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Homepage of Debbie Day

Resources for Parents & Teachers of Blind Kids
Resources for Parents & Teachers of Blind Kids (Text only version)

Blindness
Braille
Buy, Sell, Trade, Donate
Computers & Technology
Educational Materials
Games, Sports, & Recreation
Home Activities
Kid's Books, Stories, and News for Brailling
Nemeth: Braille Mathematical Code
Networking for Support & Encouragement
Orientation & Mobility
Foreign Language Materials
Text-Only Games
Toys and Learning Tools

A Blind Net is your source for USEFUL and FACTUAL information about blindness and related issues.
These pages will provide you with USEFUL and FACTUAL information about blindness; general information as well as links to organizations OF the Blind, those organizations FOR the Blind that work with us, some of the companies that provide equipment we use, and other resources.

The Busy Teachers' WebSite K-12
ThisSite is designed to provide teachers with direct source materials, lesson plans / classroom activities with a minimum of site-to-site linking, and to provide an enjoyable and rewarding experience for the teacher who is learning to use the Internet.

Certificate in Special Educational Needs (Visually Impaired)
Student Guide
The Certificate in Special Education Needs (Visually Impaired) is aimed at both professionals and non-professionals, working with Visually Impaired people, as an introduction to specialist provision, strategies and adaptive technologies within this field.
It is for teachers and support staff working within a mainstream classroom situation with pupils/students who are placed with their sighted peers and may be the first Visually Impaired person in the school/college.
The Course provides an opportunity for Care and other staff, within specialist departments, working with and for the Visually Impaired to follow a specific programme to ensure the needs of their clients are met both in the workplace and in the residential supported environment.
It is for parents, family and carers to support them and to encourage them to explore visually impaired issues to enhance the opportunities for the Visually Impaired person.
The Course will be delivered through web based ODL (Open Distance Learning) utilising the VITA system. This would include group tutorials, materials for downloading, bulletin boards, virtual classrooms, chatrooms, virtual discussions, on-line tutorials and discussions, individual research and study.
The Course is accredited by the NOCN and full details of the breakdown of the credit system can be located on the framework document.

Here are some links to other sites of related interest.

There are 7 groups of links here:

1. Open and Distance Learning.
2. Organisations.
3. International Sites.
4. Links Pages.
5. Useful Link Pages.
6. Resources.
7. Review these links.

Open and Distance Learning:

Organisations:

International Sites:

Links Pages:

Useful Link Pages:

Resources:


Society for Disability Studies Links

Contents:

- Academic Programs
- Social, activist, and organizational resources
- Journals and other Media
- General disability links
- General policy links
- Other on-line disability studies resources
- Disability-related newsgroups
- Disability-related mailing lists
- Other scholarly societies

Edmark, an IBM company, is one of the country's leading developers and publishers of children's educational software. Edmark is widely recognized for the quality of its products. The company currently offers over 30 high-quality multimedia titles that have been honored with a combined total of more than 200 important industry awards for their rich educational depth, thought-provoking content and open-ended environments where kids can investigate, experiment, role-play and construct their own ideas and projects.


Sheppard Software - We make learning fun...
Come in and visit our Software pages, where you can download Shareware versions and read reviews of our award-winning software.
At Sheppard Software, we are dedicated to producing the finest in educational software. That's the reason people are noticing our work. Our software has several unique elements:

Welcome to Empowerment Zone (version 3.9), the home page of Jamal Mazrui! This site offers information, ideas, and software related to my interests and the theme of empowerment -- helping individuals and communities achieve self actualization and full citizenship.

TABLE OF CONTENTS


http://edsoasis.org/index.html

http://edsoasis.org/TGuild/Lessons/TGuildTOC.html

Recommended Websites

Other Resources


http://www.viguide.com/entgames.htm#top

Table of Contents

  1. Introducing computers
  2. What makes software accessible?
  3. DOS-based speech-friendly games
  4. Windows-based speech-friendly games
  5. Other speech-friendly games
  6. Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
  7. Miscellaneous Links

Let's face it. Children with visual impairments, even more so than their sighted peers, need to use computers. Why? Because it's one of the fastest and easiest ways to have access to information. Why hire someone to read to you when you can use a screen reader to read it to yourself whenever you want?

One of the first steps for the child and their family is learning how to entertain themselves on the computer. After some fun and educational activities on the computer, you can all feel more comfortable and competent about using the computer for more utilitarian purposes like writing a book report for school or exchanging e-mail messages with friends.

On this page, I attempt to offer some advice on software for a child with visual impairments. Sometimes the advice is on what not to buy. Sometimes it will be to forewarn you on the extent to which a given program will be independently accessible to the child. And, where and as much possible, I'll try to help you learn how to get and set up these games.


