Statewide Vision Resource Centre
Number 18 Friday 5th November 1999
Inside This Issue
|
|
|
|
|
|
First Aid – Basic Life Support Level 1 and/or
CPR Update
St John Ambulance will conduct a one-day course at the SVRC. Details in Bulletin 15. |
25 November |
|
|
SPEVI Discussion and Christmas Drinks | 23 November |
|
|
Visiting Teacher Professional Development
Day
Program attached to Bulletin 17. |
29 November |
|
|
VT Defensive Driving Day – Sandown Race Track. Contact Edwina Richardson on 9399 1704 ASAP. | 13 December |
VT PD Day – 29th November
Please see Bulletin 17 for the program and RSVP soon so we can arrange catering!
Please also note that several of the students who participated in Space Camp ’99 will be presenting a report from 2.30-3.30pm that day. This is a chance for you to bring students, who are interested in participating in Space Camp 2000, and their families to hear it all first-hand. Come along and ask questions and see the slides, videos and photos from the trip. Interested people are invited to join the group after 3.30pm for a social gathering and we will order in pizza for dinner between 5.30 and 6pm. Please let us know your student’s intention to join us for this session.
Space Camp Questions!!!
For those students planning to travel to Space Camp in the next few years, here are a couple of research questions to get (or keep) you in the mood. You can send your responses to me at the SVRC or via email at deblewis@svrc.vic.edu.au or wait for the answers which will be published in the next Bulletin!
Joanna’s student Jim was reported by Julia Hodges in the Ballarat Courier on 7th October 1999, an excerpt of which appears below:
A touch of Chinese culture came to Ballarat yesterday when winners of the China Challenge were presented with their awards at a ceremony held at the Town Hall. More than 100 entries were received which asked students, ranging from prep to Year 10, to submit work on tourism in China. The China Challenge, which is in its third year, is a joint initiative of the Ballarat Branch of the Australia-China Friendship Society and the Ballarat Southern LOTE (Languages other than English) Network. Competition co-ordinator Margaret Joy, said the competition aimed to raise awareness of China and aspects of its culture among Australian students.
First place winners in the Years 7-10 category were Tabitha and Jim (surnames omitted), Year eight students from Ballarat Secondary College, Wendouree campus. Jim, who is visually impaired, wrote his ideas in braille and discussed them with Tabitha. The project, which took two weeks to complete, is currently displayed at the Town Hall, along with the other prize-winning entries.
Guide Dogs Association of Victoria Courses – Term 4
Young People’s Program - Secondary School Aged Children
Monday 10 January - Friday 14 January 2000
Our traditional January program is on again. During the 1999 school year we targeted primary school age children, so this time we are focusing on the mobility needs of secondary school aged young people. This is one week of fun and learning, living in at the GDAV Training Centre. The mornings will focus on one to one development of mobility and independent living skills (training goals as recommended by family, VT and O&M) and the afternoons and evenings will be fun (it is school holidays!).
This program, inclusive of accommodation and meals, is free of charge. Please ring Kaye Jones or Shelley Pannier, Guide Dog Association of Victoria, on (03) 9854 4450 for further information and registration.
SPEVI Meeting and Christmas Drinks
Four Australian delegates – Gillian Gale, Josie Howse, Bill Jolley and Bruce Maguire – recently attended the ICEB General Assembly meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, to participate in international discussions on the Unified Braille Code.
SPEVI will hold its final gathering for 1999 and is pleased to announce that the speaker will be none other than one of the Australian delegates, Gillian Gale, who will present her impressions of the discussions.
When: Tuesday 23 November 1999 – please gather at 5pm for a 5.30pm start
Where: Statewide Vision Resource Centre 360 Springvale Road Nunawading
Conair Sound Therapy
Jeni Blake recommends the Conair Sound Therapy Relaxation System for blind students and those with additional impairments or students with sleeping problems. It features 10 relaxing sounds including tropical rain forest, waterfall, ocean waves and heartbeat and is available for $30 from Myer.
FAS Paediatric and Special Education Equipment
The latest Functional Adaptive Supportive (FAS) catalogue is available for your perusal at the SVRC. FAS deals with hoists, seating and walking aids as well as daily living products, adaptive equipment and gym and toy products. The catalogue will also be available at their new website at www.fasequipment.com/.
EASE Membership
The Statewide Vision Resource Centre has become a member of Arts Access – Entertainment Access Service. From time to time the SVRC or Visiting Teachers may organise group bookings, with our group-booking card, to performances, particularly to those with live audio descriptions. Further information is available at www.artsaccess.com.au/.
The following Melbourne Theatre Company performances for 2000 will offer audio descriptions. Tickets for all shows can be ordered now – book early to reserve your seat at the front.
Described Videos
RVIB has a collection of 50 titles available for loan including The Lion King, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Pretty Woman. Call (03) 9521 3400 for a catalogue.
