Sharing Braille with Sighted Classmates

I did a blog article for  Perkins Products' blog. Check it out.

Sharing Braille with Sighted Classmates: A Step-by-Step Guide

The Braille Summit: a Parent's Perspective.

About two months ago while browsing on the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (or NLS for short) website I tripped over information about an upcoming Braille Summit that NLS was having at the Perkins School for the Blind.

I read the following statement.

"NLS invites you to participate in the NLS Braille Summit at Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts, June 19−21, 2013, to help determine the best ways for libraries to promote and support braille literacy. The conference will bring together librarians, braille literacy professionals, braille readers, and other stakeholders"

 I first ignored it didn't say parents. Its not for me. Than went back and read it again.  I AM a stakeholder.  I have an interest in NLS's services.  I am a parent of a braille reader. We are serviced for NLS Braille books out of the Perkins Regional NLS Library.  It was the week the kids finish school.  I checked with my husband Chris and decided I could go. That I should go. I wouldn't be able to afford the hotel room. I would have to drive in to Boston area traffic every single day to get to Perkins but I decided to register.  (Perkins School for the Blind is about an hour and half drive on a good day)

So on June 19th to the 21st of June I drove each day to the Braille Summit. I am going to give a detailed (and make that wordy summery of my experience so I am  concerned I will lose some people who are busy.  So I ask you one thing. If you do anything watch the recording of the of the panel on Braille Literacy and Promotion http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZhRYsKs7Jj0

So on Wednesday June 19th I dropped Abby off at Track Camp (yes she went to track camp and loved it) got ready and drove to Perkins School in the early afternoon. The summit started after lunch. I was proud I made it on time.  I registered and they handed me name badge and packet that included the final agenda.

The cover of the agenda in big bold letters said:

THE FUTURE OF BRAILLE

Ok I did a quick double take when I saw that. All the other titles for the conference said "That All May Read"  This is just something about a just saying the term "The Future of Braille" that makes me light headed. This is serious. A title is just a title but it does set the stage for all things to follow.  

While the primary focus on the summit was on NLS and how to make its braille services better I really think it was much bigger than that.  I realized at time there discussions  that may change the landscape of the braille in the future. I don't mean like the changes with the adoption of UEB.  I mean on a much more larger and hard to express sense.  Truly "The Future of Braille"   I realized pretty quickly there there were people from all over the world from some of the major braille and blindness organizations and companies. I was just a parent. I am pretty certain I was the only "just a parent" there.  I wasn't the only parent of blind child but the only one that was there because of that role.  Everyone seemed to be impressed I was there but I knew I was nothing special. I did what any parents would have done if they were in my situation.  I knew there would have been more parents if it had been promoted to them, if many parents were not dealing with school ending and all that the start of summer does.

There were so many smart and interesting people. The simple fact I was able to be this close to so many interesting people that love braille as much and even more than I do made the trip more than worth it. Many of the people already knew each other very well and while that was interesting it was also awkward at times. At times I felt like I was crashing a class reunion. That wass ok I was there to do a job.  

Day 1. Welcomes, Braille Policy and a Panel of Braille Readers. 

There was many highlights.  I heard things like  braille is on life support.  Braille on demand, how the model of 'perfect braille' needs to be adjusted. How we need to focus on the positive things about braille and how the public view of braille NEEDS to change.
It was also announced that the US Department of Education released a policy letter on braille
OSEP Dear Colleague Letter on Braille, June 19, 2013
 MS Word (219KB) | PDF (292KB)

You can watch the first day session here (use headphones and volume way up due to some sound issues) 

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Break Out Sessions: At the end of the day we had our first  out of 6 break out sessions. They split the group into 4 smaller groups that were randomly assigned so you were in a new group for each of the 6 breakout sessions.  This was fun, interesting. We were able to share our ideas on what we thought were important with the topic. All idea were accepted and we given 3 tokens and we voted on the group's ideas in any way we wanted to. Meaning you could vote with one of your tokens for an idea or if it was really important you could vote all your tokens for one idea. The hard part was when your tokens were gone you had no more votes It was a neat and successful model.  On the last video on the conference they go over all the results from these break out sessions.  The breakout sesssions were really where most of the 'work' happened.  Two big topics that came up was for NLS to provide braille displays to all patrons (this is nothing more than an idea at this point)  and for NLS to do a Braille is Cool campaign. (again just an idea).

