Showing posts with label visual impairments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label visual impairments. Show all posts
Friday, November 13, 2015
Monday, May 21, 2012
Visual Impairments Links for May
[This is from a digital handout I give to all of my teachers.]
Visual Impairments Specialist: Ms. Kathy
Below are some links to ideas and activities that I have consulted with some of you about. If not—well here they are! Remember that the Classroom Suites activities cannot be open unless you have the program installed on the computer you’re opening them on. Don’t forget to save them before closing if you want to keep them. If you accidentally delete a CRS activity that you’d like to keep you can find them on the Activity Exchange if you have a free account there. Look for my user name: mskathy0724
I’ve put asterisks (*) next to my special activities for students with multiple disabilities.
___________________________________________________________________
20 iPad Aps for Kids with Autism*
It’s a list of what it says.
_______________________________________________________________________
ABCYA.com
“ABCya.com is the leader in free educational kids computer games and activities for elementary students to learn on the web. All children's educational computer activities were created or approved by certified school teachers. All educational games are free and are modeled from primary grade lessons and enhanced to provide an interactive way for children to learn…”
_______________________________________________________________________
ABC’s of Digital Tools in the Early Childhood Classroom*
It’s a list of what it says
____________________________________________________________________
Animoto
Good videos can be created for classes with photos and graphics found on the internet. However one cannot add one’s own audio except for music , for creating descriptive videos for children who cannot see the graphics.
__________________________________________________________________
Braille Notebook cards*
A teacher does not need to know Braille to use these cards. These are used when you are going over the alphabet every day with the entire class and the blind child in your class cannot see or feel the letters you point o on your chart. Have the paraprofessional open these notebook cards for the child to follow along with her sighted peers.
________________________________________________________________
Catalog of iPad Aps for Teachers and Students*
It’s…you know.
_________________________________________________________________
Children Around the World (Mexico)*
Created By: Cindy Kerr
Skill Level: Grades K-2
Curriculum: Language Arts Life Skills Social Studies
Activity Details: Join us this year as we visit children in countries around the world to see what their schools look like, clothing, music, food and language. We'll see the map, flag and capital cities.
Easy next page button and yes-no self checking questions.
___________________________________________________________________
Edmodo
“Edmodo provides a safe and easy way for your class to connect and collaborate, share content, and access homework, grades and school notices.” (There is also a mobile access version)
Educational Needs for Low Vision*
A few ideas for children with low vision
___________________________________________________________________
E-Reader’s Worksheet1 *
E-Reader Worksheet 2*
Use these as a template to create an online worksheet for your students. Do you know how to create hyperlinks like the ones in this document?
_________________________________________________________________
Five Little Monkeys*
Intellitools activity: Created By: Cindy Kerr
Skill Level: Birth-5
Curriculum: Language Arts Math
Accessibility Features: Switch Low Vision
Activity Details: Easy numbers 0 to 5 with music from the well known song. Find the answer to turn the page.
Scanning set.
Attached overlay.
Music purchased from iTunes is "Five Little Monkeys" by The Countdown Kids.
_______________________________________________________________________
Fun Brain*
Learning games in all content areas with a section for teachers and parents.
________________________________________________________________________
Greenville ES Word of the Day
Created By: mskathy0724
Skill Level: Grades 3-5
Curriculum: Language Arts
Accessibility Features: Low Vision
Activity Details: Some of these words may seem above 2nd & 3rd grade level but you may be surprised! My visually impaired students like to try "footlong" words. Sometimes they'd bring them to class. Then we'd get the definiton and they'd braille/write their own sentences for them in their morning journals. Some of the sentences they authored are included in this activity. I'd make a card with the word, part of speech, definition in print embossed with braille and they'd tape it to our door until the door was filled with "footlong" words. For a fun test, I'd let the Intellitools program read to them and they'd braille their answers on paper. Then we'd check answers from their papers to the program.
_______________________________________________________________________
Internet4Classrooms
Free Internet resources to use in classroom instruction, developing project ideas, reinforcing specific subject matter areas both in the class and at home and even for online technology tutorials. The portal is used by teachers, parents and students of all ages on six of the seven continents (there are not many classrooms in Antarctica) and is available to anyone with an Internet connection.
__________________________________________________________________________
KERPOOF!
Great for encouraging creative writing! The Kerpoof website is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company… Kerpoof is all about having fun, discovering things, and being creative. Here are just a few ways that you can use Kerpoof:
• Make artwork (even if you aren't good at drawing!)
• Make an animated movie (really! it's easy!)
