Helping a Blind Child become Independent

In general, when a child is born blind, parents have a sense of overwhelming grief, fear and a lack of understanding of what to do. This birth is "different" and they are very unsure. One tendency is to do everything for the child. When this occurs, children do not learn the basic skills to move around and do for themselves. If children are sighted and everything is done for them, they can "watch" to see how to do something, if they ever so desire. However, blind children MUST touch the environment and interact with it in order to understand it and learn how to "DO" life.

Many parents may do too much because it is faster for them to do it. But children are slow "at first" and as they do skills, they become faster. That is true for all of us.

Many parents have such guilt of their child being blind that they over compensate by doing "EVERYTHING" for the child, not realizing that they are hurting the child's chances of being "normal" having friends and being able to do for themselves, becoming independent later on.

The last scenario is the one I deal with often. High School students come to me, who have never made a meal, cannot cut their own food, can never be left alone because they would not even know how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. They do not even know how to carry their books, hang up their coat and get ready for class because their parents have insisted that a para educator be next to them all day long. The student cannot even go to the bathroom by himself or herself. But on a cognitive scale, this child is of average intelligence and has every capability of being independent. Many times this situation will be made worse because the para that was hired for the child WANTS to do everything for the child also because they feel sorry for him/her. Pity kills---kills the spirit and soul....be there no doubt.

Some children completely give into this and just become dependent all their lives. Never going on to college, or a job or living out any potential dream deeply buried within them.

Others and this is most, in High School start to really resent their parents and those around them who refuse to let them do anything. What they did not realize was that all those years they let someone else "do" for them --but then they NEVER wanted to clean a toilet or sweep the floor, so gave in to their parents doing everything for them; they never gained the skills to do what they wanted when the time came. Parents must make this decision as children are in general too fearful or lack desire to confront them on their lack of participation in daily life activities.

When children asks to go on a major High School field trip over days of time, the answer has to be "no" because they have no ability to get around by themselves, or even organize themselves enough to know how to pack, unpack or get ready for bed and wake up and get dressed without constant attention.

Some will go onto training centers for the blind if they get angry enough about their lack of abilities and these people go on to accomplish their dreams. But those who just stay angry or resigned go on to do very little.

A highly skilled teacher of the blind can get this situation turned around. The introduction of technology is usually the first step, as students have great success fast in learning how to accomplish and do their own work. They start to gain the confidence in doing more and slowly but surely start to learn those independent skills. Once the parents start to see the success, they now understand their child can do anything they desire. Hope grows, vision changes and they start to see a new picture of possibility.

We can either make a society of independent people or not. Be careful how much you "do" for anyone. Are you really helping or hurting. If you give a man a fish, he eats for a day. If you teach him how to fish, he eats for a lifetime!!!!

iPad and Low Vision Tricks to SEE Better

The iPad has several wonderful tricks to enable you to see what you are doing while moving around and typing text. Use Zoom, or enlarge Text or use White and Black. You can combine Voice Over to speak the text while using Enlarge Text or White and Black contrast....so many options.

Watch a Youtube video to get you going: iPad and Low Vision Tricks

Other Low Vision Tricks to learn at: Low Vision and iTools

iPad-Communication Device

Tap to Talk is a simple communication device that helps children "talk" to the people around them. You cannot use Voice Over with it, but it has its own talking ability within the program. It works great for Low Vision children and you could use a braille overlay to help a blind child learn where each item is going to be so they could use it too.

Watch a video on this device at: iPad app-Communication Device that speaks

Mac with Voice Over

Mac with Lion OS system and Voice Over are truly giving the PC with talking software a run for its money. Mac has truly become accessible right out of the box. Voice Over is able to access information with a flick of a finger or a key command.

