Blog Post #15

by Brantley Spillman

Video C - Teaching Math to the Blind  

Video D - iPad usage for the Blind  

For my post, I began by watching videos C and D from the Blog Post 15 Instructions.  Video C was entitled “Teaching Math to the Blind,  and video D was entitled “iPad Usage for the Blind”. Both videos introduced teaching materials that were new to me and required some additional research for a full understanding of these materials. 

The first video, “Teaching Math to the Blind”, was produced by Professor Art Karshmer. Professor Karshmer is the Department Chair of Technology, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship at the University of San Francisco.  In this video, Professor Karshmer introduces a tool that can help blind students see math in two dimensions as seeing students visualize math.  In the past, blind students could only use Braille to read math problems. This method places mathematical problems in a one-dimensional line for interpretation. For example,

Braille                        New Tool

One-Dimension             Two-Dimension

                                          2

                                    2+2=4                   +2

                                                  4

His students have created a new tool that uses a block system allowing blind students to set up a math problem in the more tangible two-dimensional form.  Blind students no longer have to solve math problems in a linear setup.  As stated in the video, this type of device will help blind students understand math at an earlier age.  Thus, providing a foundation for later math studies and providing the proper tools for learning basic algebra. 

My second video, “iPad Usage for the Blind”, highlighted the abilities that an iPad offers for the blind user.  Its program, voiceover, allows individuals who are blind to navigate their way through his or her iPad. The program voices the application as a user’s finger grazes over the App icon on the home screen.  In the past, our blind community was limited to what tools they could use, such as braille.  With the emergence of computers and related technologies, visually impaired individuals have struggled to maintain an understanding with these limited resources.  Luckily, additional complementary technologies offered today allow the blind the opportunity to enjoy the same computer tools that seeing people enjoy.  Before this video, I was unaware of the iPad’s and iPhone’s ability to provide such a useful tool for individuals with visual disabilities.

Additional Resources:

1. http://www.uni.edu/walsh/blindresources.html

A cumulative list of Online Resources for Teaching the Blind

2. http://adaptivetech.tcnj.edu/resheet/blind.htm

A list of useful software programs and their websites.

Screen Readers: "Screen reading software reads aloud on the screens. It includes text, pull-down menus, icons, dialog boxes, and web pages. Screen readers run parallel with the computer's operating system and applications." (JAWS, Windows-Eyes, and ZoomText)  https://www.washington.edu/doit/articles?464

Scan/Read Systems: "Scan/read systems combine software and a flatbed scanner to read aloud any printed text.   Textbook pages, in class handouts, and tests can be scanned in and then read aloud by the computer."(Kurzweil 1000 , OpenBook) https://www.washington.edu/doit/articles?464

Portable Notetakers: " Portable notetakers provide speech output without a visual display and can be connected to printers and computers for printing and uploading text.   Braille keyboards and refreshable Braille displays are available for Braille users." (Braille Lite Series, Braille ‘n Speak, BrailleNote) https://www.washington.edu/doit/articles?464

3. http://www.tsbvi.edu/math Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

The Standards for teaching the blind math concepts using Tactile Graphics.

California Braille Mathematics Standards (2.1 mb)  

4. https://www.washington.edu/doit/articles?464

What are tactile graphics?

"Tactile graphics deliver information through touch. They usually come with Braille textbooks to show content in maps, charts, layouts, diagrams, and images of geometric figures. Tactile graphics are usually made by hand (Braille transcribers) as part of book production. In some scenarios, the creation of these graphics is implemented by automatic processes using a variety of software applications. Some methods used to create such graphics are described below."https://www.washington.edu/doit/articles?464

• "A hand-tooling method produces a raised image on paper or aluminum diagramming foil. Specially-designed tools hand-emboss raised lines and textures. A Thermoform device creates several copies produced by this method."https://www.washington.edu/doit/articles?464
• "A partially-automated method prints computer generated graphics onto capsule or paper(swell paper), which causes the lines to rise when the paper is sent through a special heating machine. In this process, the black portions of the copy swell outward to form a raised line (tactile graphic)."https://www.washington.edu/doit/articles?464
• "Some Braille embossers are equipped with a graphics mode that can be used for producing tactile graphics, although additional software may be required to use this process. There are also specialized Braille printers, like the Tiger series by ViewPlus, which are specifically designed to create tactile graphics in addition to standard Braille."https://www.washington.edu/doit/articles?464
• "The University of Washington's Tactile Graphics Project provides a variety of sources designed to improve access to mathematics, engineering, and science information from graphical images by students who are blind. One helpful application is the Tactile Graphics Assistant which, when combined with regular software applications, enables the quick translation of visual graphics to a tactile form."https://www.washington.edu/doit/articles?464
• "A valuable resource for creating tactile graphics is the Tactile Diagram Manual produced by Purdue University. This downloadable manual is for educators who need to convert science and math diagrams into tactile graphics."https://www.washington.edu/doit/articles?464

by Hilary Thames

Video A - Watch Assistive Technologies for Vision and Hearing Impaired Children

Video B - The Mountbatten

When I was a senior in highschool, I had the privilege of working with students with special needs through being a teacher's aid. This was definitely an eye opening experience, and I would have to say it taught me more than any class ever could! While working with these students, we had to teach in ways that were not used in regular classrooms. Its not that special needs students cannot learn, they just learn in ways that differ from other students. One great Assistive Technologies for Vision and Hearing Impaired Children makes is that learning needs to be personal. Every student, whether they have a special need or not, learns differently. One great way for teaching the vision impaired is through podcasts, like we learned about earlier this semester from a group of kindergartners. Through these podcasts, students would not only be able to use them during school, but they would also be able to access them at home as well. Having devices like the braille writer talked about in The Mountbatten provides students with special needs the ability to be engaged in regular classroom activities just as any other student.

by Haley Smith

Video E - Teaching Mom What Her Deaf/Blind Child is learning on the iPad

For this blog post, I began the assignment by looking at E and F from the instruction list for blog assignment 15. For section E, I watched a video regarding how blind people are able to access the iPad and use it effectively. I really enjoyed this video. The question for many is how someone that is blind can use something that has no buttons or grooves. That question is answered in this video demonstration. It goes into detail such as the direction that you need to move your fingers, how many fingers to use, how to “turn the knob”, how to type if you can’t see the keyboard, and so much more. The only problem I had with this video is that it didn’t tell you how to put it in the mode where it will read everything or the gadgets will work. It just started the video demonstrating how to use it. This video was very helpful in regards to how to handle using the iPad if I would happen to have a blind student.

Video F - 50 Must See Blogs for Special Education

Section F was really interesting. This was a collection of 50 blogs that have been collected that focus on special needs in children and adults whether in the classroom or in daily lives of these people.  Although I looked at many of the blogs, I primarily want to focus on four – numbers 17, 22, 30, and 46. Blog number 17 was titled Teaching All Students. This blog focused on different apps that an educator can use for special education. My favorite part of the blog was that it gave the different apps that were either free or apps that you need to purchase. It also gives reviews of the apps that are great for the special needs students. Blog number 22 was titled Barto’s World. This blog focused primarily on Dyslexia and ADHD. These are two of the most common disabilities in children in school. This blog helps teachers with students with these disabilities and teaches them how to handle it in the classroom. This blog also gives teachers the resources that will help them understand what is needed to do. My favorite part of this blog is that they didn’t refer to students with disabilities as “creative thinkers”. This takes the part where students with disabilities feel abnormal away. Blog 30 was titled ADDitude: Linving Well with Attention Deficit. This blog had to be my favorite blog of the list of 50 blogs on the list. I loved this blog because it had different blogs and different points of view from people who are influenced by ADD. There is a section for parents that have children with ADD, adults who live with ADD, and experts that study ADD. This blog also gives resources on how to parent children with ADD, treatment for it, and a way to get the newsletter for ADD. The final blog that I looked at was number 46. This blog was titled Children with Special Needs. This blog focuses on things to do for children with special needs for holidays and other special occasions. This is also a site that explains what special needs are. There is one final part that I loved about this blog was it gave stories about children with special needs whether they are happy, sad, or hopeful.