• Earn Koins which you can trade for fun things in the Kerpoof Store
• Make a printed card, t-shirt, or mug
• Tell a story
• Make a drawing
• Vote on the movies, stories, and drawings that other people have made
_________________________________________________________________
Lily: The Blind Great Dane
Intellitools Classroom Suites Activity: Created By: Byron O Wilkes
Skill Level: Grades 3-5
Curriculum: Language Arts
Accessibility Features: Switch AAC
Activity Details: This activity set is made up of two activities. The first is a reading activity for students which relates the story of Lily, a blind Great Dane and her friend Maddison. Note: students can also listen to the story if they can't read yet. The second activity is a comprehension activity which provides a set of seven questions in a 3-2-1 format to evaluate the student's comprehension or understanding of the story. Note: the activity captures all of the student's responses and a report can be generated through the IntelliTools Classroom Suite Reporting System if the activity is assigned to the student. Please note that the template used for the reading activity is from the Learning Magic, Inc. "Writing Bin-Early Skills" CD and the template used in the comprehension activity is from the Learning Magic, Inc. "3-2-1 For IntelliTools Classroom Suite" CD. Please do not use these templates to create other activities unless you own a copy of the aforementioned CDs. For further information on those products please visit our website at www.learningmagicinc.com.
________________________________________________________________________
LDOE Coursewhere
Create an account here and apply for workshops sponsored by the LDOE this summer.
_____________________________________________________________
Matt’s Wallet*
Intellitools CRS Activity: Created By: mskathy0724
Skill Level: Grades 3-5
Curriculum: Math Life Skills
Accessibility Features: Low Vision
Activity Details: My high school student Matthew wants to count money because someday he wants to be rich. He helped with this activity. It helps to teach how many of each coin will equal a dollar and how many of each bill denomination are in $100. Matt picked out the items to purchase at the end of the activity. Since the items chosen stay on the activity, a teacher can check for correct answers by going back into the program to see the number of coins and bills the student clicked to add to the pictures.
May In My Classroom
An Intellitools activity brought to you by the same therapist who created “April in My Classroom.”
Microsoft Narrator*
If you have a relatively new computer, one of the accessibility features is a screen reader called Microsoft narrator. The link will take you to the web site that will show you how to locate and use it.
MOODLE
“Moodle is a Course Management System (CMS), also known as a Learning Management System (LMS) or a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It is a Free web application that educators can use to create effective online learning sites.“
_________________________________________________________________
Ms. Kathy’s Kids Blog
Just my blog where I post ideas, photos of ideas, articles and the occasional rant/vent.
______________________________________________________________________
My Big Campus
“My Big Campus extends the classroom to a safe, engaging online environment.”
__________________________________________________________________
One True Media*
Free but it’s worth it to purchase a premium account. Create videos with music and sound. Voice videos can be added (I’ve used clip from my Flip Cam) so that visually impaired children can appreciate the videos as well. You can email links to parents or order a DVD of your finished product for about $10.
__________________________________________________________________
Raz Kids!
An online leveled books library for grades K-6. Students improve their reading skills by:
• Listening for modeled fluency
• Reading for practice
• Recording their reading
• Checking comprehension with quizzes
Students log in to get books and quizzes assigned by their teachers.
_______________________________________________________________
Research Paper Sites (High School/Middle School)
It’s that time of year! This list of sites can help. I’ve had them for a while so let me know if some of the links are no longer valid
______________________________________________________________
Scoop It!
Instructional Resources for Technology on all levels. You can search for lesson plans and curricula using the drop-down menus, or visit the Educator pages for any of the products
________________________________________________________________
Study Guide Template
This one was made for a VI resource class but you can use it as a template for HS/MS Study guides and drop them in your students’ computer folders
_________________________________________________________________
Technology for the Visually Impaired
A blog about the latest stuff and updates on stuff we already use. Yum!
_______________________________________________________________
Typical Technology Solutions for the Disabled
You know.
Visual Impairments Specialist: Ms. Kathy
Below are some links to ideas and activities that I have consulted with some of you about. If not—well here they are! Remember that the Classroom Suites activities cannot be open unless you have the program installed on the computer you’re opening them on. Don’t forget to save them before closing if you want to keep them. If you accidentally delete a CRS activity that you’d like to keep you can find them on the Activity Exchange if you have a free account there. Look for my user name: mskathy0724
I’ve put asterisks (*) next to my special activities for students with multiple disabilities.
___________________________________________________________________
20 iPad Aps for Kids with Autism*
It’s a list of what it says.