HumanWare, Inc. specializes in access technology for persons who have  difficulties reading print due to blindness, low vision, or learning and/or reading disabilities. We strive to maintain a strong emphasis on reading, writing and general literacy through information access and management hardware, software and support services. Our solutions include computers with speech; braille terminals, printers and notetakers; scan/read systems; electronic magnifiers with computer access; and specialized software applications.


http://www.austin.ibm.com/sns/products.htm

Several products are available through IBM and our resellers to enhance the quality of life of people with disabilities.


Indiana School for the Blind

Established in 1847. The School which has an enrollment of approximately 190 students is administered by the State Department of Health and receives its funding from the State of Indiana. The School offers pre-school through high school programs, free of charge on a residential or day school basis, to the young people of Indiana who are blind and visually impaired.

Information About School

Free Software

Create Braille Math Worksheets with this free, DOS based program. The program automatically generates drill worksheets in braille code using regular, decimal and dollar formats.

Eye Information

Eye Conditions

Other Educational Programs for the Visually Impaired

Other Visually Impaired Related Resources

Other Educational Resources


Internet Resources for Parents

The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates
The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) is an independent, nonprofit organization of attorneys, advocates and parents established to improve the quality and quantity of legal assistance for parents of children with disabilities.
THE INTERNET: An Inclusive Magnet for Teaching All Students
From the World Institute on Disabilities, An excellent downloadable manual! The World Wide Web, the information superhighway, cyberspace, the net: this global network of computers, databases, libraries, images and sounds brings new challenges and opportunities to education. This resource book is aimed at helping you use the Internet as a tool to educate all students in your classroom, including students with disabilities, auditory and visual learners, students from rural areas, those who do not speak English as their first language - in short, everyone.
Assistive Technology Guide for Children with Learning Difficulties
From The Schwab Foundation for Learning: Assistive Technology Guide for Children with Learning Difficulties: A free online booklet discussing the use of technology to assist students' studies; it specifically focuses on computers and software appropriate for children between the ages of five and up.

Table of Contents:

  1. What Is Assistive Technology?
  2. Why Use Assistive Technology?
  3. Types of Assistive Technology
  4. Written Language Technologies
  5. Reading Technologies
  6. Listening Technologies
  7. Organization/Memory Technologies
  8. Math Technologies
  9. Selecting the Best Technology for Your Child
  10. Cost
  11. Closing Comments
  12. Steps to Success
  13. Frequently Asked Questions
  14. Resources
The Technology for All Americans Project
The Technology for All Americans Project is administered through the International Technology Education Association and funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Technology for All Americans: A Rationale and Structure for the Study of Technology
California's Special Education Assistive Technology Program
California's Special Education Assistive Technology Program is administered by the California, Department of Education. Special Education is instruction that is specially designed to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities. Special Education is provided at no cost to parents. AT equipment and services identified on the student's Individual Education Plan (IEP) as necessary to assist a child in the educational process may be purchased by the school district.

Technology Integration: Using Technology as a Tool for Education and Communication
Aug Comm Website

RESNA
The RESNA Technical Assistance Project provides information and consultation to the state assistive technology programs. The technical assistance project assists the state assistive technology projects in their efforts to promote access to availability of and funding for assistive technology to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities. The RESNA Technical Assistance Project is funded through the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.

Assistive and Adaptive Technology in Special Education

The Special Ed Advocate (WrightsLaw)

KerrLaw

EdLaw

LDOnline


IntelliTools - Accessible Technology for Learning
For two decades, IntelliTools has been a leading provider of hardware and software giving students with special needs comprehensive access to learning. IntelliTools is also the leading provider of professional development for a growing number of teachers, parents and specialists - all committed to realizing the dream of educational equity for all.

Iowa Department for the Blind. Welcome to ASSIST With Windows!
Since 1997, project ASSIST has been creating and distributing tutorials on using popular Windows programs with a specific screen reader. The tutorials use keyboard instruction and include keystrokes and strategies for your screen reader. Step-by-step exercises give you hands-on experience using your screen reader with the application. The topics covered in the tutorials are similar to those taught in classes offered by commercial training companies.
Address:
Project ASSIST With Windows
Iowa Department for the Blind
524 Fourth Street
Des Moines, IA 50309-2364

Contests

ED's Oasis MasterSearch lesson plan contest invites educators to enter their best standards-matching curriculum-supporting Internet-woven lesson to win ISTE membership and software prizes. Winning entries are published in the Teachers' Guild Lesson Plan library. The contest runs three times annually.