Blind Runner Competes in Non-Disabled Running
Marla Runyan of the United States, who has a deteriorating vision impairment is a five times Paralympic gold medalist. According to the September 1999 edition of Link Magazine, she hopes to qualify for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Edsoft Catalogue
The term 4 update included two interesting-looking products which science/maths students may like to have a look at. At $250 per CD (site licences available), these programs are not cheap, but they may allow students with vision impairments more immediate access to experiments.
Crocodile Physics
A program that simulates physics experiments in the areas of optics, electricity, force and motion, work and energy, oscillations and sound with over 100 interactive activities. Download a free demo from www.crocodile-clips.com/.
Crocodile Chemistry
A program that simulates chemistry experiments in the areas of acids and bases, metals, reaction rates, physical chemistry, the periodic table, reactions of oxygen, chlorine and other non-metals with over 40 interactive activities. Download a free demo from www.crocodile-clips.com/.
Listserv for Vision Impaired Women
As reported in the October 1999 edition of JVIB:
‘WomenTalk is an email listserv that is designed for women who are blind or visually impaired to discuss aspects of their lives as visually impaired women. Topics of discussion range from employment or independent living, to dating or social relationships. To subscribe to this list, send a blank email message to womentalk-subscribe@onelist.com/. For more information, visit the Onelist website at www.onelist.com/.
JVIB
The following articles appeared in the September 1999 edition of the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness:
Certification/M.Ed in Visual Impairment
According to an advertisement in the October 1999 JVIB, ‘the University of Louisville’s award-winning Distance Education Programs in currently enrolling candidates for M.Ed in visual impairment’. For more information, contact:
Dr Denzil Edge
Department of Special Education
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY 40292
Adventure Audio Tapes
The Spring 1999 edition of Future Reflections included the following advertisement:
The Growler Tapes Audio Adventures is the first series to make extensive use of new technologies (controlling hundreds of sound elements, plus music, voices etc) to support the drama in a high-end children’s program. Targeted at children between the ages of 4 and 10 years old, this series sets new standards for riveting audio. The cost is US$6 per cassette. For information contact:
The Growler Tapes Audio Adventures
TNG/Earthling Inc
110 West 86th Street
New York NY 10024
Fun Sites You Can Go To With Your Kids
Dawson’s Creek – http.www.dawsonscreek.com
The official Dawson’s Creek website!
Have you been somewhere fun, educational, interesting and worth sharing – VTs, parents or students can email me their favourite sites so I can put the information out in the next Bulletin!
Shower Safety Strips
From Blind Citizens News. August 1999 by Kevin Rowley:
‘For the blind person, tactile marking of equipment is an important part of access. Appliances and equipment may otherwise be totally inaccessible…’ In the shower, Shower Safety Strips is a product which ‘stops your feet slipping on the wet surface. The profile is thin, little more than a millimetre. The surface is similar to ‘goose bumps’. It is sold in several forms: fancy shapes such as flowers, fish and so on; but the cheapest form is a pack of ten long rectangular strips for around ten dollars. You can cut it to any shape, to suit a particular application. If you need little dots, these can be punched out using a paper or leather punch. Very narrow strips, only three millimetres wide can be cut. Since the material is designed for wet areas, the adhesive properties are excellent.
In my home, I have found many applications. For instance, stove and clothes drier dials, VCR, CD and tape players, plus a button accordion. It’s very important not to create confusion by over-marking. Be prepared for some trial-and-error, until the result suits you. In some cases, I’ve found it more effective to mark a location rather than a particular button. For instance on my CD player, a single tactile dot provides a ‘jump-off point’ for index finger to select ‘play’ or ‘next track’. If accidental pressing of particular buttons on any machine is a potential hazard, I usually mark either the button itself or frame beside, with a large X (eg the ‘record’ button on cassette or VCR).
From The Internet
Braille Reading
There has been a rather involved discussion about braille reading rates and preference for reading braille with one hand or both hands on the AERNET listserv. The following are a selection of contributions for your interest (and don’t necessarily reflect the views of the staff of the SVRC). Also apologies that the full names and dates are missing on one entry:
From Suzanne Dawson on Monday, October 25, 1999
I need some information regarding average reading speeds of young braille readers. I have a fifth-grade student who reads fiction (2nd to 3rd grade level) at about 75 words per minute, non-fiction (social studies, etc. at 4th-5th grade level) at about 45-50 words per minute. Are there standard rates for reading speed? Yes, I am aware that he is reading below grade level. His decoding skills are all right, he spells out words and phonetically reads each part, however he sometimes gets frustrated when he does not recognize a word or how it is put together.