_______________________________________________________________________
ABCYA.com
“ABCya.com is the leader in free educational kids computer games and activities for elementary students to learn on the web. All children's educational computer activities were created or approved by certified school teachers. All educational games are free and are modeled from primary grade lessons and enhanced to provide an interactive way for children to learn…”
_______________________________________________________________________
ABC’s of Digital Tools in the Early Childhood Classroom*
It’s a list of what it says
____________________________________________________________________
Animoto
Good videos can be created for classes with photos and graphics found on the internet. However one cannot add one’s own audio except for music , for creating descriptive videos for children who cannot see the graphics.
__________________________________________________________________
Braille Notebook cards*
A teacher does not need to know Braille to use these cards. These are used when you are going over the alphabet every day with the entire class and the blind child in your class cannot see or feel the letters you point o on your chart. Have the paraprofessional open these notebook cards for the child to follow along with her sighted peers.
________________________________________________________________
Catalog of iPad Aps for Teachers and Students*
It’s…you know.
_________________________________________________________________
Children Around the World (Mexico)*
Created By: Cindy Kerr
Skill Level: Grades K-2
Curriculum: Language Arts Life Skills Social Studies
Activity Details: Join us this year as we visit children in countries around the world to see what their schools look like, clothing, music, food and language. We'll see the map, flag and capital cities.
Easy next page button and yes-no self checking questions.
___________________________________________________________________
Edmodo
“Edmodo provides a safe and easy way for your class to connect and collaborate, share content, and access homework, grades and school notices.” (There is also a mobile access version)
Educational Needs for Low Vision*
A few ideas for children with low vision
___________________________________________________________________
E-Reader’s Worksheet1 *
E-Reader Worksheet 2*
Use these as a template to create an online worksheet for your students. Do you know how to create hyperlinks like the ones in this document?
_________________________________________________________________
Five Little Monkeys*
Intellitools activity: Created By: Cindy Kerr
Skill Level: Birth-5
Curriculum: Language Arts Math
Accessibility Features: Switch Low Vision
Activity Details: Easy numbers 0 to 5 with music from the well known song. Find the answer to turn the page.
Scanning set.
Attached overlay.
Music purchased from iTunes is "Five Little Monkeys" by The Countdown Kids.
_______________________________________________________________________
Fun Brain*
Learning games in all content areas with a section for teachers and parents.
________________________________________________________________________
Greenville ES Word of the Day
Created By: mskathy0724
Skill Level: Grades 3-5
Curriculum: Language Arts
Accessibility Features: Low Vision
Activity Details: Some of these words may seem above 2nd & 3rd grade level but you may be surprised! My visually impaired students like to try "footlong" words. Sometimes they'd bring them to class. Then we'd get the definiton and they'd braille/write their own sentences for them in their morning journals. Some of the sentences they authored are included in this activity. I'd make a card with the word, part of speech, definition in print embossed with braille and they'd tape it to our door until the door was filled with "footlong" words. For a fun test, I'd let the Intellitools program read to them and they'd braille their answers on paper. Then we'd check answers from their papers to the program.
_______________________________________________________________________
Internet4Classrooms
Free Internet resources to use in classroom instruction, developing project ideas, reinforcing specific subject matter areas both in the class and at home and even for online technology tutorials. The portal is used by teachers, parents and students of all ages on six of the seven continents (there are not many classrooms in Antarctica) and is available to anyone with an Internet connection.
__________________________________________________________________________
KERPOOF!
Great for encouraging creative writing! The Kerpoof website is owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company… Kerpoof is all about having fun, discovering things, and being creative. Here are just a few ways that you can use Kerpoof:
• Make artwork (even if you aren't good at drawing!)
• Make an animated movie (really! it's easy!)
• Earn Koins which you can trade for fun things in the Kerpoof Store
• Make a printed card, t-shirt, or mug
• Tell a story
• Make a drawing
• Vote on the movies, stories, and drawings that other people have made
_________________________________________________________________
Lily: The Blind Great Dane
Intellitools Classroom Suites Activity: Created By: Byron O Wilkes
Skill Level: Grades 3-5
Curriculum: Language Arts
Accessibility Features: Switch AAC
Activity Details: This activity set is made up of two activities. The first is a reading activity for students which relates the story of Lily, a blind Great Dane and her friend Maddison. Note: students can also listen to the story if they can't read yet. The second activity is a comprehension activity which provides a set of seven questions in a 3-2-1 format to evaluate the student's comprehension or understanding of the story. Note: the activity captures all of the student's responses and a report can be generated through the IntelliTools Classroom Suite Reporting System if the activity is assigned to the student. Please note that the template used for the reading activity is from the Learning Magic, Inc. "Writing Bin-Early Skills" CD and the template used in the comprehension activity is from the Learning Magic, Inc. "3-2-1 For IntelliTools Classroom Suite" CD. Please do not use these templates to create other activities unless you own a copy of the aforementioned CDs. For further information on those products please visit our website at www.learningmagicinc.com.
________________________________________________________________________
LDOE Coursewhere
Create an account here and apply for workshops sponsored by the LDOE this summer.
_____________________________________________________________
Matt’s Wallet*
Intellitools CRS Activity: Created By: mskathy0724
Skill Level: Grades 3-5
Curriculum: Math Life Skills
Accessibility Features: Low Vision
Activity Details: My high school student Matthew wants to count money because someday he wants to be rich. He helped with this activity. It helps to teach how many of each coin will equal a dollar and how many of each bill denomination are in $100. Matt picked out the items to purchase at the end of the activity. Since the items chosen stay on the activity, a teacher can check for correct answers by going back into the program to see the number of coins and bills the student clicked to add to the pictures.
May In My Classroom
An Intellitools activity brought to you by the same therapist who created “April in My Classroom.”
Microsoft Narrator*
If you have a relatively new computer, one of the accessibility features is a screen reader called Microsoft narrator. The link will take you to the web site that will show you how to locate and use it.
MOODLE
“Moodle is a Course Management System (CMS), also known as a Learning Management System (LMS) or a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It is a Free web application that educators can use to create effective online learning sites.“
_________________________________________________________________
Ms. Kathy’s Kids Blog
Just my blog where I post ideas, photos of ideas, articles and the occasional rant/vent.
______________________________________________________________________
My Big Campus
“My Big Campus extends the classroom to a safe, engaging online environment.”
__________________________________________________________________
One True Media*
Free but it’s worth it to purchase a premium account. Create videos with music and sound. Voice videos can be added (I’ve used clip from my Flip Cam) so that visually impaired children can appreciate the videos as well. You can email links to parents or order a DVD of your finished product for about $10.
__________________________________________________________________
Raz Kids!
An online leveled books library for grades K-6. Students improve their reading skills by:
• Listening for modeled fluency
• Reading for practice
• Recording their reading
• Checking comprehension with quizzes
Students log in to get books and quizzes assigned by their teachers.
_______________________________________________________________
Research Paper Sites (High School/Middle School)
It’s that time of year! This list of sites can help. I’ve had them for a while so let me know if some of the links are no longer valid
______________________________________________________________
Scoop It!
Instructional Resources for Technology on all levels. You can search for lesson plans and curricula using the drop-down menus, or visit the Educator pages for any of the products
________________________________________________________________
Study Guide Template
This one was made for a VI resource class but you can use it as a template for HS/MS Study guides and drop them in your students’ computer folders
_________________________________________________________________
Technology for the Visually Impaired
A blog about the latest stuff and updates on stuff we already use. Yum!
_______________________________________________________________
Typical Technology Solutions for the Disabled
You know.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Video links for Students with Visual Impairments
Equal Access: Science and Students with Sensory Impairments : http://youtu.be/3-PoIJ6VjWA
Adaptive P.E. Games for Blind and Visually Impaired Students by Elina Mullen, Ed.D., of TSBVI http://youtu.be/PB9eCkh4Ryk
Field Trip for Blind & Visually Impaired Students : http://youtu.be/pGYBamx_8D0
Watch me go! Blind Preschooler Uses cane : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIGN44XJ7bY&feature=colike
What type of school should a visually impaired student attend? : http://youtu.be/YBiaCFwEv6U
Firefighters train with visually impaired students: http://youtu.be/EdiJXyxBjs4
Understanding the Visually Impaired (Helping #3); http://youtu.be/p0BBRbvde2U
Ms. Kathy's Kids Blog: http://mskathyskids.blogspot.com/
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Article on OSN SuperSite; Glaucoma meds and Surgical alternatives
I read this article at OSNSuperSite.com and thought you might be interested: Consider cost of glaucoma medications and possible surgical alternatives
I found this article at OSNSuperSite.com and thought you might be interested.
I found this article at OSNSuperSite.com and thought you might be interested.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Teen with impaired vision invited to environmental summit
Comment:
article on albinism
---
Story:
Local teen invited to environmental summit
MOHAVE VALLEY — Cory Larkin doesn't let adversity stand in his way.
Larkin, 18, suffers from albinism and impaired vision. He also has been selected to participate in an elite program in Washington, D.C., this summer.
For more of this story, click on or type the URL below:
http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2010/03/19/news/local/doc4ba31a4e48e01915533442.txt
article on albinism
---
Story:
Local teen invited to environmental summit
MOHAVE VALLEY — Cory Larkin doesn't let adversity stand in his way.
Larkin, 18, suffers from albinism and impaired vision. He also has been selected to participate in an elite program in Washington, D.C., this summer.
For more of this story, click on or type the URL below:
http://www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2010/03/19/news/local/doc4ba31a4e48e01915533442.txt
Monday, December 7, 2009
Fresno Teen Hopes for a Taste of Sight
Ms.Kathy has sent you the following story:
Posted on Friday, Dec. 04, 2009
Fresno teen hopes for taste of sight
By Barbara Anderson / The Fresno Bee
An experimental device that uses the tongue instead of the eyes to "see" could be on the market next year, and a blind Fresno teen hopes to be among the first to take one home.
Researchers say their BrainPort device does not replace the sense of sight, but lets the blind perceive images, making it easier for them to navigate their surroundings.
One group they foresee benefiting: Troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who are blind because of brain injuries.
Monday, April 6, 2009
2DAY
Testings almost over. The little boy I'm testing is almost done. He was so concerned about finishing close to the time his classmates do because he missed a day from being ill.
It's a wonder I'm not ill. Hunnee came home all red in the face and stuffy-nosed. We went out to eat at one of our favorite restaurants for home-type cooking. They have changed their menu, who is why I thought he was not eating well. But then, if one does not like breading, why order a chicken fried steak? There was so MUCH breading on it he forgot what type of meat was supposed to be in there.
I don't eat fried foods and he eats not very much of it--at least around me. But still, to my mind it was not a good idea to mix a cold with grease. It came with white gravy and he asked for more gravy on the side. the thought made me nauseous: grease on grease with a side of grease. Ew! He was not happy aboout it, too because he'd wanted the chicken and dumplings flavored grease, but they'd changed the menu since we'd been there last. So chicken fried grease it was.
Less than half-way through the meal he's REALLY not looking so good. His forearms are even red. I felt his forehead and he was quite warm--more so than usual when he tries to freeze me out of the house by turning the thermostat down to 65 winter or summer.
So he's sick in the usual way for a change. Then my DirecTV is out because of the storm we had last Thursday evening. My daughter and I can deal a few days without TV but Hunnee can't--and to have him trapped at home over the weekend with a bad cold--possibly the flu and no TV?!!!! Oh, no that would make the entire household miserable. So he's shipped off to Kenner to get better and get back in time for spring break. We're still being careful about my catching colds from him because of the chemo chemicals but I think they're gone if not almost.
Oh, I almost forgot why I started this entry. You know how it is in movies where someone goes back in time and tries not to meet him/herself because of the space/time continuum getting all screwed up or the world will come to an end. Well, something like that has happened just now. I collect articles about visual impairments--certain conditions in particular. I have them come to my school email so that I can share and post them. They come through Google Alerts. Anyway, it finally happened that I came through my own Google Alert in my own email box today. I wonder if I will go crazy or if the space/time continuum will be disrupted because of my doings!!! Maybe time will fold back on itself like a pair of run over loafers and we will be the toe cheese!!
I hope I don't catch something snotty and snEEzy in time for the holidays after being around the sick little boy and my sick husband. That's how it usually works for me.
Aw, yeah! I got that article from the Kenner-Picayune about Hunnee and grandson doing the lEAP workshop in preparation for state testing. A coworker had it laminated for me today at work. Grandson says he will not charge me for his autograph.
I'm outta here.
It's a wonder I'm not ill. Hunnee came home all red in the face and stuffy-nosed. We went out to eat at one of our favorite restaurants for home-type cooking. They have changed their menu, who is why I thought he was not eating well. But then, if one does not like breading, why order a chicken fried steak? There was so MUCH breading on it he forgot what type of meat was supposed to be in there.
I don't eat fried foods and he eats not very much of it--at least around me. But still, to my mind it was not a good idea to mix a cold with grease. It came with white gravy and he asked for more gravy on the side. the thought made me nauseous: grease on grease with a side of grease. Ew! He was not happy aboout it, too because he'd wanted the chicken and dumplings flavored grease, but they'd changed the menu since we'd been there last. So chicken fried grease it was.
Less than half-way through the meal he's REALLY not looking so good. His forearms are even red. I felt his forehead and he was quite warm--more so than usual when he tries to freeze me out of the house by turning the thermostat down to 65 winter or summer.
So he's sick in the usual way for a change. Then my DirecTV is out because of the storm we had last Thursday evening. My daughter and I can deal a few days without TV but Hunnee can't--and to have him trapped at home over the weekend with a bad cold--possibly the flu and no TV?!!!! Oh, no that would make the entire household miserable. So he's shipped off to Kenner to get better and get back in time for spring break. We're still being careful about my catching colds from him because of the chemo chemicals but I think they're gone if not almost.
Oh, I almost forgot why I started this entry. You know how it is in movies where someone goes back in time and tries not to meet him/herself because of the space/time continuum getting all screwed up or the world will come to an end. Well, something like that has happened just now. I collect articles about visual impairments--certain conditions in particular. I have them come to my school email so that I can share and post them. They come through Google Alerts. Anyway, it finally happened that I came through my own Google Alert in my own email box today. I wonder if I will go crazy or if the space/time continuum will be disrupted because of my doings!!! Maybe time will fold back on itself like a pair of run over loafers and we will be the toe cheese!!
I hope I don't catch something snotty and snEEzy in time for the holidays after being around the sick little boy and my sick husband. That's how it usually works for me.
Aw, yeah! I got that article from the Kenner-Picayune about Hunnee and grandson doing the lEAP workshop in preparation for state testing. A coworker had it laminated for me today at work. Grandson says he will not charge me for his autograph.
I'm outta here.
Friday, March 20, 2009
FVA
The other day I went to a school to observe a little girl and give her a function vision screening as part of her educational evaluation. The child was in a pre-K class. I will call her "BabyGirl" here. (So cute!)
This happens to be the same school where Mr. Hebrews 13:1-3 is enrolled. [By the way, that little rascal has not returned to school YET!]
The kids were coming from breakfast and I introduced my self to the teacher. She seemed delighted to see me. During the time I was there I discovered that she was a truly dedicated teacher, thus to have someone come to help one of her babies---well, certainly she would be happy to meet them! I can appreciate that as I have been the same way when I had a classroom of children--or students under any situation.
She pointed out the child to me at the rear of the line--a cute baby with two little Afro-puffs on top of her head. You could tell that mom took time to make sure she was dressed neatly and that the hair was just so. The whole class was cute--full of little people about waist high! The child was very quiet and although she looked at me and gave me a half smile, she did not speak, She focused on her spot at the end of the line.
I knew that part of the morning routine was a line to the potty after breakfast so I told the teacher that I would just follow the class rather than interrupt the routine. I unpacked my vision testing equipment and my camera while the kids went to the restrooms just outside the classroom.
When some of the children began to return to the class, they found their names on a table and began to "sign in" meaning that they took another sheet of paper and attempted to copy or scribble their names on another sheet of paper before going to their seats.
BabyGirl was one of the last of the little girls to return. She happily came outside with me to have her picture taken. I heard her gasp as she covered her face from the direct morning sunlight.
"Oh my!" I said. "It is very bright out here. Let's have you face this way so that the sun is not in your face so."
Even sideways, from facing the sun she continued to squint a bit.I made a mental note as I showed her several photos on the camera's view finder to see if she could point out her own picture on the two-inch by two-inch screen. She looked at the screen but didn't point to anything.
When we went back inside, I realized why she was not interested in the camera any more. The children were gathering on the carpet at the front of the class for circle time. Each child sat on his/her name on a piece of tape on the carpet. BabyGirl was letting me know that she had to follow the routine to feel comfortable--so I let her go. I'd observe her in her routine and jump in there with questions or get something out of her while she did her usual thing.
The teacher sat at the front of the circle next to the calendar which was at eye level for little waist high beings. "What did you do at home yesterday?" she asked each child.
"I played my games and I ate my supper. Then I went to bed," said one child.
The little woman next to BabyGirl who is obviously a 44-year-old impostor, ran off a list of things she did at home the day before after she got off from work. I believe she cooked dinner for her family and righted a derailed train after leaping a skyscraper with a single bound. Her teacher grinned at her: "You're full of baloney, aren't you?"
They both chuckled and the forty-four year old laughed, "Yes ma'am, but I did eat hotdogs last night."
Then it was BabyGirl's turn. She didn't say anything. "Did you play?" the teacher asked. BabyGirl nodded.
Modeling the Amslang for "I played" the teacher slowly said, "Then say 'I played'."
That signaled the whole class to sign and say "I played!"
By this time I was on the floor behind BabyGirl. She barely shook her hands to sign "play" when Forty-four said to me, "She didn't learn to talk yet."
I smiled as I thought of one of my husband's favorite lines from the movie "Inside Man." Thank you bank robber! I'm learning so much today!"
The teacher called the children's attention to the calendar. It was another lovely little girl's turn to use the pointer for the days of the week. She chose the star pointer, which the teacher said seemed to be everyones' favorite. I was partial to the ones with the Mickey Mouse-looking white gloved fingers on the end. Those were cool. I think I will find one for myself.
The children had a rhyme and rhythm for saying the days of the week. BabyGirl moved her hands to the rhythm like the other children and smiled---but she didn't say anything. Nor were her hand movements for any Amslang for the days of the week.
I noticed, too, that as the teacher pointed to anything on the calendar, BabyGirl was not focusing on anything in that direction. Of course she knew that the teacher was in front of the class, but by the unfocused look, she was not aware of anything that was being pointed out up there. She simply was not seeing it. She was following the routine and following along with the other children as often children with low vision will do.
Then it was center time and Babygirl was to take a card with her picture on it and take it to the center where she wanted to play. Since she was a bit more comfortable with me, I followed her to the block center.
There I saw some manipulatives that looked like miniature poker chips. They were either yellow, green, red or blue. There were also some giant pegs and Legos in those colors. If she was going to confuse colors I had to give her a choice between the green blue and red objects. I pretended I wanted to play with some of the objects and asked her to help me with the red chips, then the green pegs and the blue pegs. She never confused the yellow objects as obviously they are lighter, but the others seemed always confused. As I explained to her teacher, it is difficult to tell if some of that would be cognitive or true color blindness. But when the teacher told me later that she follows directions very well it made me think. When I returned to my office, I saw my notes on her and in the email from my supervisor BabyGirl has been diagnosed as having optic nerve atrophy. Some sensitivity to light and color blindness is common with optic nerve atrophy.
The teacher asked if there was something she could be doing. I mentioned the calendar and that I was unsure bout colorblindness. I told her about allowing her to step up to certain charts rather than pint them out across the room because she was not seeing clearly beyond a few feet in front of her. Arms' length was no problem, though.
The teacher started to feel bad. "I haven't been thinking about her vision! Just handling the other things like the speech...and that she needs time to keep up--she sometimes moves very slow. I didn't even think that that poor baby..."
"No, no, no," I comforted her. "It is easy to see total blindness. Children with low vision will fool you. Not because they are trying to deceive you at this age, but they just do what the other children do and that gets them by."
I suggested I take her out for a few minutes. Iusually see if a child can take me to three places on a school campus. She gave BabyGirl the lunch envelope and told her she was picked to take it to the cafeteria. We would walk behind her and she could lead us there.
The little hands took the big envelope. Then a finger of one hand went into her mouth as if she were saying,"Hmmmm.I'm not sure bout this."
When we got outside, BabyGirl stopped and waited for guidance. She didn't seem sure of which way she should turn when she was asked. She just stood and looked back and forth between the two of us.
Finally her teacher took a few steps ahead and said," OK, where do we go from here to get to the cafeteria?"
BabyGirl stepped next to her teacher but that was a far as she was going. her teacher prompted her to walk ahead. She did so very reluctantly, looking behind her for her teacher. She did not know her way to the cafeteria without prompting. On the way back I asked her if she'd feel more comfortable holding hands with one of us adults. of course she reached for her teacher's hand.
For about a month, BabyGirl had been walking in the middle or at the end of the line using the other children to get around the school. the teacher felt so bad. "That is why there is so much confusion at the end of the day when our line meets with other lines in the building. All of the children wear the same color uniform shirts and she gets totally confused in the halls with large groups of children!"
I assured the teacher that I would have a good report written and that she would be fine. When I got back to my office, I wrote a report of my observation with my recommendations and emailed it to the appropriate pupil appraisal personnel.
This happens to be the same school where Mr. Hebrews 13:1-3 is enrolled. [By the way, that little rascal has not returned to school YET!]
The kids were coming from breakfast and I introduced my self to the teacher. She seemed delighted to see me. During the time I was there I discovered that she was a truly dedicated teacher, thus to have someone come to help one of her babies---well, certainly she would be happy to meet them! I can appreciate that as I have been the same way when I had a classroom of children--or students under any situation.
She pointed out the child to me at the rear of the line--a cute baby with two little Afro-puffs on top of her head. You could tell that mom took time to make sure she was dressed neatly and that the hair was just so. The whole class was cute--full of little people about waist high! The child was very quiet and although she looked at me and gave me a half smile, she did not speak, She focused on her spot at the end of the line.
I knew that part of the morning routine was a line to the potty after breakfast so I told the teacher that I would just follow the class rather than interrupt the routine. I unpacked my vision testing equipment and my camera while the kids went to the restrooms just outside the classroom.
