Learn how to use the scientific calculator on your PC using talking software

Learn how to use the calculator that is already built into your PC with talking software--then copy and paste answers into word. Watch on Youtube also:Learn how to use the scientific calculator on your PC using talking software

The List of Chat Acronyms & Text Message Shorthand

So, are you a newbie, someone just learning text language on a phone or any messaging device? Here is a site that provides a host of acronyms and text message shorthand, so it takes you just a fraction of time to text a message.
Go to: The List of Chat Acronyms & Text Message Shorthand

ASCII commands for refreshabraille Braille Display

Additional commands to operate a braille display---126 key commands to enable you to braille $ % <> and more using ASCII functions. Use external keyboard and braille display at the same time--show on video at Youtube:  ASCII commands for refreshabraille Braille Display


For more lessons on blind/low vision, visit: www.yourtechvision.com

AR Testing with braille display/talking software and virtual instruction

Any blind child can take an AR test online using a braille display or talking software or both

Video also on Youtube: Dr Robinson teaches-AR Testing with braille display/talking software and virtual instruction

For lessons on all things blind and low vision, visit: www.yourtechvision.com

Mac and iTool manuals galore at AndreasHead

AndreasHead offers up a wikki that is plentiful of all types of Mac/iTool manuals to learn from, including the ipad which is floating into all corners of education.
In addition, Andrea offers many iTool lessons on Youtube---just do a search on what you need: type in ipad and a plethora of lessons will be populated for you to browse.

Toys for blind/low vision children

Discovery Toys is the place to go if you are looking for that perfect interactive toy for a blind/low vision child.  Go to this very accessible site and browse around to find the toy you need at Discovery Toys. If you need further information, contact:

Brandy Wojcik

Independent Educational Consultant

(512) 689-5045

ballstobooks@gmail.com

Bob Hope in Heaven

One of the GREAT ones of our time! WE can learn a lot from a good sense of humor!  

BOB  HOPE IN HEAVEN For  those of you too young to remember Bob Hope, ask your  Grandparents. And  thanks for the memories. WHAT A WONDERFUL  E-MAIL.   I  HOPE THIS WILL PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE AND IN YOUR  HEART. Tribute to a man who DID make a  difference.     ON  TURNING 70 'I  still chase women, but only  downhill'. ON  TURNING 80 'That's  the time of your life when even your birthday suit needs  pressing.' ON  TURNING 90 'You  know you're getting old when the candles cost more than  the cake.' ON  TURNING 100 'I  don't feel old. In fact,  I don't feel anything until noon. Then it's time for  my nap.' ON  GIVING UP HIS EARLY CAREER, BOXING 'I  ruined my hands in the ring. The referee kept stepping  on them.' ON  NEVER WINNING AN OSCAR 'Welcome  to the Academy Awards or, as it's called at my home,  'Passover'. ON  GOLF 'Golf  is my profession. Show business is just to pay the green  fees.' ON  PRESIDENTS 'I  have performed for 12 presidents and entertained only  six.' ON  WHY HE CHOSE SHOWBIZ FOR HIS CAREER 'When  I was born, the doctor said to my  mother, Congratulations,  you have  an eight pound  ham. ON  RECEIVING THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD  MEDAL 'I  feel very humble, but I think I have the strength of  character to fight it.' ON  HIS FAMILY'S EARLY POVERTY 'Four  of us slept in the one bed. When it got cold, mother  threw on another brother.' ON  HIS SIX BROTHERS 'That's  how I learned to dance.  Waiting for the  bathroom.' ON  HIS EARLY FAILURES 'I  would not have had anything to eat if it wasn't for the  stuff the audience threw at me.' ON  GOING TO HEAVEN 'I've  done benefits for ALL religions. I'd hate to blow the  hereafter on a technicality.'    Give  me a sense of humour;    Lord,  give me the grace to see a  joke, to  get some humour out of  life, and  to the person receiving this the grace to pass it on  to others.

Tricks to learning how to use the Braille low vision protractor

There are many wonderful tricks to use the Braille Protractor..watch the video here or on YouTube at: Tricks to learning how to use the Braille low vision protractor
If you need further help, Susan Osterhaus at the Texas School for the Blind has even more videos on Youtube

Geeks making the world a bit better for blind/low vision and others

Gary Bishop has created a wonderful site where you can get the latest greatest research on what is going on for all types of disabilities--or different abilities

I highly suggest taking a look at seeing what can help you: Just go to Gary Bishop--Geeks making the world a bit better

Assistive Technology Trainer Guidelines and Procedures

If you are looking for an extensive list of Assessment tools, Texas Department of Blind Services has delivered such a list on what trainers should be delivering and teaching to blind and low vision individuals.

See this extensive list at: Assistive Technology Trainer Guidelines and Procedures

A talking television for blind/low vision People

Panasonic launches a talking television

The World's first talking television has just come out, which promises to offer the blind world access to all the options sighted people take for granted.

Read all about it at:  Panasonic launches a talking television

ipad, braille display, external keyboard attach to teacher's computer for blind/low vision students

Learn how you can attach all these tools to a teacher's computer so everyone can interact with what is going on in the classroom, no matter how far away it is from the student

Watch YouTube video: ipad, braille display, external keyboard attach to teacher's computer for blind/low vision students

Play Clay—The Basic Recipe --teach shapes the fun way

Play Clay is so simple. It’s safe, Inexpensive, and encourages children’s own creativity. Kids can have hours of fun shaping, cutting, and making anything their mind can come up with. Add cookie cutters to show shapes.
Download your free recipe now:
Play Clay—The Basic Recipe --teach shapes the fun way

Free Online games for blind or autistic children

Only using the arrow keys, just about anyone can move around and navigate this website. Go to a multitude of different games and have fun by answering questions with yes, just the arrow keys. Try this site out: Hark the Sound

Create work, send to student using Dropbox, student opens on iPad, completes work then sends back to teacher using email

Learn how to create work on a Mac or Pc and send to your student on their iPad, ipod or iphone using Dropbox (iPad example is given, but same techniques work for other iTools). After the student opens and completes the work, they send it back to the teacher for correction.

Watch video at Youtube: Create work, send to student using Dropbox, student opens on iPad, completes work then sends back to teacher using email

iPad, Braille display with read2go -refreshabraille demo, but any will do

Learn how to download books from bookshare and read them in read2go APP. Use audio, braille display or both.

Watch the video that can make the difference:   iPad, Braille display with read2go -refreshabraille demo, but any will do

Web Site Resources for Blind/Low Vision games/products/tools

This list has been on going for years of all the many resources I constantly use with my students and parents. It is in no particular order yet, as it is constantly growing. If you use a particular site that has helped you greatly and is not on this list, please let me know and I will add it for everyone else also. Download your free copy by clicking on link below, add to cart and check out and a digital download will be waiting for you in Your Lessons (a link at that top right hand corner of the site)

Web Site Resources

ebooks for your iPad or other iTool-Read2go

Read2Go is the most accessible e-book reader app for readers with print disabilities. Directly from within the Read2Go app, Bookshare members can find, download, and read books all on a single Apple device. No need to download books to computers, transfer files, or decompress files! Just download and READ! from the Read2Go website--watch the video

Read2Go Highlights

• Browse and search Bookshare’s entire collection
• Download and automatically unzip books
• Store books on the Read2Go bookshelf
• Connect via blue tooth to specific braille displays to read in braille
• Read books multi-modally (see and hear words at the same time)
• Read in text only or text-to-speech mode with built-in Acapela voices
• Control font size, color, background, reading speed and more!
• Volume purchase discounts available for schools

This ereader is truly one of the easiest readers to use. Once you type in your basic information and pick your configurations, just type in the title you want and it will instantly download from the bookshare site. Go out and find other periodicals and more with this incredibly easy reader. It will bring the world to your finger tips. Anyone with a reading disability will achieve the ability to see and hear a books.

