, you could purchase around 25 monoculars!).
Tactual Grid Paper
The Statewide Vision Resource Centre can prepare tactual grid paper
for your students. The grids are available in the following 5 sizes.
Grid A: 15x16cm
Grid B: 16x34cm
Grid C: 33x35cm
Grid D: 33x53cm
Grid E: 42x66cm
Call Maria on 9841 0242 to place your order.
Through the Maze (October 2001)
The latest edition of 'Through the Maze: A Guide to Benefits and Services
for Families of Children with a Disability' has recently become available.
Produced by the Association for Children with a Disability, this booklet
includes contact information for case management, legal issues, recreation,
transport, respite care and much more.
If you would like a copy of this document, contact the Association
on 9500 1232 or mail@acd.org.au/.
RVIB Christmas Sale
From 12 November to 21 December, RVIB VisEquip is holding a Christmas sale with 20% off games including board games, puzzles, jigsaws, tactile games, playing cards etc. You'll find VisEquip at 201 High Street, Prahran.
Vision 2002: Conference in Sweden
The 7th International Conference on Low Vision, 'Activity and Participation'
will be held from
21-25 July 2002. International speakers will include topics such as:
- Reading
- Medicine
- Activity and participation
- Environment and interaction
Registration information is available at the SVRC.
Computers for People with Disabilities
In Victoria Green PC offer computers to people with disabilities at little or no cost. Contact Green PC on 9417 7039 or www.greenpc.com.au/.
International News: Blind Leading the Blind
From the Edmonton Journal, Canada, 27 February 2001.
"Specially commissioned braille posters with the theme of equal treatment
for the blind were on display this winter at the Truro Leisure Centre (Truro,
England) and the University of Alberta (Edmonton) Human Resources Department.
However, sighted people cannot read the posters because the words are only
in braille, and the blind cannot read the posters because in both locations
the limited-edition posters were hung on the wall behind glass covers,
to 'protect' them."
Staff News
Meredith Walsh recently graduated with a Master of Special Education (Sensory
impairment) from Renwick College. Congratulations Meredith!
- Helen Caldow is recovering well from her operation.
- Toni Chilton, a brailling aide currently working in the northern suburbs,
is keen to work a further 2½ days per week. Contact Toni at chilton@au.gateway.net
or 9439 1047.
- Deb Lewis will be performing in the 2001 production of the Women's Circus
- 'Secrets'. The performance will be held on Wednesday to Saturday 22 November
to 8 December at Shed 14, Melbourne Docklands. Wednesdays - $15 at the door;
Thursday to Saturday $24/$16. For tickets call 9685 5111. For further details,
contact Deb on deblewis@svrc.vic.edu.au
or 9841 0242.
Student News
Carolyn's student Rhys is photographed below with his dirt bike. Rhys
brailled:
Rhys's Birthday Treat
For my birthday mum and dad gave me some motor bike armour and some motor bike
pants. My clothes are rat brand and my armour is fly brand. In the photo I am
at a dirt bike track doing lots of jumps and falling off.
SVRC Freebies
The foyer of the SVRC has a large number of regular and large print books for children and adults - please help yourself!
PD Dates 2002
See attached for the tentative dates for professional development and other activities.
Tentative Dates for SVRC PD
Below are the dates for professional development for 2002. If you see any clashes, can you call as soon as possible:
Mountbatten Morning Tuesday 5th February
O&M morning Thursday 14 February
New Visiting Teacher PD Day Thursday 21 February
Visiting Teacher PD Day Friday 22 February
Braille Day Monday 4 March
Low Vision Day Friday 15 March
Multi-Impaired Day Friday 3 May
Mountbatten Morning Tuesday 14 May
Visiting Teacher Conference Mon-Tue 27-28 May
Visiting Teacher PD Day Friday 7 June
Mountbatten Morning Thursday 25 July
Visiting Teacher PD Day Monday 12 August
Integration Aide Day Monday 26 August
O&M Morning Tuesday 10 September
Combined Agencies Day - St Pauls School Monday 7 October
Mountbatten Morning Tuesday 26 November
SVRC Mini Expo Friday 6 December
Camp and Activities
Braille Games Day for Years 3-7 Tuesday 26 March
SVRC/Guide Dogs Adventure Camp 21-25 May
Driving Camp ? Thurs- Fri 20-21 June
???Space Camp Around 22 September
If you have something you would like included in The Bulletin, contact:
Deb Lewis (who can be emailed at deblewis@svrc.vic.edu.au).