When some of the children began to return to the class, they found their names on a table and began to "sign in" meaning that they took another sheet of paper and attempted to copy or scribble their names on another sheet of paper before going to their seats.
BabyGirl was one of the last of the little girls to return. She happily came outside with me to have her picture taken. I heard her gasp as she covered her face from the direct morning sunlight.
"Oh my!" I said. "It is very bright out here. Let's have you face this way so that the sun is not in your face so."
Even sideways, from facing the sun she continued to squint a bit.I made a mental note as I showed her several photos on the camera's view finder to see if she could point out her own picture on the two-inch by two-inch screen. She looked at the screen but didn't point to anything.
When we went back inside, I realized why she was not interested in the camera any more. The children were gathering on the carpet at the front of the class for circle time. Each child sat on his/her name on a piece of tape on the carpet. BabyGirl was letting me know that she had to follow the routine to feel comfortable--so I let her go. I'd observe her in her routine and jump in there with questions or get something out of her while she did her usual thing.
The teacher sat at the front of the circle next to the calendar which was at eye level for little waist high beings. "What did you do at home yesterday?" she asked each child.
"I played my games and I ate my supper. Then I went to bed," said one child.
The little woman next to BabyGirl who is obviously a 44-year-old impostor, ran off a list of things she did at home the day before after she got off from work. I believe she cooked dinner for her family and righted a derailed train after leaping a skyscraper with a single bound. Her teacher grinned at her: "You're full of baloney, aren't you?"
They both chuckled and the forty-four year old laughed, "Yes ma'am, but I did eat hotdogs last night."
Then it was BabyGirl's turn. She didn't say anything. "Did you play?" the teacher asked. BabyGirl nodded.
Modeling the Amslang for "I played" the teacher slowly said, "Then say 'I played'."
That signaled the whole class to sign and say "I played!"
By this time I was on the floor behind BabyGirl. She barely shook her hands to sign "play" when Forty-four said to me, "She didn't learn to talk yet."
I smiled as I thought of one of my husband's favorite lines from the movie "Inside Man." Thank you bank robber! I'm learning so much today!"
The teacher called the children's attention to the calendar. It was another lovely little girl's turn to use the pointer for the days of the week. She chose the star pointer, which the teacher said seemed to be everyones' favorite. I was partial to the ones with the Mickey Mouse-looking white gloved fingers on the end. Those were cool. I think I will find one for myself.
The children had a rhyme and rhythm for saying the days of the week. BabyGirl moved her hands to the rhythm like the other children and smiled---but she didn't say anything. Nor were her hand movements for any Amslang for the days of the week.
I noticed, too, that as the teacher pointed to anything on the calendar, BabyGirl was not focusing on anything in that direction. Of course she knew that the teacher was in front of the class, but by the unfocused look, she was not aware of anything that was being pointed out up there. She simply was not seeing it. She was following the routine and following along with the other children as often children with low vision will do.
Then it was center time and Babygirl was to take a card with her picture on it and take it to the center where she wanted to play. Since she was a bit more comfortable with me, I followed her to the block center.
There I saw some manipulatives that looked like miniature poker chips. They were either yellow, green, red or blue. There were also some giant pegs and Legos in those colors. If she was going to confuse colors I had to give her a choice between the green blue and red objects. I pretended I wanted to play with some of the objects and asked her to help me with the red chips, then the green pegs and the blue pegs. She never confused the yellow objects as obviously they are lighter, but the others seemed always confused. As I explained to her teacher, it is difficult to tell if some of that would be cognitive or true color blindness. But when the teacher told me later that she follows directions very well it made me think. When I returned to my office, I saw my notes on her and in the email from my supervisor BabyGirl has been diagnosed as having optic nerve atrophy. Some sensitivity to light and color blindness is common with optic nerve atrophy.
The teacher asked if there was something she could be doing. I mentioned the calendar and that I was unsure bout colorblindness. I told her about allowing her to step up to certain charts rather than pint them out across the room because she was not seeing clearly beyond a few feet in front of her. Arms' length was no problem, though.
The teacher started to feel bad. "I haven't been thinking about her vision! Just handling the other things like the speech...and that she needs time to keep up--she sometimes moves very slow. I didn't even think that that poor baby..."
"No, no, no," I comforted her. "It is easy to see total blindness. Children with low vision will fool you. Not because they are trying to deceive you at this age, but they just do what the other children do and that gets them by."
I suggested I take her out for a few minutes. Iusually see if a child can take me to three places on a school campus. She gave BabyGirl the lunch envelope and told her she was picked to take it to the cafeteria. We would walk behind her and she could lead us there.
The little hands took the big envelope. