The Bulletin

Statewide Vision Resource Centre

Number 5  Friday 30th March 2001

Inside This Issue

  • Professional Development 2001
  • LaTrobe O&M Course
  • Challenge Camp
  • Space Camp
  • Driving Camp
  • Cheap Typing Program – Spectronics
  • SCORE Camp – Canada
  • Tennis Coaching
  • PD Reports from Faye – Braille Day, Mountbatten Morning, O&M Afternoon
  • US Braille Sites – Warning
  • Employment and Vision Impairment – Article by Robyn McKenzie
  • EASE Tickets – Annie
  • National Library and Information Service
  • Web Pals
  • Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children’s Website
  • Rubella Website
  • Lea Hyvarinen’s Website – Low Vision in Children
  • New Staff at Guide Dogs
  • Staff News
  • Draw a Person with your Perkins or Mountbatten
  • Space Camp Meeting Report

    • Professional Development 2001

    O&M Course at La Trobe

    Rod McNamara, Senior Orientation and Mobility Specialist from Vision Australia Foundation emailed recently to let me know that La Trobe University also offers a three-year degree course majoring in O&M in the third year, through the School of Health Science. The third year is also offered as a post graduate diploma. If you would like further information, call Rod on 9890 6577 or 0409 170714.

    Camps 2001

    See our Camps, Leisure and Recreation section of our website – www.svrc.vic.edu.au for further details or reports from Space Camp 1999 or Challenge Camp 2000.

    Challenge Camp – 22-25 May 2001

    The paperwork for Challenge Camp was included with edition 4 of The Bulletin. There are places for 10 to 15 students – please get your paperwork in quick smart! Call Deb Lewis if you require further details.

    Space Camp – end of term 3 2001

    Notes from our meeting – attended by 6 students, 5 mums and 5 Visiting Teachers – last Friday are attached. There seems to be lots of interest from students and chaperones – we just need lots of money! If you have ideas, please call.

    Driving Camp – 18-19 June 2001

    OK, you win!!! We’ll do Car Camp again this year – but only because you asked for it! There are a maximum of 12 places so get in quick – with your money and completed forms!
    The camp will again take place at the Driver Education Centre in Charlton. We have chosen the second last week of term 2. Forms and additional information are available by calling the Statewide Vision Resource Centre. The cost is around $140 (plus a contribution to teacher accommodation if necessary) – see below for details on how to calculate the cost for each student.
    The camp is an opportunity for students to drive a car in near real-life conditions (ie private road system); learn the importance of safety and road rules; and also to network and have fun.
    Please note that the vast majority of students on Visiting Teacher Service (Vision Impairment) will not be eligible to gain their drivers’ licence.
    Thanks to Karen Goodall for collecting the following information:
    According to VicRoads Registration and Licensing Rules How to calculate how much your student needs to pay:
    The total cost of the camp per student will be determined by each Visiting Teacher and will be based on the following:
     

    Dirt Cheap Typing Program from Spectronics

    The lovely Gerry Kennedy (formerly of Spectronics and now of Gerry Kennedy IT Consultancy) emailed me the following information:
    Touch Type, which Gerry demonstrated to VTs last year, is an on-screen typing tutor that works at your pace. See the letter, hear it, then type it. The software has a full picture of the keyboard on-screen, teaches the home keys first and then introduces the others through a range of exercises. Includes a monitoring system to show where you need more practice. It’s now available for $39.00 + $3.90. You can also check it out: www.spectronicsinoz.com/spectronics/product.asp?product=194

    SCORE Camp – Canada

    Christine Harding sent me the following information:
    RVIB is again working with CNIB to sponsor a student to attend the SCORE camp in July in Canada. Only one applicant will be selected based on the following criteria. Students must: All SCORE attendees MUST have a desire to learn about computers, networks, Internet, computer based communication, HTML programming etc and be willing to work in a team environment.
    Any applicant must submit a 500 word essay on the theme of ‘My view of the future of information technology for vision impaired or blind people in the 21st century.’
    Also, a teacher's letter of recommendation endorsing the students typing speed, knowledge of word processing software, knowledge of computer operating systems (DOS, Windows, Unix or Linux) and current computer access device must accompany the essay.
    An RVIB regional staff member must also endorse that the applicants O&M and ADL skills are sufficient to participate in the SCORE program.
    Please send all applications to Christine Harding at 557 St Kilda Rd by Friday April 27th.
    Application must include: The successful applicant will be notified by Friday May 4th. RVIB reserves the right to make no award if no suitable applications are received by the due date.
    Please contact Christine Harding if you have any queries.

