Spring 2005 - Volume12 Issue3 As deafblind education specialists, we have experienced firsthand the Words in My Hands A Teacher, a Deaf-blind Man, an Unforgettable Journey http://www.tr.wou.edu/tr/dbp/current.htm
Extractions: The Teaching Research Institute In This Issue A Personal View of Changes in Deaf-Blind Population, Philosophy, and Needs Getting In Touch - The Perkins Museum Research Update Letter To The Editor ... Announcements A Personal View of Changes in Deaf-Blind Population, Philosophy, and Needs David Brown Blind Babies Foundation D uring the past quarter century there have been significant changes in the population of children who are deaf-blind. At the same time there has been a steady increase in understanding and knowledge of effective educational strategies to help this group of children. As deaf-blind education specialists, we have experienced firsthand the influence of these changes on our work with children and their parents, teachers, and other service providers. In this article we relay some of our own experiences and offer our personal perspective on changes that have occurred in the field. Changes in Population In 1983, a national survey of the population of children with deaf-blindness in the UK suggested that Congenital Rubella Syndrome was declining as a leading cause of deaf-blindness, while the number of other identified etiologies was steadily increasing, as was the proportion of children with additional severe disabilities. The author of the survey made the point that, "If this apparent change in population is a long-term one then it has implications for the provision of placements, staffing and the development of appropriate teaching techniques and appropriate measures for assessment" (Best, 1983, p. 11).
Browse By Article No Teacher Left Behind Training Teachers to Meet the Challenge of History and Change in the education of Children Who Are Deafblind Since the Rubella http://www.tr.wou.edu/tr/dbp/Article.htm
Extractions: The Teaching Research Institute April 2005 - Volume 12 Issue 3 January 2005 - Volume 12 Issue 2 September 2004 - Volume 12 Issue 1 May 2004 - Volume 11 Issue 3 January 2004 - Volume 11 Issue 2 Deafblind International World Conference on Deafblindness Workshop Presentations Plenary Session Panels on Communication Pre-Conference Intervenor Training Course Rubella Focus Group Report A Wonderful Opportunity An Awesome Experience
Extractions: Winter, 1997 Vol.51, No.1 Overbrook 2001 Technology Benefits Even the Youngest Students (This article is one in a series that is appearing in "Towers" throughout the 1996-97 school year to update the Overbrook family on Overbrook 2001, a 5-year plan started in 1996 which will provide students with access to high-technology equipment that has been customized to meet each of their special needs) Overbrook 2001 has brought many new forms of communication to teacher Sue Thess' Early Childhood class. The three students in her class, who for the most part do not speak and who are legally blind but have some functional vision, may get their messages across by activating switches placed strategically around the room. One student may press a "Big Mack" switch a round device that can be programmed with a teacher's voice to produce one message to say "I want more music during circle time. Another student may use a "rocker switch" a device that has two sides that when depressed produce a separate message to indicate "I want more" or "I'm all done" at lunchtime. Students may also use augmentative communication devices such as Wolf Boards, Hawk Boards, and EasyTalkers. The boards have tactual or visual overlays with up to 35 squares. When a student touches a square it produces a word.
RRTC On Blindness And Low Vision The American Council of the blind is cosponsoring our National Training Ms. Elizabeth Williams is a Special education Teacher at the TK Martin Center http://www.blind.msstate.edu/Worksight2005.htm
Extractions: Kimbrough Named Training Director B.T. Kimbrough is the RRTCs new training director and assumed his new duties on July 19, 2004. Kimbrough, whose background includes product development of Braille embossers as vice president of Enabling Technologies (Jensen Beach, FL), was selected for the post in July, 2004 after his predecessor, John Maxson, retired in January. "We are fortunate to have a person with his industrial and rehabilitation service delivery experience to lead our training and dissemination projects," said J. Elton Moore, RRTC director. "I am excited about working with him to develop additional funding sources for new training programs for the Center." Kimbrough served from 1989-2004 as vice president of Enabling Technologies. His industry experience includes product development and marketing of Braille embossers and electronic devices for use by individuals with vision disabilities. He also served as service division director for Associated Services for the Blind (Philadelphia, PA) from 1985-1989, where he successfully launched two new programs - Job Placement and Services for the Deaf-Blind. In addition to overseeing the Centers training conference activities, Kimbrough will be supervising the development and launch of our Business Enterprise Program (BEP) on-line training course and managing the continued development of our BEP Web page.
IBS: Education For The Parent educational Programs and Services Kay, Julie Lee Career education Teacher Handbook Austin, TX Texas School for the blind and Visually Impaired, 1997. http://www.iowa-braille.k12.ia.us/education_parent.html
Visual Impairment Teacher (History And Social Science) The Virginia School for the Deaf and the blind at Staunton is seeking a Special education Teacher with a concentration in History and Social Science to http://www.vsdb.state.va.us/Human Resources Job Ads/Visual-Impairment-Teacher-Hi
Extractions: Vacancy Announcement Visual Impairment Teacher (History and Social Science) Position Number: F0037 Open Date: 8/5/2005 Hiring Range: $32,120 - $49,529 Closing Date: Open Until Filled The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind at Staunton is seeking a Special Education Teacher with a concentration in History and Social Science to provide a quality instructional program to secondary students with blindness and visual impairment. Responsibilities include: Minimum Qualifications: A minimum of a Baccalaureate Degree from a regionally accredited college or university Hold or be eligible for a valid Virginia teaching license issued by the Board of Education with endorsement in Visual Impairment. Teachers who do not currently hold an endorsement in Visual Impairment may teach under a Special Education Conditional License for a three year period while satisfying the coursework for this endorsement. An additional endorsement in History and Social Science is preferred. Must meet the highly qualified criteria established by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004. Teachers who are new to the profession must hold or be eligible for endorsement in either history and social science, mathematics, language arts, or science, and demonstrate competence in all core academic subjects taught. Teachers who are not new to the profession must demonstrate competence in all core academic subjects taught.
EBU To Improve - EBU 2000 Proceedings What can the EBU do to improve the status of education of the blind and partially sighted and There were some blind teachers who, at times successfully, http://www.icevi-europe.org/topics/ebu2000/to-improve.html
Extractions: st EBU International Conference on Education, 19-23 July 2000, Montegrotto Terme (Padua) - Italy When I started my school career back in 1959 it was - at least in Germany and many other countries - common knowledge that blind people had to attend special, residential schools where they would get an excellent education. Looking back I must admit that this was true - with one exception: during the first decade of my school years we did not get enough training in mobility and independent living skills. But our academic training was very good. My first six school years were spent in a small institution which at that time had no more than 35 students. Except for weekends and vacation time we all had to live in the dormitory. We had teachers who were very much dedicated to their jobs. They were all able to read and write Braille - including Grade II Braille - and even in their leisure time they often worked on models which would have helped us get a better understanding of the world around us. These models were made out of wood, plaster and other materials and showed buildings and streets around our school, landscapes, islands and more. My teachers were sighted, with one exception: there was a blind man who was not a teacher by profession, but he came and taught piano and accordion. We all knew that he was the President of our State Federation of the Blind, an organisation we would all join once we were old enough (at that time, you had to be 16 before you could become a member).
Careers In Blindness assessment, provision of low vision services, and teaching career education to blind and low vision students in elementary school. http://www.careersinblindness.com/faculty.html
Extractions: Ms. OFarrell is currently an instructor and the Director of the Assistive Technology Center at Florida State University. Before coming to Florida she was the Program Manager for the federally funded Title 7, Chapter 2, Older Blind Program for the State of Wyoming. She has also worked for non-profit agencies in Florida and Georgia as a Rehabilitation Teacher, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, and Assistive Technology Instructor. Ms. OFarrell also worked as an optician for 10 years. Ms. Heidi Oquendo
Extractions: EDUCATION OF A BLIND STUDENT Spring 1997, Vol. 8 No. 2 by Theresa Lupo When I asked Serena Cucco what the best thing about her laptop computer was, she replied emphatically, "Computer games! I like Mobius Mountain Personal Computer Systems (PCS)), a math game. You try to solve math problems in cold, damp caves. I have another game called AnyNight Football PCS ). You get to choose the plays. I like football. I used to play T-ball, too, when I was younger. You could say I'm a big sports fan." Of course, what 13-year-old 6th grader doesn't enjoy computer games? I couldn't help but wonder, though, how do you play computer games if you can't see the screen? Serena has been blind since birth. Serena's mother, Carol Castellano, explained that the Personal Computer Systems games use sound rather than visual displays. She described one of her family's favorites, Bowling PCS ). To a background of bowling alley noise, the player hears a tone indicating the prime stance for a strike and presses "go." Then the player listens to a series of tones and tries to match it with the first. When she identifies it and presses enter, she hears the ball roll and crash into the pins and receives a score. "Personal Computer Systems games have been designed by blind people. My kids just adore them. The games really help develop hand-ear coordination." Carol added, "Although there are many programs that provide access to the screen for blind users, educational programs and games for the blind are relatively few."
Blind Man S Education Dream May Soon Realize blind man s education dream may soon realize During the examination, the college assigned a teacher to help Xiao. The teacher read the questions to me http://en-1.ce.cn/National/sci&edu/200508/11/t20050811_4399255.shtml
Blind And Vision Impairments Home Employment and education Resources Rehabilitation Services special education teachers, low vision practitioners, and deafblind specialists. http://www.rehabjobs.org/blindteacher.html
Extractions: Orientation and Mobility Specialists work closely with people who are blind or visually impaired to help them develop the skills necessary for independent and safe travel. The use of the sighted guide technique, the long cane, and electronic travel aids are some of the systematic techniques by which blind or visually impaired people orient themselves to their surroundings and move about safely and efficiently. Orientation and Mobility Specialists also monitor and support the development of the basic concepts, sensory skills and protective techniques for safe travel. Daily professional activities of Orientation and Mobility Specialists may include interviewing and making assessments and referrals as well as providing direct, one-on-one orientation and mobility services. Some opportunities are available in low-vision clinics for assessing vision and determining training needs.
CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Education Of The Blind Although the education of the blind as a class dates back no further than the The blind are fond of the study of geography, and with proper teaching are http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05306a.htm
Extractions: Home Encyclopedia Summa Fathers ... E > Education of the Blind A B C D ... Z Although the education of the blind as a class dates back no further than the year 1784, historians and statisticians generally admit that the affliction which it tends to relieve was no less prevalent before than it has been since that date. Indeed, so far from having increased, blindness appears to have in a marked degree decreased during the last hundred years. An exact statement of the number of blind persons in all parts of the inhabited earth is of course impossible. The estimates which publicists have formed upon the basis of census returns, as also those derived from the observation of travellers, give the ratio of blind persons to the whole population in Asia 1 to 500; in Africa 1 to 300; in Europe 1 to 1094 (the ratios for seventeen countries of the last-named division being, approximately: England, 1 to 1235; Scotland, 1 to 1118; Ireland, 1 to 870; France, 1 to 1194; Germany, 1 to 1136; European Russia, 1 to 534; Austria, 1 to 1234; Hungary, 1 to 952; Italy, 1 to 1074; Spain, 1 to 835; Denmark, 1 to 1248; Sweden, 1 to 1262; Norway, 1 to 795; Finland, 1 to 689; Belgium, 1 to 1229; Switzerland, 1 to 1325; Bulgaria, 1 to 321). For the other great geographical divisions no data are available for even a fairly satisfactory approximation. (See below Blindness in the United States .) Consistently with the foregoing ratios, and with such conjectures as may be hazarded for America, Australasia, etc., it may be estimated that the number of blind persons now living in all parts of the world is not far short of 2,500,000. A careful study of the figures shows that blindness prevails most in tropical, and least in temperate, regions; more in the Eastern than in the Western Hemisphere. In the temperate climates of the North the blind are comparatively few; nearer the Arctic Circle, the glittering snows, the alternation from the brilliant nights of the Arctic summer to the prolonged darkness of the winter, and other conditions affect the visual organs unfavourably, while in the torrid zones the glare from desert sands and the intense heat of the sun occasion many diseases, resulting in either total or partial loss of sight.
Teacher Resource Center Annotation Teaching template to accommodate deafblind students in the classroom This article provides suggestions for teachers of a regular education, http://www.glc.k12.ga.us/trc/cluster.asp?mode=browse&intPathID=3366
Utah Deafblind Project Project Director Darla Fowers, Utah Schools for the Deaf and the blind said Beth Ann Cahoon, special education teacher at LaVerkin Elementary. http://www.usdb.org/departments/DeafBlind/project.asp
Extractions: Grant Number: H326C990023 This project is support by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the position of the U.S. Department of Education Contact Information: Project Director: Darla Fowers, Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind You can read about the items below by clicking on them. Click on the words, return to top , to get to the top of the page at any time. Project abstract and objectives Trainings- Division Trainings - Staff Trainings - Community ... Deafblind Dispatch Newsletters Abstract and objectives The training, information, and technical assistance objectives which will provide the direction for the Project during the next five years are:
Educational Services For Blind Ch 2 Source of Data Board of education and Services for the blind Because blindness is such a low incidence disability, most teachers and other education http://www.cga.ct.gov/pri/archives/2000esreportchap2.htm
Extractions: Chapter II Overview of Children and Services Children who are blind or visually impaired comprise a diverse client population. In terms of degree of vision, their sight can range from total blindness to varying degrees of low vision. For some, vision difficulties are their only disability while others have multiple disabilities that affect their educational needs. In addition, the ability to adapt to vision loss is influenced by individual factors such family support and intellectual, emotional, and physical functioning. As a result, service needs can differ greatly, even among persons with similar visual deficits, and many factors must be considered in designing appropriate educational programs. An overview of the current population of children who are blind or visually impaired in Connecticut and the existing system of education services for students with vision-related disabilities follows. Client Population It is estimated about 8 percent of the 17,140 persons identified as legally blind in Connecticut in FY 99 were children. Blindness is a low incidence disability among both adults and children. Information from the state special education report for 1999-2000, summarized in Table II-1 below, shows there were 356 students whose primary disability was visual impairment. They made up only 0.5 percent of all identified students with disabilities and just 0.1 percent of the total public school population.
Games For People With Sensory Impairments - Human Kinetics James F. Cowart is an adapted physical education teacher at the California School for the blind in Fremont, California. He received an MA in education from http://www.humankinetics.com/products/showproduct.cfm?isbn=0873228901
Extractions: Home delivery Contact us Site map Traffic ... Alerts / E-mails Marketplace Jobs Autos Homes Rentals ... Home delivery Wednesday, July 13, 2005 - Page updated at 12:00 AM Teachers step in as the eyes for the visually impaired By Eva Constantaras Seattle Times staff reporter PREV of NEXT Teacher Kathryn Botsford guides Brian Saboroboro through the process of using a can opener to open a can of tuna, including where to put his thumb and hand. THOMAS JAMES HURST / THE SEATTLE TIMES Kathryn Botsford, with student Brian Saboroboro, is among 80 Washington teachers who spend the school year driving around the state to help visually impaired students. The state needs twice as many teachers as it has, but only 15 are in training. THOMAS JAMES HURST / THE SEATTLE TIMES With assistance from teacher Kathryn Botsford, Brian Saboroboro, 10, practices crossing the street by himself. Brian lost most of his vision when he was 7. For soon-to-be fifth grader Brian Saboroboro, Braille and independent-living skills have their rewards: He gets to read Braille Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. E-mail article
Blind Man's Education Dream May Realize_china_English_SINA.com But he will need more than 7000 yuan(US$863) to pay for his education. In 1996, he lost his sight completely and started to study blind massage at a http://english.sina.com/china/1/2005/0811/41943.html
Extractions: var conf = 'english'; refExtJs("http://ads.sina.com/adConfig/"+conf+".js"); HOME NEWS SPECIAL REPORT PHOTO ... HOTEL NEWS > Mainland Blind man's education dream may realize 2005-08-11 00:44:15 XinhuaEnglish BEIJING Aug. 11 South China Normal University in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province, may accept its first blind student later this month. Xiao Yonghong, 27, who is from Central China's Hunan Province, participated in the latest entrance examination for admission to the university's Internet School on Saturday. He should get his result on August 20. The three-year course that Xiao applied for is in public administration. Xiao told China Daily yesterday that if he passed the college entrance exam, he would devote himself to education for the blind upon graduation. "The Internet distance learning system used by our college was set up for the able-bodied," Xing Tao, an official in charge of recruitment for the college, told China Daily,"even though we have recruited some people who are missing limbs and deaf-mute students in the past two years." Facilities Xing said that at present the college does not have facilities specifically for blind students.
Perkins School For The Blind History Museum Kellers efforts influenced educators of the deafblind, and in the 1930s they Sophia K. Alcorn of Kentucky developed a method to teach oral speech to http://www.perkins.org/museum/section.php?id=196
MediaLT: English, ECDL Course Via Distant Education The successful outcome of the first distant education ECDL pilot course, its kind in which blind and visually impaired students receive online teaching. http://medialt.no/english/articles/ecdl_pilot1.htm
Extractions: Insufficient training in using computers and standard software is particularly noticeable for blind and partially sighted persons. One of the main reasons is that visually impaired computer users are dependent on complicated assisting devices like Braille displays, artificial speech and screen enlargers. Course vendors usually do not have the necessary expertise to teach students using assisting devices and screen readers. The ECDL (European Computer Driving License) is a standardized course in practical computer usage. MediaLT A/S, Datakortet A/S and several Norwegian organizations for the blind are working together to develop a suitable certification scheme, accessible learning materials and a training model for the visually impaired. The ECDL syllabus is not modified. The project is funded by the Norwegian Research Council, Microsoft, Telenor and two Norwegian departments. The successful outcome of the first distant education ECDL pilot course, for blind and visually impaired users, represents an important milestone in this work. All four participants were successful in attaining the ECDL. This pilot project, which started in January 2002, has been particularly exciting, as it is one of the first of its kind in which blind and visually impaired students receive online teaching. And the response to the announcement of the pilot project, through The Norwegian Society for the Blind, is yet another illustration of the acute lack of education in computer skills for the blind and partially sighted.