From: Yaara Di Segni on Wednesday, October 27, 1999
I found another source with specific information on reading speeds for young braille readers: Trent, S.D. and Truan, M.B. (1997). Speed, accuracy, and comprehension of adolescent braille readers in a specialized school. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness September-October. According to this paper, the fastest group read at 80-103 wpm, the middle group read at 20-79 wpm and the slowest group read at 8-17 wpm. They also cite a study by Mason that found a mean rate of 83 wpm for high school students.
From Gail Showalter on Thursday, October 28, 1999
I was told years ago, take the grade level times 10 (third grade = 30 wpm) for appropriate reading rate. It worked pretty well for me.
Sandra Ruconich on Thursday, October 28, 1999
I’d like to agree with Louise and Warren about one-handed braille reading. It’s important to allow braille readers some flexibility in the method they choose for reading.
From Carol Peet
I can share that I have one braille student, 13 years old reading 6th grade level materials at 60-65 words per minute. She came to me as a one handed reader and I am trying to break her of this habit. I think it will increase her speed if she teaches her brain to read with both hands.
From Louise Sierra on Sunday, October 24, 1999
A caution about insisting that a one-handed reader read with both hands. I realize that the latest info being given out right now is that two-handed readers are faster than one-handed, but that is not necessarily always true. I think there are individual differences that need to be considered. I posed the question to a blind colleague who reads very fast with only her right hand and she totally disagreed with the whole idea that we must insist on two handed reading - in fact she was appalled. Remember, statistics in our business aren’t always accurate because we deal with such a small and diverse population. I have noticed that some students show a very definite preference for one hand or the other and others fall easily into reading with both hands. Last summer I went to a meeting and watched the very educated adult blind reading, because I had been told emphatically that ‘the fastest readers read with two hands.’ Many of them were reading with one hand, many were reading with both, some with the left hand, some with the right. Remember when it was considered best to make left handers be right handers? Or when it was considered appropriate to hold a book 16 inches from your face whether you could see it or not?
From: Sarah J. Blake on Sunday, 31 October 1999
I have this same problem when I am reading. It is much more efficient for me to just read with my left hand, but I think it’s possible to learn to correct the problem. If she’s motivated to try to learn to read with both hands, she might show a lot of improvement. It might be a good idea to have her do most of her work with the left hand but give her some exercises she can do with both if she wants them.
From Dan Hollis on Thursday, 28 October 1999
I guess I’m prone to agree with everyone that what works best for the individual is the best. I learned to read with two hands, but I like to read and I tend to carry reading material around with me wherever I go. This means that on buses and planes and in cars, I find myself in some pretty awkward sitting positions so that it isn’t always possible to read with both hands. So, out of necessity, I have learned to read with my right hand, my left hand and with both hands. I always start out trying to teach 2 handed reading, but if I find the student shows a preference for one handed reading and seems to be progressing I won’t interfere. However, I will interfere if I think the student isn’t progressing or if I think the student may just not want to make the extra effort required to learn to track. As always, developing consistent habits and daily practice come at the top of my list.
From: PBJGal on Sunday, 31 October 1999
I am a TVI (Visiting Teacher) and read braille by sight, although I have learned to read the letters of the alphabet and a few other words so that when I am teaching a student one-on-one we can play some games. My left index finger does all the reading and seems to be much more tactually sensitive. I don’t know if there is a larger callous on the right fingertip because I am right handed?????
Email with Speech Access
From JVIB, April 1999
‘Talking E-mail v 1.2 is a new product form 4Developers that informs users when an email message is received and reads the message aloud. The program works with Windows 95, 98 and NT4 and requires only an email account and a sound card… Talking E-mail costs (US)$19.95 and can be ordered online from www.4developers.com/talkmail/. Site licenses are available. A trial version can be downloaded from www.4developers.com/talkmail/.
Brailling Aide Required
A brailling aide in the Geelong area is required for a student attending St Joseph’s School next year. The student will be in year 5. Contact Lisa Zarb on 9748 0844.
VT Defensive Driving Day
The Western Region VTs are organising a Defensive Driving Day on 13th December this year at Sandown Race Track. You will need to book in quickly, as they need final numbers this week. Contact Edwina Richardson on 9399 1704.
And finally…
Hope your exams are going well – whether you are sitting them, surviving them as a parent or supervising them as a VT!
Regards from Deb Lewis
(I would love to receive your email at deblewis@svrc.vic.edu.au on any topic at all. Drop me a line and tell me who you are; where you work, live or go to school; and what you think of The Bulletin. Of course, contributions for The Bulletin will be gleefully accepted! Go on! I dare you!!!)
ps
We need your textbooks for 2000. We need them now. Particularly the books you would like in braille but also the books you would like in large print and audio format.
Please drop them in or mail them to us as soon as possible.
Please remember that students will need to provide their own copy of the book for production in alternative format.
You will also need to supply the chapter/date order for the large books, such as French, maths or physics textbooks, that will be used throughout the year.
Thank you.