    Tennis Coaching

    The following information appeared in the March 2001 edition of BCA Parent News:
    Have you ever considered tennis as a viable game for someone with a vision-impairment?  We have received some information at Blind Citizens Australia, which might interest those of you who were glued to your radios and televisions during the Australian Open:
    Julie’s Tennis Coaching – Offers tennis coaching for intellectual disabilities, hearing and vision impairment and wheelchair tennis lessons, qualified TCAV Coach and NCAS Disability Coach.  If you are interested contact Julie Sabina, 29 Bruce Street, Lalor, Ph 0418 172 506, Fax 9465 6336.

    March 13 and 14 Professional Development Reports

    Some notes pulled together by Faye Squires en route back home to the north east on Wednesday last, regarding the two day in-service at SVRC:

    Braille Day – March 13

    Odette's spiel (Beginning Braille and Braille Literacy) Lyn and Maria - slate and stylus training Jenny – Numbers and fractions Tactual Graphics
  • brailling number lines – lower c for the axis lines, and ‘r’ or ‘w’ as the points along the axis
  • shading fractions in braille diagrams, using ‘g’ and ‘for’ as fill-ins
  • tactile graph using glue and string
  • angle lines reproduced through PIAF machine ($2.00 a sheet!)
    • Mountbatten Morning – March 14

    Orientation and Mobility for Aides and Parents Afternoon – March 14

    O&M with Shelley and Kaye from Guide Dogs An incredibly useful and informative two days. Wow.

    US Braille Sites – Take Care!

    On the whole, they are great reference sources but please be careful when using American sites as references for braille contractions – the more we look, the more we find where the contractions are not the same as the ones we use in Australia.

    Employment and Vision Impairment

    The following article by Robyn McKenzie, Employment Consultant, Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind, appeared in the March 2001 edition of BCA Parent News:
    We often think the greatest barrier to gaining employment for people who have a vision impairment is the actual vision impairment.  I would argue that it is the employer’s attitude towards vision impairment or blindness which is the greatest barrier.  The good news is, attitudes can be influenced.  And the best person to do the influencing is the job seeker.
    The job seeker with the most influencing power has confidence and believes in their ability to do the work.  Not just do the work, however, they have already thought about the world of work and have a long list of strategies for managing in the workplace.
    Whilst getting a job is an issue most children consider to be part of their distant future, they can never start planning too early.  Employment is greater than simply having a job and knowing what career to choose.  There are so many skills we develop apart from the specific skill required by a job that makes us employable.  These are skills such as initiative, planning and time management, problem solving, people and negotiation skills, working as part of a team, leadership and stress management.
    For people who are blind or vision impaired, there is also added the skills of orientation and mobility, self advocacy by way of explaining the nature of vision impairment and communicating information needs, and a good working knowledge of relevant adaptive technology.  In fact it is these skills which will increase the likelihood of getting sustainable employment over and above having an IT  or social work degree, trade or TAFE qualification.
    As an Employment Consultant and Careers Counsellor at the Royal Victorian Institute for the Blind, I often see clients who have a tertiary qualification and no, or very few, work ready skills.  They have concentrated all their efforts on accessing an education and developing a specific skill related to a particular job or industry.  Far too often this is to the detriment of developing employability skills.
    So, what can a child who is blind or vision impaired do right now to prepare for the world of work?
    Apart from going to school and gaining an education, there are many activities which can assist a child to develop their communication, leadership and self advocacy skills.  They can join a sports team or interest group, do regular voluntary work, identify role models (sighted and vision impaired), develop a relationship with a mentor, practice orientation and mobility skills daily, become computer and adaptive technology literate, develop stress management skills by being physically fit, join junior rotary to develop public speaking, self advocacy skills and “how to meet new people” comfort skills.

    EASE Tickets – Annie

    EASE has some great tickets for Annie the Musical on Tuesday the 10th of April 7:30pm.
    Tickets available for the special reduced price of only $60.00 (regular price $77.50). The offer is open to EASE Members, friends, family and staff. Tickets are selling fast so book now to avoid disappointment. There are also free tickets for children for the basketball.
    Contact EASE on ph: 9699 8497 fax: 9699 8868 ease@artsaccess.com.au/.

    Further Developments at NILS (National Library and Information Service)