After the first day there was a reception I almost didn't go but decided to stay because the traffic would be really bad to get home and it may be a little better a little later.  I am glad I stayed. There was yummy food, interesting people and they announced the release of the 3rd edition of "World Braille Usage"  A book that I knew nothing about that first was released more than 50 years ago.
More information can be found here http://www.perkins.org/worldbraille/  It pretty much describes all the way that braille is used around the world.

World Braille Usage 3rd edition cover

Day 2.

A picture showing some of my traffic adventures The traffic isn't moving at all.

Ok this day I had quite an adventure in traffic and was an hour late so I missed the first panel on Braille Selection.  I made it in time for the first break out session. Whats cool is you can see that panel right now (remember there may be sound issues so make sure your sound is way up and this panel doesn't start till more than 10 minutes into this video.) I found the whole process of selecting which books get released very interesting. I am also a bit of book nerd and this was really interesting to hear the nuts and bolts.  There was an exciting pie in the sky panel on Braille Technology. All the panels had break out sessions that were on those topics.
Video 2 Book Selection
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Video 3 Braille Production
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Video 4 Braille Technology
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Day 3

This was the last day. I made it on time so I was very happy for that. The day started with a WONDERFUL Braille Literacy panel.  There was also the last two break out sessions. As an added bonus there was  a "Show and Share" time were some organizations shared some of their products. I got the chance to thank Perkins Products for my families wonderful visit from Marty the Smart Brailler.  I than participated in the last breakout session and rushed home to pick up Abby from Track Camp.(She had a great week.)  I missed the closing statements and the final report on the breakout sessions. I had to leave early or I would end up in the car for hours. Late afternoon Friday traffic on 93 north is always horrible. What is great is I was able to watch what I missed out on when I got home.

Video 5 Braille Literacy =

Video 6 Final Plenary Roundtable Session

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So what did I think? What did I take away?  That I personally need to work harder at promoting braille. That I personally LOVE BRAILLE. This was quite a revolution considering I can't really read it. So I plan to take steps to change that.  I am very passionate about braille literacy.   That we all as a blindness community at large need to work harder at promoting braille and sharing how important it is.  I am excited and concerned over the future of braille all at once. It was a good event.

I am thankful to NLS for keep this event OPEN.  A closed event would have made this event less powerful.  There were many just braille readers who came just because they love braille and wanted to be there.

The whole event was a love letter to braille and it ended on the day the 2013 Braille Challenge final started. How great is that?

Summer Reading Prep.

Sam reading on the swing in the snow

Well my kids only have a few short weeks till summer vacation starts.  We have no big trips planned this summer ( :( ) So i hope to focus on the kids reading a lot of books this summer.  Its easy for Sam.  We run down to the library or book store and can get new books for Sam very easily. As an added bonus the boy LOVES to read.  Its not uncommon to find Sam reading in the strangest places.

With Abby is just takes a bit more work.  She still struggles at time  reading and reading is just not as much fun to her as it is with Sam.  Its a bit more challenging to get books for Abby because you jsut can't run to the store to buy a Braille book.  As a response to this I have become a braille book hoarder   Yes its true.  I have been collecting many books since Abby first became blind.  I still work very hard at building our collection.   Want to become a braille book hoarder like me? What to know what I have done to get books into Abby's hands?
Here is a list of the sources of the books in our collection and places you get Braille.

1. Books passed on from others.  It becomes clear to all parents of Braille readers that you can't keep all the books you have.  As your child out grows books its very exciting to pass them on to a younger reader.  We do this when we can and only keep Abby's most beloved outgrown books.  So a tip is to find  a few Braille readers just a few years older than yours and perhaps you will be blessed with some of their books.