Special Needs--There’s An App For That!!

“The Technology is brilliant, but the magic is in the teaching.” Phyllis Brodsky

       Just like any other learning medium, before using an iPad with your child or student, you

must first know the child’s vision and hearing, their level of foundational information, what

additional supports are needed. Apps should be chosen based on the desired outcome.

Think about what skills you are trying to teach, think about accessibility – can the child

see it, hear it? What additional learning supports need to be in place to make this understandable.

As with all aspects of teaching a child (either at school or in the home) you

must first ask why. What is the purpose of this activity? Is this to assist in communication, for

helping the child in concept development, to use in social interactions, to increase independence,

or to promote more positive behaviors. There are many apps that can be

used in each of these areas. Let’s separate them out!

 • Communication: Answers Yes No, First Then Visual Schedule, Proloquo2go, Tap To Talk

• Check out this video about Victor’s Voice!  http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/

us/2011/01/17/dnt.ipad.helps.boy.talk.WFMY

 • Concept Development: Uzu, Cosmic Top, Pocket Pond, Vocal Zoo, Peekaboo Barn

• Social Interactions: Fruit Ninja, 10 Pin Shuffle, 2 Player Xylophone, 1 on 1 Hockey, Align

Four, Tic-tac-toe

 • Literacy: Pop Out! The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Bob Books #1, Alphabet World, Letter

Tracer Preschool Letters, Flying Word

 • Math: Math Ninja, Math Bingo, Baseball 1 – 6 Facts

 • Independence: LookTel Money Reader

 • Behavior: That’s How I Feel, iReward,

 • Other Uses: Fluidity turns your iPad into a Light box!

          A simple but powerful app, That’s How I Feel, uses brightly colored and easy to understand

illustrations to help children express their feelings. The app is easy to use. Designed

with a traffic light in mind, the app uses three primary colors to express different emotions.

The app contains children’s most powerful feelings. Simple voice recordings convey appropriate

intonation for each feeling on That’s How I Feel.

 For more on iPads go to:

 •  Apps for Children with Special Needs

 • Apps for Digital Storytelling

 • Babies with iPads

 •  iPad Academy

 • iPodsibilities

 Taken from the West Virginia SenseAbilities newsletter, Winter 2012, pg. 8

What a blind child should do when the class is asked to create a Poster Board

When a child is asked to create a poster board or anything with paper and pencil and cutting out pictures, I direct them toward a PowerPoint presentation.

Blind children can easily create an elaborate or simple PP depending on their skill level. Last week, such an event came up with one of my newer students. Her skills are basic so we kept the PP basic. We went into the Internet and copied all the pictures out that she needed...yes she did this all by herself with just my verbal cues---she learned how to route her JAWS cursor to where it needed to be and use a special right click on a keyboard that brings up all those special options to do what you need to do--on a laptop as the commands are different on a desktop--this is not the applications key. There are many tricks in getting the perfect picture and she is on her way to learning these skills. When she saved all her pictures, she went back to her PP and inserted them where they needed to be. We did all the placement of the Title and pictures and over the weekend she did all the writing for each slide in the correct text box.

Any graphic information that she is unsure of, the assistant makes a 3-D item so she can feel---happened to be science --wikki sticks,pipe cleaners--and you can burn off different parts of the pipe cleaners to make a multitude of different textures (she created a peptide model), placed with braille labels ( braille label out with just as much blank space so you can bend the whole braille label around the pipe cleaner to stick it, which can be easily read by the blind student).
Lessons to help you teach:
PowerPoint, save pics from Internet and place in presentation-audio/visual lesson
PowerPoint Office 2003, taking you from Basics to Presentation with JAWS
PowerPoint Office 2010-taking you from the Basics to Presentation with JAWS