    The following information appeared in the March 2001 edition of BCA Parent News:
    What has happened to the RVIB and RBS Library Services?
    Both these agencies will continue to provide library services through a joint venture project.  To provide an expanded service to library clients the collections of both the RVIB and RBS (Royal Blind Society, NSW) have been merged onto one data base.  Audio and braille books will continue to be shelved and distributed from both library locations in Prahran (Melbourne) and Enfield (Sydney). Staff at both locations are available to assist clients who visit the library, as they have done previously.
    Combining the catalogues and borrower details means that library clients of both the RBS and RVIB, as well as the organisations for which these agencies provide library services, will have access to a greater range of books that may be selected from either Melbourne or Sydney.
    How will library administration be managed?
    As the combined catalogue and borrower details are now on one data base it is possible for that to be administered from one location, which is Prahran, Melbourne.  A goal of the joint venture project is to achieve economies by centralising some processes in this way.  Savings that can be achieved from improvements to processes and work practices will be channelled back into book acquisition and development of services.
    Staff in Melbourne who receive enquiries on the 1300-654-656 number are all qualified librarians and familiar with library operations.  Many have been in this role for several years with the RVIB library.  All these staff members have access to the combined borrower data base and are able to assist clients who receive library services through the RBS or the RVIB.
    In bringing the collections together and making them available to library clients the main aim of the joint venture has been to cause as little disruption to the service as possible and, in time, to introduce improvements to the service.
    The new number for NILS is 1300-654-656.

    Web Pals

    Former Visiting Teacher student, Dean, found a site he thought may interest you all – it is run by the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), and enables you to correspond with people throughout the world via e-mail. All you need to do is to fill out a form, submit a message, and wait for replies. Dean has apparently received five replies within a week! Go to www.rnib.org.uk/webpals/wwwboard/wwwboard.htm/.

    Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children's Website

    Wednesday 14 March was the official, on-line launch of the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children's website! There is heaps of information on hearing impairment, vision impairment, deafblindness and multiple disabilities – including definition, types, cause and treatment, education, technology, community and culture, communication strategies. It also had information on the Masters course at Renwick College (The University of Newcastle). Go to www.ridbc.org.au/.

    Website: Late Emerging Symptoms of Congenital Rubella

    The Canadian Deafblind and Rubella Association (CDBRA) recently published Survey of Late Emerging Symptoms of Congenital Rubella which you can find on their website at www.cdbra.ca/.
    DB-Link also has many useful resources related to Rubella.

    Lea Hyvärinen’s Website – Low Vision in Children

    Many of us have seen the wonderful Lea Hyvärinen in action – assessing vision impaired children with additional impairments and speaking with great passion on the subject. She has created a website to share her teaching materials with other teachers in low vision, in vision screening and in occupational health. The slide library offers many photographs and overheads, instructions how to simulate different types of vision loss etc.
    Since this information may also interest families of children with visual impairment or adult persons with vision problems, the texts are in as plain English as possible and there is a glossary of the most common terms used in low vision services. Go to http://med-aapos.bu.edu/leaweb/index.html/.
    This slide collection covers most of my slides on the specific features in the development of preschool visually impaired children, mostly children with moderate or severe low vision. The texts next to the thumbnail pictures are rather short. If you want to read more, references to her articles and books are at the end of the text.
    She writes:
    Visual impairment affects all areas of development. The most important areas are communication, bonding, level of wakefulness, motor development, spatial concepts, balance, object permanence, picture perception, incident learning, language development and social interaction.
    The three last mentioned areas of development belong to special education rather than ophthalmology and are therefore not included in this slide collection.
    In the area of motor development the effect is most noticeable in oculomotor functions, head control, hand regard, bringing hands to midline, reaching and in starting to move.
    Visually impaired infants and children need to use compensating techniques. Some visually impaired children develop mannerisms.
    Topics in her slide library include:

    Staff Changes at Guide Dogs!

    Shelley Pannier is set to move to Holland with her family soon – and GDAV have employed two new people: Kaye Jones also tells me that their service is growing and there is an intent to recruit another two O&M instructors in the new financial year.

    Staff News

    Draw a Person on Your Mountbatten or Perkins

    For Lea Nagel’s artistic creation, follow these instructions!
    8 space 3,5 / 1,4 / 1,4 / 2,6
    8 space 1,2,3 / 2 space / 4,5,6
    8 space 1,5 / 3,6 / 3,6 / 2,4
    7 space 3,6 / 2,5 / 4,5,6 / 1,2,3 / 2,5 / 3,6
    6 space 1,2,4,5 / 2 space / 4,5,6 / 1,2,3 / 2 space / 1,2,4,5
    9 space 4,5,6 / 1,2,3
    9 space 1,2,3 / 4,5,6
    8 space 3,4,5,6 / 2 space / 1,2,3,6

    And Finally…

    Denise had her first ‘wet weather timetable’ on Thursday – yeh for the rain!
    Deb Lewis – deblewis@svrc.vic.edu.au

    Space Camp 2001

    On Friday 23rd March, a number of potential Space Campers 2001 assembled at the Statewide Vision Resource Centre for a preliminary meeting (and pizza) and I thank you all for coming out on a Friday night.