Braille Book Fair 2012

2. NOPBC Braille Book Fair We have gone the NOPBC Conference and the NFB National Convention the past two years and every year they have the Braille Book Fair where kids leave with MANY new books. Its a true celebration of Braille. This years NFB Convention is is in Orlando Florida Monday, July 1—Saturday, July 6, 2013 I put links about the NOPBC Conference and this years NFB Convention just above. A Future Reflections article about a past Braille Book Fair https://nfb.org/Images/nfb/Publications/fr/fr30/4/fr300413.htm


3. American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults Free Braille Program   We have tons of these books I think Abby gets a new one once a month. Great program.  http://www.actionfund.org/free-braille-books

Abby at the braille book fair 2012

4. Early Braille Literacy Programs. These programs are usally for children up to the age of 6 or 7. - NFB Braille Reading Pals Program https://nfb.org/braille-reading-pals-early-literacy-program     and National Braille Press ReadBooks Program http://www.nbp.org/ic/nbp/programs/readbooks/readbooks.html   These programs are both great and are about getting braille to young children and empowering parents as the child's first teachers.  There is also  APH  & Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Partnership  Abby was to old to sign up for this program when it started but it looks like children up to age six can get 5 free braille books a year. http://www.aph.org/dolly-partons-imagination-library/

5. Braille Institute Special Collections Program. This is a great program Abby gets to pick out free braille books 3 or 4 times a year. Its always exciting to get the new order form.  http://www.brailleinstitute.org/programs/index.php/child-and-youth/special-collection

Abby Braille reading outside

6. Seedlings Angel Book Program. Seedlings offers 2 free braille books every YEAR to blind and visually impaired children.  They have a great catalog http://www.seedlings.org/bkangel2009.php

7. I buy the books. I buy books primary from Seedlings http://www.seedlings.org/  & National Braille Press http://www.nbp.org/  Both these wonderful organizations work hard and making the cost of braille books reasonable.

Abby reading Braille

8.  National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped  There are regional braille libraries all over the country where like any library you borrow books for a set time and return them.  In New Hampshire we get our Braille books from the Perkins Library.  Did you know you could get BRAILLE magazine from NLS? I had no idea and Abby loves them and we get to keep them.  Find out about the programs NLS offers and contact your regional library for more information. You can find out where your regional library is at this link http://www.loc.gov/nls/index.html

9. Bookshare. https://www.bookshare.org/  is such a fantastic service. Abby reads books in Braille on her iPad with Read2Go app and her refreshable Braille display. You can also download books into most Braille note takers and on your computer with a braille displays.  Books can also be downloaded and printed off on an Braille embosser.  Bookshare has 1000s of books.  Abby once went to a book signing. She got the new print book signed and than downloaded the book from Bookshare so she could read it.

I think that's most of the sources from our large mass of books in our Braille library. If you know of another great source share it in the comments.

Perkins SMART Brailler: A fond farewell

Does it make me a sap that today when I dropped the Perkins SMART Brailler off at the UPS store I got a little teary?  I really enjoyed it's visit. Its on its way to the Porter Family in Florida now.  I went through and cleared out the two user profiles that my kids made. Did you know you could save profiles for different members of the family?  I played with the eraser feature one last time.  I tested out the keys  and remembered the excitement I got when I made a letter and a word.  Yes its true I AM a sap. I look forward to finding out how the Porter Family and others enjoy the SMART Brailler.  

Abby was sure to share the SMART Brailler features with her dad this weekend. It was the one last thing she wanted to do before it had to away.

Abby and Sam unpacking the SMART Brailler a little over two weeks ago. 

I did notice something interesting when Abby used the SMART Brailler.  She would get frustrated when the SMART Brailler told her she made a mistake. She does already experiences this with her iPad and braille display which she uses a lot at school. She much prefers using a classic brailler and having her TVI tell her later what she did something wrong (than she is made to go and fix it)  The SMART Brailler isn't an enabler to lazy braille writers.  Parents and teachers rejoice!  I can see how the useful the SMART brailler would be for a a student like Abby

Abby using the Perkins SMART Brailler

I know the SMART Brailler would have been a huge benefit to Abby when she was a beginning Braille learner.   The combination of the audio and visual feedback is so useful. Oh and lets talk about that for a moment. The VISUAL feedback.   Blind/visually impaired students are diverse population of different levels of remaining sight (or lack of). There are many blind/visually impaired students who are not taught Braille simply because someone decides they can see enough. . Which is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard. (though that's really another topic) So often its an ALL or nothing, tactile braille only or large print with pictures.  I liked that the SMART Brailler  had a visual display with different levels of contrast this could be helpful to many blind children with some remaining sight.  Abby could see most of the display and she loved to play with it. She got great enjoyment when the background was pink  I do question when it was pink if she could see any of text but it was fun.