If you are a PC user and want to make a switch, you must be ready for a learning curve as everything you learned on the PC will not transfer over to the Mac, other than you will be using the keyboard. You will also be using the Track Pad. There are great features worked into the Mac that with a simple finger gesture you can sail across a page

To Watch a video demonstration, go to Dr. Robinson teaches-Mac with Voice Over and using Key Commands

To get you going and moving on the Mac with Voice Over, download lessons at iTools at www.yourtechvision.com

iPhone-Voice Over with apps and tricks in the Internet

Watch an easy way to move around multiple HOME pages, try different apps and get into the Internet using tricks to access pages easily. Watch Video at: Dr Robinson teaches iPhone with Voice Over-apps and tricks in the Internet
and acquire text lessons to teach and learn on your own at: iTools

Teaching Print to Blind Children

Learning how to print will enable blind children to understand the world more completely. Whether it is understanding basic concepts, such as a U-Turn, a C-clamp, V-angel, T-intersection and so much more, to advanced math concepts, print will help blind children relate to their sighted peers and understand life's' concepts with more ease. Understanding a T, H and U will really help them travel and navigate the world. If they can comprehend the layout of a building or street, nothing can stop them.

When I was interning decades ago with the most incredible blind teacher I had ever met, he taught me these valuable skills. The teacher or sighted students could easily draw figures on the blind students' hands to describe what was seen. This was especially helpful in math class. Blind children also found it easier to interpret those line design drawings in their braille books if they understood letters, pictures, shapes and designs.


Get Braille Magnetic Letters that can go on the fridge, so while you are cooking, your child can be rearranging the letters and making words. Get the letters that have braille on them, so they can learn the braille and the print at the same time. Flash cards with braille and print shapes make it easy to take learning in the car or working in a room. Creative Adaptations for Learning has many types of options

You can pair up students and each will spell a word then hand the word to the other person and they have to figure out the word. Then they can take a tactile board, such as a Draftsman toolkit and practice writing it out. There are many ways to do this to make learning fun.

Make a Call and contact with iPhone- Voice over and Braille Display

Learn how to quickly dial a number using a braille display (refreshabraille example used) and voice over. Also, learn how to make a contact and find a contact already inserted into your phone book.

Watch an audio/visual lesson  to get you going: Make a Call and contact with iPhone- Voice over and Braille Display

iPhone lessons to help you learn more at iTools

iPad with Voice Over and Bluetooth external keyboard-pairing, editing in Notes word processor and moving around and using the Internet

Learn how to use an iPad with Voice Over and a Bluetooth external keyboard. If you need something more tactile and easy to use, this is it. These lessons will teach you how to pair the keyboard to the iPad, then take you to Notes word processor and show you how to type and edit information. Once you learn the basics of using the rotor and commands, you will then move onto using the Internet and learning about more commands that will help you move faster. These are Voice over commands so can help you use your Mac with Voice Over too.

Text and audio/visual lessons offered  at: iTools

Design a Great Background for PowerPoint presentation

Starting as young as third grade, students are creating PowerPoint's and using them to present information. It is an essential skill as they reach middle and High School. There are many tricks to creating the best background for the information needed to show your class.
Watch Youtube video at: Dr Robinson teaches how to Design a Great Background for PowerPoint presentation
and download a free text lesson to go with it at: PowerPoint-Design a background for slide

Learn how to be the Best Speller

JAWS talking software and a PC offer wonderful options to becoming a great speller....Between the applications key and the numpad, you too can become a stellar speller.

How to Begin: Watch video at Youtube: Learn How to be the BEST speller
The student's braille list is brailled out using contracted and uncontracted braille. They practice brailling the words, using contractions on their braille tool, whether a brailler or adapted note taker. Then they go to the computer and braille out the list in preparation of taking the spelling test on the computer. Once they finish taking an exam, they can email the test immediately to the teacher, when the teacher collects the other students' test. It is all about the ability to finish work in the same space of time as their peers. This is a great example to show them they can do a task just as quickly.

When practicing their spelling words, they type out the word, using insert+2 and use the words and characters options, so JAWS speaks every character and every word as the student types. After they type the word, I have them double check it by going to the numpad and hitting insert+5 so JAWS says the word again, then they hit insert+5 twice quickly to have the word spelled to them. If they have difficulty with the word, they will then type it out 10 times to remember the correct spelling.

If the student struggles with spelling, I have them use the applications key which is a standard key on any PC keyboard, so anyone can use this feature. They type a word, hit the applications key which will give them the correct spelling (if the word is not too poorly spelled) and they arrow to the correct options. They then type out the word even more times, then double checking with their brailled spelling list. Of course, they know they cannot use this option while taking a test, but this will be a life long skill to use when writing.