    Who was there
    Visiting Teachers:
    Jeni Blake, Deb Lewis, Janie McLeod, Lee Clarke, Lea Nagel
    Students and their mums:
    Glen Bracegirdle, Tim (and Bernadette) Murphy, Kate (and Joanne) Barrett, Bernadette (and Margaret) Lancefield, Bryony Balaton-Chrimes, Cameron (and his mum) Bydder.
    Several students have expressed an interest in coming but couldn’t make it to our meeting – Jake Phillips, Michael Kelly, Peggy Soo, Tracey Smythe, Owen Middleton.
    There may be other interested students – it is not too late to join the group – contact Deb Lewis (9841 0242).
    What we talked about
    1. Costs
    Costs are likely to be around $4000 for students and $3000 for chaperones. This cost may go up because of the exchange rage for the Australian dollar. We are trying to secure funding for the chaperones – but if we are unsuccessful, the costs of the chaperones will need to be built into the costs to students.
    2. Who will be going
    There may be several groups travelling from Victoria including one group from RVIB (other states may also be sending groups). There are two students from Catholic schools (Bernadette and Bryony) who may travel with our group or separately with their own chaperone. Our group will be staffed at a ratio of 1:3 – so the number of students depends on the number of chaperones and the number of chaperones really depends on funding.
    3. Funding
    We spent a lot of time talking about funding and how to secure funding for the trip. At this stage, tracking down the money is the main issue for students and families and remember, every little bit helps. I have examples of letters which I am happy to send – just call. Here are some sources we discussed:
    · Family finances – your aunts and uncles or even family friends might like to help you out
    · Blind pension or child disability allowance
    · Your school including ‘Students with Disabilities and Impairments Funding’
    · Sausage sizzle eg Dick Smith Powerhouse (they might even pay for your sausages)
    · Raffle – get a prize donated and then sell tickets
    · Organise a dinner and charge a little extra
    · Organise a ‘non-dinner’ (sell tickets for a dinner that isn’t going to happen on the basis that people will be saving heaps by not going ie money for the food, drinks, dry cleaning, petrol, babysitting etc etc)
    · Your local community group eg parish, sporting group etc
    · Local businesses – look in your yellow pages (which are also on the internet)
    · Local service organisations – Rotary, Lions etc
    · Put a collection tin in your local shop with a photo
    · Wash cars or do other jobs in your neighbourhood
    · Organise a plain clothes day at school
    · Trivia night
    · Sell chocolates (we made about $500 in 1999 with some help from our friends)
    Discuss with your parents before you do any of these.
    4. Activities
    We talked about the things we might do in the USA. Options include:
    · Disneyland (which we did in 1998 and 1999)
    · Knoxberry farm (which we did in 1998) – USA cultural activities
    · Universal Studios
    · Mexico (day trip in a bus)
    · Stay at a school for the blind – free accommodation and meals
    · Other – come up with your own suggestions
    5. Forms and permission
    There will be lots of forms to fill in and lots of permission to seek. For the group travelling with me, I will arrange all the necessary permission from the Department of Education, but students will need to get the permission of their principal and school council. I will be preparing forms for this permission early next term. There will be medical forms, SCUBA forms, photograph/media forms, insurance forms etc etc
    6. Passport
    Make sure you have a valid passport – you can get the form from the Post Office
    7. Do your homework during the next few months
    Students will get much, much more out of their trip if they have done some research before they go. Here are some ideas:
    · Look in the atlas to find Los Angeles and Huntsville, Alabama so you know where you are going
    · Look at the Space Camp website eg ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ – if you haven’t got the internet at home, go to your local library or come into the Statewide Vision Resource Centre and use ours
    · Learn about space eg Mia, the space station, space shuttles – read the newspapers and magazines, listen to the radio, get books out of the library, get material put onto tape, brailled or enlarged at the Statewide Vision Resource Centre (talk to Deb Lewis or your Visiting Teacher)
    · Read ‘Rocket Boys’ and other novels with a space theme – we have Rocket Boys on tape – call and request it
    · See the video ‘October Sky’ – based on ‘Rocket Boys’ – invite another space camper over to see it together
    What is next?
    · Can one of you arty people design a logo for either the Visiting Teacher Service or Space Camp to put on letterhead, t-shirts etc. Thanks!
    · Payment will be required in instalments – the first instalment will be $2000 (airfares and insurance) by 31 May 2001. The remainder of the money will need to be paid by the beginning of August.
    · We will arrange another get-together next term for the next stage of information and planning – so we hope you can come!
    For more information
    · Contact Deb Lewis at work on 9841 0242
    · Look at the Space Camp website - www.tsbvi.edu/space
    · Get a copy of the Space Camp 1999 newsletter – either from Deb Lewis or on our website - www.svrc.vic.edu.au/spacecamp.html
    · Talk to someone who has been before
    Notes prepared by Deb Lewis

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    Web page editor Lyn Robinson. Last updated May 2001.
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