Other pages:

TEACHER RESOURCE COLLECTIONS

California Instructional Technology Clearinghouse If an instructional program marketed to schools uses a computer, a VCR or laserdisc player, a network or the Internet-- the Clearinghouse has probably evaluated it. The Clearinghouse's web site contains a searchable, on-line database of more than 2000 recommended programs.

Information is provided regarding curriculum and instruction, leadership, professional development, school reform, and assessment, to name a few. Additionally, suggestions for finding further information are given when appropriate.

DESIGNING LESSONS

ED's Oasis Teachers' Guild Lesson Plan Library Browse through the collection of MasterSearch Lesson Plan Contest winning entries, or read about the contest to know when to send in your own lesson!

LESSON PLANS

The Gateway provides the key to high quality Internet lesson plans, curriculum units and other education resources.


The Force Foundation
This page contains links to related websites which may be of interest. These links have been divided into regional categories.

International

IFLA
The website for IFLA - International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
DAISY
The website for the DAISY talking book consortium
Sight Savers International
The website for Sight Savers International (Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind)

Education Development Center, Inc.

NCIP Links

Below is a list of links that provide information, and resources relating to technology and students with disabilities. This list was last updated July 1998. 

TECHNOLOGY AND DISABILITIES

Organizations Companies that specialize in technology for students with disabilities

SPECIAL EDUCATION

DISABILITY RESOURCES

GOVERNMENT RESOURCES

WWW ACCESSIBILITY

OTHER


Students with Visual Impairments

Table of Contents


BC Ministry of Education

Ministry Publications, News and Reports

The Ministry of Education produces many online publications and reports. To help you more easily find a ministry publication, our documents have been divided into categories which best reflect our audiences.

Social Studies Provincial Assessment 96


The Institute for Innovative Blind Navigation has three international goals; the creation and maintenance of a Blind Children's Web Portal; the monitoring and development of navigational technologies; and the establishment of a global knowledge management system for issues relating to blind navigation. The Blind Children's Web Portal and the Navigational Technologies goals are discussed elsewhere on this web center.

The following web book was written by Dr. Douglas Baldwin, the director of the Institute for Innovative Blind Navigation. The book is meant to be an example of the potential for knowledge management in cyberspace. A truly global effort would involve input from many agencies and individuals, it would be actively (daily) managed, and it would have search capabilities. Regard the book as an experiment, a prototype, and a hope for the future.

Chapters of the Electronic Book


Overbrook School for the Blind, progress toward the future.
This site was created to serve as a resource for the community and the students of Overbrook School for the Blind. Overbrook School for the Blind offers a variety of programs for children of different ages and abilities. The whole school is geared toward supporting students as they grow and learn. Since Overbrook was founded in 1832 our mission has been to provide all our students, according to their individual needs, with the skills that will give them the greatest opportunity to experience active and fulfilling lives. Read our Welcome Page.

Visual Impairment Related Sites


EASI's K to 12

Education Technology Centre

EASI: Equal Access to Software and Information

The BASICS of Adaptive Technology

Adaptive technology and special education can be complex and intimidating subjects if you are not familiar with the language and devices available. Therefore, we are providing a Glossary of Adaptive Technology and Special Education Terminology, two EASI Online Handbooks of hardware and software products, and other miscellaneous items to better guide you in your understanding and advocacy efforts.

Taking a Closer Look at Adaptive Technology and Services.

This portion of the web site goes into much more depth regarding adaptive technology and software evaluations, funding methods, IEP's and other legal documents that address the technology and services delivery and much more.

Department of Education Support for Adaptive Technology:

Books, Newsletters, Assorted Memos, Policy Letters, Journals and Papers to assist you in the process of understanding Adaptive Technology from the Government's point of view.

EASI's K-12 Science Engineering and Math Resources In 1997 The National Science Foundation awarded EASI a grant to collect and disseminate materials to better enable K-12 students to succeed in math and science. This section will include information for math and science teachers and students; for special education teachers; for school administrators; for parents and others with interest in this area. EASI will be updating and expanding this page regularly.

Just For Kids!

Internet Resources for Parents

Other Special Education and Adaptive Resources on the Internet

Resources for Teachers

Teachers will find help in the area of working with students with disabilities to utilize the computer as a tool towards inclusion and curriculum integration.

General Internet Resources


RNC Related Links

Local Associations

National Organisations

International Organisations

Companies

Education and Training

Other Sites


University of Hertfordshire

Sensory Disabilities Research Unit

Welcome to the SDRU web site!