I really do have a bit of crush on the SMART Brailler.  

Is the Smart Brailler now NEEDED by every Braile student? No. The SMART brailler is a tool. If a Braille learner doesn't have a SMART Brailler they can still learn Braille.   Its a tool and a pretty cool tool at that. It can be a bridge in a classroom when the Braille professional is not in the classroom, the classroom teacher and paraprofessionals can see on the display what the student wrote. It can be a tool for students so they are aware of their mistakes as they make them (or if they are mistake free) Its another great product that can make Braille cool and fun and that can only be a wonderful thing.

Good Bye SMART Brailler I miss you already and I hope you come again soon.

Links to my other blogs in this series.

1. Its Smart.... The Perkins Smart Brailler

2. Perkins Smart Brailler: Sibling Time

3. Perkins SMART Brailler: My Turn (updated)

4. Perkins SMART Brailler: School's Turn

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About the Perkins SMART Brailler:  http://www.perkins.org/smartbrailler/

About the Backpacking SMART Brailler Event on Wonderbaby.org: http://www.wonderbaby.org/articles/backpacking-smart-brailler-event 

Perkins SMART Brailler: School's Turn

All this week Abby brought the Perkins SMART Brailler to school.  We had this really cool backpack from Perkins Products.  Its a backpack for ALL Perkins Braillers. Its not just for the SMART Brailler or just the next generation Perkins Braillers, it fits all Perkins Braillers even the classic ones. How cool is that.  https://secure2.convio.net/psb/site/Ecommerce?VIEW_PRODUCT=true&product_id=8281&store_id=1101 

Abby taking the Perkins Smart Brailler at school

She didn't get as much time with it as she would like. She did a lot work this week on  her braille display and iPad at school instead. She did try to use it every day. She did spend some time showing the features off with her TVI (teacher for the blind/visually impaired).  She was always very excited to bring it to school and I always gave her the option to keep it at home and she always wanted to bring it.

 Back to the cool Perkins Products brailler backpack. Remember Perkins Braillers are heavy  but the backpack has features that work with the weight as much as possible. The backpack is so awesome.   Its very well built and its VERY durable.    I really recommend the back pack for any perkins brailler user.  There have been many times we have transported a brailler that we would have loved a secure and durable bag like this.

Our time with the Perkins SMART brailler is almost over and we will be boxing it up and sending it off to its new host family soon.  We may only have one or two more blogs.

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About the Perkins SMART Brailler:  http://www.perkins.org/smartbrailler/

About the Backpacking SMART Brailler Event on Wonderbaby.org: http://www.wonderbaby.org/articles/backpacking-smart-brailler-event 

Perkins SMART Brailler: My Turn (updated)

The SMART Brailler has been visiting us for a week now. Abby & Sam both have gotten a chance to use it.  Now its my turn.

Abby's 'home' Perkins Brailler is a Classic Perkins Brailler that has been through many users.(it could be many years old)   We do not own its as it is on a long term loan from  NHAIM which is part of the New Hampshire Department of Education.

Abby's Classic Perkins Brailler

Its a well loved.  Abby has had this brailler since she was in first grade.  Abby really LOVES this brailler. The SMART brailler uses the next generation style of Perkins Braillers. They released this newer style a few years ago.

Perkins SMART Brailler

There is plus and minuses over both styles. The biggest complaint you will hear about a classic style braillers is that it is very heavy. (I bet one could be used as an anchor) The biggest complaint with the next generation style braillers  is that some of the plastic parts don't seem  as durable. The classic style braillers can take quite a beating.  At school Abby uses both a classic style Perkins brailler and manual next generation one.

So this was my first experiences using a next generation machine.  One of the features that next generation braillers have is a eraser function.  This caused a lot of excitement in the house. Abby didn't realize the next generation brailler at school had this same function.   

picture of the were the 'eraser' is on the SMART brailler.

This isn't the first time you can "erase" braille.  You could also use the scratch method or the much much more elegant and simple wooden braille eraser. The eraser on the next generation is still really really cool. Its easy to use and doesn't risk damaging the paper with the other methods.  It does a really great job pressing down the dots and when you use it on the SMART brailler is deletes it from the screen.

So I was playing around in the menus and noticed under apps it had the Building on Patterns–Kindergarten App.  The app is only available on the American Printing House version of the SMART Brailler.   I had a few questions about the app and I forward them to Perkins Products.