Being dyslexic, reading and writing have always been a struggle for me. When I learned about the applications key, I truly thought this was a gift from God and HIS grace. I teach this option to any of my students who struggle with spelling and the sighted students quickly want to use the same feature. With technology, we can enhance our abilities that are buried beneath us, but we cannot get out for one reason or another. A disability becomes an ABILITY through technology.

Lessons to help teach:
Office 2003-Word-Students who need to create a spelling list

Office 2010-Word-Students who need to create a spelling list
Spell check as you type—finding the secrets to spelling
Word-getting rid of auto formats in documents

Recover a lost file, find it quickly or email it right from WORD

Word 2010 offers some wonderful features to send a file directly from WORD and once you write that document find it quickly in the most recent document area and if you lose or forget to save that file, a way to recover it.

This seems to be an on-going issue with my students. Panic sets in, but as soon as they ask again how to recover or find a file they just cannot remember the name to, relief comes over them quickly. You too, can learn those tricks through:
Sending a file directly from WORD- finding the most recent document, recovering an unsaved document

iPad- Voice Over-Refreshabraille with setting it up, Notes, editing and the Internet

Watch an audio/visual lesson to help you use the: iPad with Voice Over and a Refreshabraille braille display and using the Internet --all braille displays work the same way so you can use the same techniques

Learn the minor and major aspects of using the iPad with Voice Over and the APH Refreshabraille Braille display (commands are similar with other displays also). Learn how to set it up right out of the box then learn more advanced skills like editing in notes and using the Interent.

Continue to advance your iPad and braille display skills and use Notes and edit information within the note, whether deleting, auto-correcting, selecting and unselecting information and the all important, how to undo what you just did when you make a mistake. Continue learning as you go into the Internet and learn how to easily move around pages, select and copy text then paste it into Notes or your word processor program, then edit as needed.
Lessons to help at iTools

Get Perspective. Change your life for the better

Teaching hundreds of students over the past decades has always been exciting. However, when you teach a child with exceptionality, a common “unhappy” phrase comes up over and over. “I want to be like everyone else and I do not want to be different”. I always tell them that the person who is DIFFERENT is the one who typically makes the biggest difference in the world. Then I go on to tell them about some of the people who are different and made life better for all around them due to their hard work and vision of “what if”. It does not take them long to figure out, that special or different can be and usually is a “great” thing, though it will take many reminders along the way of their education.

I want to give them perspective so I begin telling them about the “different” people who made life better for those around them and affected the future of all. It takes a change of mindset and hard work.

Alexander the Great, born in 356 BC was a strong and powerful king of Macedonia, the northern part of Greece. At the age of ten, he calmed and tamed a wild horse that no other could. His understanding of not just animals but people would give him the courage to conquer the world. ...literally. Aristotle was one of his teachers in his academics, which was a great contributor to how he thought about life. There were constant threats and attempts against his life because he was the successor to the throne. He had to overcome fear for his life constantly to move forward. He conquered the majority of the known world at that time and established a common language. Alexander’s joining the world together had even a greater impact several hundred years later when Christ was born. With the majority of the world joined together now with a common language, Christianity was able to spread like wild fire and bring the message of hope and peace.

In 1732, George Washington was the first born of 10 children. His schooling ended in his early teens and he was not good at reading or languages. He got his first job at 16 and became a surveyor: Saved his money and eventually started to buy his own land. He became president through taking on one major job after another and advancing in skill….a lot of hard work. Now think about his health. He was very athletic, but started losing his teeth in his 20s. Through present day laser technology, his past teeth were examined and they were not made of wood, but the dentures were made from gold, ivory, lead, human and animal teeth (horse and donkey teeth were common components). Think of the incredible pain of going through a toothache in that day and age, all the way to losing a tooth, or having it pulled with no painkillers. He was only 45 when he was at Valley Forge fighting battles in the freezing cold and with frozen limbs, but became President at 57. This was someone different who worked very hard to get where he was.

Abraham Lincoln, born in 1809 was poor and worked very hard on the farm as well as took outside jobs to help support the family. The family moved into the wilderness of Indiana and cleared the land to make it their own. Life was hard but made Abraham strong. There was no schooling in the area, so his mom taught and gave him books and the gift of learning and reading. His mother died in his teens and his father remarried with a woman who had three children of her own. He continued to work hard and try many different types of jobs until he decided to get into politics at the age of 25. He suffered from depression and had a difficult marriage. As he grew in ideas of right and wrong in the developing nation, he had his share of great opposition but continued to fight for what he believed was right. One of many famous sayings, “A house divided against itself cannot stand” permeates through what we do today if we want to create a strong team or ideal. Think of his trails along the way, failing to win major offices but finally becoming president only to have states secede from the union…war, the hatred against him, the failed assassinations until a final bullet killed him. Health along the way was impaired by almost drowning, being robbed and almost killed, domestic violence from his wife, dentist broke off part of his jaw while taking a tooth, without anesthesia, malaria, frozen limbs, speculation of syphilis and Marfan syndrome, and more, all based on notes from people who lived with and around him. Hard work enabled him to abolish slavery and make a huge impact on mankind and human rights.

Born 1869, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and later named Mahatma Gandhi meaning “great soul” became the father of peaceful protest. During school, Gandhi had difficulty with math and was a mediocre student in general. He often ran home in fear of other children making fun of him. He was married at age 13 years old. He was greatly fearful of the dark and could not even tell his child bride as he tried to figure out how to be the authority in the family. He was a rebellious teen, trying meat several times, which is forbidden by Hinduism, stole money and lied. When he told his father, whom he expected to be violent, instead he wept and this changed Gandhi forever as he explained, “Those pearl drops of love cleansed my heart, and washed my sin away." Gandhi’s father died when he was sixteen years old. He tried college but struggled and did not like it so dropped out. A friend finally convinced him to go to England for a law degree so he could return to India and help in politics. He left his wife, child and family behind. On passage to England, he was shy because he did not know English well to speak it, nor knew how to use a knife and fork so did not eat with anyone. Indian friends in England took hold of him and guided his progress while there. He became a “dandy” of high society and eventually decided he disliked all the pretentious living, so ditched all the expensive surroundings, dancing and parties and got down to studying law. He decided he wanted the character of a person, not the look. Food continued to have a hold on him, testing and stopping dainties. Through this struggle, he finally proclaimed, "the real seat of taste [is] not the tongue but the mind."—he fought for that and became more austere in his pursuits of life. Because he changed his mindset and determination to do good, he easily passed the bar and set sail for home. When he returned home, he could not find a job. Gandhi did menial tasks for his relatives and the British and grew to hate the arrogance of them. An Indian firm finally hired him to go to South Africa for a huge law case. He left his family again and in Africa, found himself, his philosophy and his following. There he met great prejudice and persecutions that would change his and millions of other lives forever. Gandhi knew he needed to change men’s minds about themselves before change could be made on the outside. Through his practice, he learned it was far better to have people reach agreements, than crushing them. He began working for compromise and rights of his people. It took decades of brutal harm on the Indian population and himself from the British. In 1948, he was shot to death pursuing peace. Gandhi often said that if cowardice is the only alternative to violence, it is better to fight. He fought hard through peace to make a difference in the world.

Albert Einstein was born in 1879 in Germany. Einstein had difficulties in school, especially with his teachers who criticized him and his way of learning. “He later wrote that the spirit of learning and creative thought were lost in strict rote learning.” Without completion of a formal education, he began to write his beginning theories on the magnetic field. After restarting school several times and sitting for exams, he failed in all areas of study except physics and math. Later on, despite receiving a teaching degree in physics and mathematics he could not acquire a job, so went to work as an assistant in a patent office. After work, he constantly wrote about some of his greatest ideas. Many scientists in the field of his day openly disagreed with his theories. Continued hard work in the field proved him correct. He won the Nobel peace prize in 1921. Constant hard work and diligence toward his areas of interest and strength, Einstein is known all over for his intelligence and theory of relatively and great contribution to making this world a better place to live. Through constant hard work and perseverance, his theories proved to be correct and the past teachers who told him he was unimaginative and unintelligent proved wrong.

Billy Graham, born in 1918 on a dairy farm, learned how to work hard. His father forced his sister and Billy to drink hard liquor until they vomited which created an aversion to drugs and alcohol. Now picture him giving his life to Christ at 16. How many times was he called a Jesus freak or beaten up for his beliefs? But Billy Graham kept fighting the good fight of faith to show people the love of God. He published over 30 books and was nominated the "Ten Most Admired Men in the World" from the Gallup Poll since 1948 a total of 54 times, including 48 consecutive years -- more than any other individual in the world, placing him at the head of the overall list of those most admired by Americans for the past four decades. Goal in life: "My one purpose in life is to help people find a personal relationship with God, which, I believe, comes through knowing Christ." He struggled with health issues later in life he began to lose vision and hearing but his strong faith endures forever and he knows that where he is going will be the reward for fighting on here in this world. Hard work and belief in God made him different but he affected and changed the world for better through diligence and hard work.

There are so many more people that could be mentioned on this list, so pick people relevant to your child. Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, Pope John Paul, Roosevelt’s, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and too many to name, but in the reality of over 7 billion people in the world, the ones who made the greatest changes are few, but they were DIFFERENT and worked very hard to make change. Being different is a good thing and is a necessity if you want to make a change in your life, but more importantly in the lives around you. Help your child or yourself in your difference. Your difference could mean the greatest reward of all to so many. Just give them perspective.

Standards for Reading Speed

So many people ask, "How fast should my child be reading?" Here are the national standards as presented by Jerry Johns, a leading reading specialist in the country. Click on the link to download your copy Reading Speeds

I use these same standards for my blind and low vision students. If you set high standards then children will meet those standards. I have taken on beginner students and told them how fast they would be reading braille in a couple months, even in middle and high school. At the end of the 2 months, as their fingers would fly across the page reading braille, as I timed them, at the end I would ask, "So did you really think you would be able to read that fast?" They would reply, "Of course, you told me I would be able to."

So tell them, they can, and they will.

Tricks to use
Time them every week, so they see their progress
Have them reread the same material to get flow and fluency
Have them braille the material first using contractions, then read what they wrote

Lessons and articles to help you:

Fast Braille Reading

PowerPoint lesson using only keystrokes

Learn the basics of creating a PowerPoint presentation. Even if completely blind you can align and center text and pictures perfectly. Lessons are done exclusively with keystrokes.

Watch video: Dr. Robinson teaches-PowerPoint lesson using only keystrokes

Full lessons to teach are at www.yourtechvision.com

Deaf-Blind student learns Braille Note, computer with Braille display, amplification for hearing

This video is taken 5 months after beginning instruction. He did not start any type of technology until 8th grade, but once he understood what it would do for him, he learned quickly. Today, he uses wireless to hear JAWS talking software and types his work on a computer with a braille display. He also uses the iphone with braille display. Watch video: Deaf-Blind Student
Lessons to Independence at www.yourtechvision.com

Website that has lessons in teachable immediate download format using keystrokes

A website where lessons are for immediate download in teachable format. All lessons are done completely using keystrokes, so whether you want to become a faster computer user, or can only use the keyboard with talking software, this site will give you the advantage you need to either teach students or learn the skills yourself necessary to compete in life. Hundreds of articles to read on education for the blind and low vision also. www.yourtechvision.com

Watch video at: Website that has lessons in teachable immediate download format using keystrokes

Dr. Robinson teaches-iPad, refreshabraille and using the camera and video

Learn how to use the refreshabraille to operate the camera and video buttons on the iPad.

Watch video for pointers: Dr. Robinson teaches-iPad, refreshabraille and using the camera and video

and download full lesson at iTools

Low Vision-How to enlarge text and wrap it to the window to see easily

Learn how to enlarge text in word to any size and have to wrap to the window so you do not need to use the mouse to scroll left or right. Makes reading faster and easier. Watch video: Dr Robinson teaches how to enlarge text and wrap it to the window to see easily

Lessons that will help teach

How to enlarge text and wrap it to the window to see easily

Just out of the box learning with IPad and refreshabraille

Learn how to pair, to use triple click on the home button to toggle voice over on and off, toggle contracted and uncontracted braille and use notes as a basic editor.

Watch video: Dr. Robinson teaches-Just out of the box learning with IPad and refreshabraille

Download full lessons at iTools