The Sensory Disabilities Research Unit (SDRU) was set up in 1993 within the Psychology Department of the University of Hertfordshire (UH) to study how new technologies can assist in overcoming the problems faced by disabled and elderly people in their day to day lives. The Unit is involved in a number of research projects, some funded by the TIDE Initiative (Technology Initiative for Disabled and Elderly People) of the European Union, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB).

Site has the following pages:

Who is in the SDRU?

Completed projects

Publications available


The Special Needs and Distance Learning Network

A cooperative project between the Swedish National Agency for Special Needs Education (SIH), the Tomteboda School Resource Center (TRC) and the Stockholm Institute of Education (LHS)

Students with disabilities have much to gain by using new technology and new media. The Special Needs and Distance Learning Network (SNDL Network) is one more proof of this. The goal of the project is to create a collection of experiences for a network-based continuing education concept that combines modern information technology with special educational competence.

Distance learning is nothing new in Sweden, but our project is the first to use this technology to support disabled students and their support staff. There are many advantages to distance learning, or instruction at a distance. Especially in rural areas there is a need to reduce the number of trips that eat up resources which could be used in other activities. Moreover, there are large gains to be made in following up learning activities and reinforcing them with regular instructional sessions at a distance. In the end, it's all about giving the best possible support to disabled students so that they can fully participate in their schooling.


Special Education


Special Education Technology - British Columbia
ET-BC is a Provincial Resource Program designed to assist school districts in British Columbia in meeting the technology needs of students with physical disabilities and visual impairments.

SuperKids - The Parent's and Teacher's Guide to Educational Resources

Choose from six learning activity areas, ranging from letter recognition and math, to sorting and following directions.

Links


SuperKids Math Worksheet Creator
Have you ever wondered where to find math drill worksheets? Make your own here at SuperKids for free! Simply select the type of problem, the maximum and minimum numbers to be used in the problems, then click on the button! A worksheet will be created to your specifications, ready to be printed for use.

Technology Guide to Assist Students with Visual Impairments in Meeting Curriculum Goals
This guide provides a sequential framework addressing a range of technology options to meet the general learning expectations across BC curricula from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Braille, print enhancement and speech output technologies are included. While the guide has applicability to all subject areas and grade levels the suggested strategies and modifications focus on the learning outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics.

Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (Education)


V. I. Guide, a guide to Internet resources about visual impairments, for parents and teachers

This site contains information on many topics pertaining to parenting and teaching a child with visual impairments.

The major subject areas of this site are listed below.

Contents

Vision-related Services. This area contains information about braille, orientation and mobility, materials and curriculum adaptations, activities of daily living and more.

Special Education Services. This area contains information about various other therapies a visually impaired student might be receiving in addition to vision services. In addition, it lists sources for additional information about Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and advocacy.

Assistive Technology

Table of Contents

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Assistive Products. This area contains links to vendors that sell assistive (a.k.a. "self-help") products for blind and visually impaired individuals. Their products include talking clocks, canes, raised line drawing kits, etc.

Legal. Topics in this area include Federal and state laws impacting visually impaired individuals.

Medical. In this area, you'll find sources for information about medical conditions and treatments relating to eye diseases such as retinitis pigmentosis, retinopathy of prematurity, glaucoma and more.

Organizations. Agencies and groups that provide services or support to the visually impaired are listed in this area.

Entertainment. This area contains information on speech-friendly computer games, movie reviews for blind individuals, MIDI music files, and sites where you can listen to audio versions of books, music and newspapers.

Research. This area is a collection of sites that are excellent sources for doing research, including educational databases, encyclopedias, dictionaries, maps, search engines and more.

Bookstore. In the V.I. Guide Bookstore, you'll find lots of books about blindness and visual impairments and teaching individuals with those conditions. All of these books have been recommended by our visitors!

Magazine Rack. Our Magazine Rack features magazines relating to visual impairments that can be obtained over the Internet -- for free!

On the Lighter Side. Here is a humorous and often-times inspirational set of quotes and anecdotes by and about people with visual impairments.

Networking with Others. Visit this area to find out how to locate other people and resources on the Internet, via e-mail mailing lists, Usenet newsgroups and directories.

Parenting. This area contains links to a variety sites about parenting, particular those concerning parenting a child with special needs.


Information for professionals in visual disabilities

This web site is an information resource for professionals who work in the field of visual disabilities. The site has evolved from work carried out by Dr Janet Silver of Moorfields Eye Hospital, London and Dr John Gill of the Royal National Institute for the Blind. The project is funded by the UK Department of Health.

The site is designed as a worldwide resource and currently provides information as listed below.


Virtual Assistive Technology Center


Blind Links


Collection of links on vision and visual impairment. There are more than 900 links (November 1999)


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