The Building on Patterns Kindergarten software will be included on units bought from APH.  This APH version is not available for sale yet, but we expect it to be soon.  SMART Braillers bought through Perkins do not have this software application included, but you will be able to purchase the software separately through Perkins Products and add it to your unit within the next few months. It will likely be around $199 to purchase the Building on Patterns Kindergarten software separately through Perkins Products. We are working on developing and offering additional software applications for children and adults, but they are not available just yet.

Welcome screen of the Building on Patterns K app.

 It has really interesting.  I just went into the first section and there was letter, word and sentence exercises. I will admit I had fun.  The app had both an audio and visual information.

 I caught on pretty quick that I could use contractions.
My son Sam took a video of me using the app.  The video also showed my goofiness.

Its important to say I have never had any formal training in braille. What I have known I have just picked up from helping Abby learn.  As a very beginning braille reader/writer I found the Building on Patterns–Kindergarten App pretty cool.  I also wonder if APH will consider putting the Building Patterns exercises in other formats too and provide higher levels.

Abby thinks the app is pretty cool too she just wishes it higher levels.  While it was right at my level she is a much higher level of a user. (I am so proud of her)

Whats next with our SMART brailler adventure?  Abby is taking it to school.

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About the Perkins Smart Brailler:  http://www.perkins.org/smartbrailler/

About the Backpacking SMART Brailler Event on Wonderbaby.org: http://www.wonderbaby.org/articles/backpacking-smart-brailler-event 

Perkins Smart Brailler: Sibling Time

I have a strong belief that braille can be fun for the whole family not just the blind child.  Many family members feel over whelmed with the idea of braille. Braille isn't scary. I really think braille would be an fun and educational if taught more to the mainstream education population.  Kids love secret codes.

Sam using Perkins Smart Brailler

My son Sam just got his hands on the Perkins Smart Brailler. Sam is almost 11 years old and is currently in the 5th grade. He is sighted and has only had a basic introduction of braille. (He understands the basic concepts)   I printed off the braille alphabet for him and a guide for what keys were which dots and he was independently typing out sentences right away in uncontracted braille. He knew RIGHT away when he made a mistake and he also knew right away when he did it correctly. He got great enjoyment writing about his new set of Legos. Again the visual display and audio feedback were very effective and useful.  

Sam using the Perkins Smart Brailler with a thinking pose.

Sam says "Well the Perkins Smart Brailler is cool and stuff." He wasn't that open to a video but I did snap some pictures. He seemed to have great fun with it.

Perkins Smart Brialler display with the word sam.

Next: The delete key....

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About the Perkins Smart Brailler:  http://www.perkins.org/smartbrailler/

About the Backpacking SMART Brailler Event on Wonderbaby.org: http://www.wonderbaby.org/articles/backpacking-smart-brailler-event 

Its Smart.... The Perkins Smart Brailler

Guess what showed up at our house today? A Perkins Smart Brailler.(http://www.perkins.org/smartbrailler/)  It is visiting us for two weeks before we send it on to the next family.  This is part of the the Backpacking Smart Brailler Event that Wonderbaby is having. The brailler is visiting 6 families.  We are family number two and I heard they  still  may be looking for families to take part. (there is some guidelines and rules)  find out more information here : http://www.wonderbaby.org/articles/backpacking-smart-brailler-event

Abby using the Smart Brailler

The Smart Brailler spent time first with Kovacs family at the blog Thomas Marshall Does it All.

First impressions:  Abby knew what to do right out of the box.  It was very familiar to her being a  Perkins Brailler user for over 2 years.  Abby has a really old Perkins Brailler at home and two other models at school. She hasn't done the audio tour yet and has figured out most the basic operation already.  

Abby says "Its Cool! 

I will right much more later. I haven't even gotten my hands on it. It looks pretty neat. The display & audio  seems helpful to Abby and helpful to me too.  My son Sam is really interesting is giving it a try too.  

Here is a short video of Abby using the Smart Brailler.   I am sorry that you can hear my breathing in parts due to a wonderful spring cold. 

Check back in a few days for more blogs about our adventure with the Smart Brailler...  

Thank you to Wonderbaby for giving us this great opportunity. 

Back from the NFB Convention

Abby and I just got back from the national convention of the National Federation of the Blind. It was in Dallas Texas for 7 days and it was a great week.. We are still recovering.  

I have more stuff to write about that will fit in one post.  So look for a series of post about convention. 

Some of the highlights to look out for is 

NOPBC Style Show

The NOPBC Kid Panel that included Abby

Highlights from the NOPBC conference for parents. 

NFB General Sessions 

Fun with Friends

The Braille Book Fair and Braille Literacy

New Resources

Abby on the exhibit floor

 

Summer Time

Well Summer has officially started. School is out and now the craziness begins.

Sam is having a pretty low key summer.  One of my goals for him this summer is to spend more time outside.  He is also going to a science day camp.  He has done this camp for 4 years.

Its fun to read. 

Abby is pretty busy.  Abby and I are going to the National Federation of the Blind's annual national convention which this year is in Dallas Tx. We had a great time last year and we are excited about this years convention.

Than Abby is coming home for a few weeks of reading and braille tutoring and and even some fun with some other braille students in our school district.  Abby's teacher for the blind and visually impaired is WONDERFUL.

Summer Reading. 

THAN Abby got accepted to the NFB Project Innovation science program.  (http://www.blindscience.org/ncbys/Project_Innovation.asp?SnID=1593113378)  She will be going to Baltimore a the end of July. (I get to tag along to)  She has been working on this program for few weeks now and if anyone is interested you can check out her blog that includes some video entries too. http://princessabbydpi.wordpress.com/

When we return  home to hopefully  calm down and enjoy the last few weeks in August.  Than school starts again.. Wow makes me tired just thinking about it.

Braille, iPad: an Update

Reading is Fun

Abby has been enjoying using her iPad with the RefreshaBraille18 for the past few weeks.  She not only has been reading and writing emails but she also has started reading books from BookShare through the "Read2Go" app and writing short documents.  Her TVI and I are going to try and get her trying to integrates its use for school work.  The school has bought a printer that will print what she writes in print.

Abby and I have learned a few things together.

• For some contractions/symbols that use the same dots you need to type them quickly for it the software to know which one you mean.  (since it translates as you type)  ie  "?" or "his"
• It very easy to turn speech on and off.  This can be good and bad. Many times its important for Abby to get the braille practice and she will want to use voice over instead of braille to read it. Since I do the work with her its less of an issue.  
• There is still lot of apps that could be added to make it better. I would love to find a accessible typing tutor to use with a blue tooth qwerty keyboard. 
• The using a braille display on an iPad doesn't replace the embossed paper page.  There is so many things a child learns by reading paper pages and books.  The technology is a great supplement but is not a replacement  at least in young readers. 
• There is no app I have been able to find to read a .brf file.  There is a way to read it but its complicated and not as simply as it should be.  It would be great to have an app that would open an .brf file and work simply with the braille display.  Its important to remember the braille display will display what ever voice over would say so in most instances this is simply not necessarily if you can get a .txt file or other voice over readable file. 

Abby reading the Cat and the Hat 

Read the previous post on the same subject. 

http://visionfora.blogspot.com/2012/02/braille-and-ipad.html

Braille and the iPad

You may not be aware but you can read braille  on an iPad.  You did need additional hardware.  You will need a compatible bluetooth refreshable braille display.  Abby uses  Refreshabraille 18 from APH with her iPad.   Its small and has both a braille display and braille input keys.   It can be a bit tricky to learn to pair it with the iPad (once you learn the tricks its not that hard at all). It really is surprising how well it does Grade 2 braille.  There is all kinds of uses. Abby is currently using it as a way for her to read and write email.

Abby using the refreshable braille display with the IPad.

 Abby can use it enough already to read her emails (in braille) and respond back (in braille). Its a great motivator for her. She thinks its a lot of fun.  Since she is still learning I watch on the iPad screen and I can help if she needs help.

Abby loves to write

Abby checking her work.

I think the jury is still out if the iPad will replace a Braille notetaker for Abby down the road but its a great tool for her NOW and its a LOT less expensive solution over a braille note taker.  

We are both still learning the ropes. If you have any links or advice to share that would be great and if you have any questions please feel free to ask. 

help links:

Common braille commands for voice over navigation 

Video : WonderBaby Refreshable Braille Display and the iPad

Video: iPad2 with  Refreshabraille 18 for Regular Ed Parents/Teachers 1-2

Video: iPad2 with  Refreshabraille 18 for Regular Ed Parents/Teachers 2-2

Adventures In Reading: Brave Norman

Abby has been reading a book a week for her reading for homework.  This week she read "Pets to the Rescue: Brave Norman" . Abby loves stories about animals so I ordered it when I was doing a Seedlings order. Its a great story.  Its a beginning reader so it was perfect for Abby. The story line was great and I really recommend the story to everyone.  Its a TRUE story about a dog named Norman that goes blind.  Norman saves a girl who is drowning.

Abby loves adventures.

Abby loved hearing Norman's story. She related to Norman a little too.  She is really seeing how reading can be fun.

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Brave Norman at Seedling in contracted braille http://seedlings.org/details.php?id=608&cat=0&search=brave%20norman

Print version of Brave Norman at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Brave-Norman-Story-Andrew-Clements/dp/0689834381/ref=pd_rhf_se_p_t_2

The spark of reading has become a flame.

Abby reading. tonight

It was almost a year ago that I announced Abby was reading. Now the level she was reading at was VERY beginner. Every letter was a struggle. The fight through the past year has been very hard. Many times I saw no hope in sight. The past few weeks Abby's spelling has gotten better and her fluency has gotten a lot better. She is reading more complicated books (relatively). She is picking up contractions a lot quicker now.  She reads grade 2 braille (braille with contractions) almost exclusively.

We had great time reading Dr Seuss a few weeks ago and now we are going into more developed stories.  The most important thing is she KNOWS she is getting better and is getting motivated. She is starting to see that reading can be fun and is not just a chore. I am so happy and so proud.

So if you have a child who is struggling to learn to read there is hope. Keep at it and know it will come. Its very important to state Abby has a great team right now that are all rallying around raising Abby's reading skills.  Its a true group effort.  Abby's reading team is her TVI, classroom teacher,her parents, her 2 paras and a special education teacher.  We are all working together to give Abby what she needs.

There are blind children TODAY who are still being denied braille instruction or not getting enough.  If you need an example who rediculous that is just look at Abby's story.

 Abby started learning  her braille letters 14 months ago. 

Abby reading. The picture is fuzzy but look at that smile.

Miss Abby Can Read! Can you?

First off sorry I am I failed to update my Homework Chronicles so I am going to shelve that idea for while.  Thankfully the math has moved from shapes and line segments to something much more accessible.Though tonight was graphs but we figured it out.  I will update with whats going on with homework front from time to time.  Today we had one of the best homework times we have had for while.  Abby struggles with reading but she has gotten so much better.   We have started reading some Dr Seuss recently  and Abby loves it. Tonight we started Mr Brown can Moo! Can you?  She told me "Don't freak out mom but that was fun!"  Reading should be fun.  I am so glad she is getting to a point she can enjoy it instead of fighting through it.  There is hope at the end of the tunnel.

Here is a video of Abby reading tonight.  We actually went back to a page she had already read because she didn't want to make herself look silly (even though she looked fine) She read tonight better than she has ever read with me.

Reading is so important.  Literacy is the foundation of a person's education.

Homework Chronicles: Day 2

Today was one of those wacky homework days.   Should have been easy and low stress but in the end I think we all left a little frustrated.

Reading:  She read with her father today. Its good for her to get practice to read with other people.  She read a more complicated book than yesterday.  She read a few pages of "I Love Daddy"

Abby dong her writing homework

Writing: Today she had writing homework.  Its generally a few words from the weekly "Word Wall".  She is suppose to write the words out three times and write two sentences. This is actually the first time it has come in braille. Generally she does her responses in braille on another sheet of paper. She was able to do it independently of me which was GREAT.   I do suspect she was a little lazy with her writing work. Which is something we will have to work on.

Math:  It was one of those days that "Everyday Math" tries to be creative with a nontraditional assignment.  The assignment was "find shapes in magazines/newspaper and cut them out"  Not a very accessible assignment. The print version had examples of different shapes as did  her braille worksheet.  I had her feel the different shapes on the sheets and talk to me about them.  There wasn't much more we could  do.  She was upset about not being able to do the assignment like everyone else. All of my solutions were not close enough.   This is one of the things that frustrates me about Everyday Math.  It sometimes has assignments that obviously didn't have a blind child in mine when it was written.

Stress Level: Medium to High

Happy Birthday Louis Braille

Louis Braille was born January 4th 1809.  Louis Braille created the braille code when he was just 15 years old.  

Reading Braille is Fun

I am so grateful to what braille has already given Abby In just her first year of braille instruction.  She is still a begining reader but nothing is more important in a child's education as literacy is.   I can't imagine anyone watching a child learn to read with braille can think its obsolete.   Sit down with a blind child and let them read to you.

Today also ends the NFB Braille Readers are Leaders.  I will have a final page count for Abby soon.  I know I am really proud of my braille reader.

What braille means to Abby.

I can remember the first time I heard the word braille  related to Abby. It was this past November at a school meeting.  I remember feeling shocked.  Hurt. Surprised.  Abby can see, she just can't see well. I knew nothing about braille. I only knew that blind people used it to read.  The idea of reading with touch was foreign and weird concept to me. I wanted to fight and say No she doesnt' need braille but thankfully I  have a pretty open mind. The teacher of the visually impaired who had done Abby's functional visual assessment was a professional with experience and I was a parent who hadn't come to terms with the fact her daughter was blind.

Abby reading braille in a phonics book.

Print really isn't isn't accessible for Abby at all. If its really bold and large (larger then standard enlarged print) and she puts it right to her face she can sometimes see a little of it.   When Abby started first grade she still was not reading.  She has all the basics and has always been a very bright child. She just wasn't reading.  I realize now that she was delayed because of her vision issues. When I struggled over the summer to try and help teach her to read  I had no idea and felt defeated and confused.

Something amazing happened when Abby got introduced braille. She slowly started to read.  It did take some time. She had to learn the basics of braille before those dots meant anything to her fingers. She fought being taught something different than her peers.  It was hard work (and still is)  There was something special that happened  a few months ago.  She started to read.  READ.  There is nothing more basic in a child's education then learning to read.

I just spent some time with Abby reading on our porch and its amazing. Its fun. Sometimes there is a reading mistake, sometime there is a mistake feeling a letter, and sometimes its a braille contraction but she keeps going.  She has a little bit to catch up with her grade level but I really think she will be there come second grade.  It all takes practice and thats something I can give her.

Do you know there are blind children who are given inadequate braille instruction (or not at all) in this country.  Think about that.  No child that benefit from learning braille should be denied. Its that simple. Listening to audio books and using text to speech on a computer is not a replacement for reading.  They are all tools but they don't replace reading.   Abby was truly lucky.  I cringe thinking about where Abby would be if  she wasn't given braille.  Braille is a gift I am thankful my daughter received.

Passport to Adventure in a Black Box

A few days ago this black box showed up to the house.

Large black plastic NLS shipping box.

It was all bundled shut. I had no idea.  It was very exciting.  I realized that it was Braille books from the Braille library I had signed Abby up for a week before.  We had been getting talking books for months now but this was our first shipment of Braille books. Our state doesn't have a Braille library so we have another library that services us for Braille books. It was so exiting to open it up. Inside was 6 children books with Braille. It was so exciting.  Which ever librarian who selected them did a great job.  All where great books.

Abby reading and enjoying some books

Its so great to be able to borrow books now instead of buying them all (though its great to buy too)  She has been so motivated to read.   We had a great fun reading on the books together last night. Who doesn't love library books.  Its going to be great reading this summer.

The joy of reading.

There is nothing quite like reading.   To curl up some place quiet and get lost in you head. I love to read. I have a lot less time now to read but I still love it when I have a chance.

Toddler Abby enjoying a book.

I have wondered if Abby would ever get excited about reading.  She struggled so much with Braille (and still does)  I know she would get through learning Braille to do what needs to be done but would she read for fun? Well something has changed. She has stopped fighting.. She is getting better and better.  The last few days Abby has actually gotten interested in more advanced books. They  are still a little advanced for her but she really wants to read chapter books.  She want to read fiction. She has seen how much her brother enjoys reading and wants the join the crowd. The biggest thing holding her back right now beyond just becoming a stronger reader is contractions.  Contractions in grade 2 Braille are best described as short hand or abbreviation of words.

I now can see Abby this summer reading on a beach enjoying a book.  Its very exciting.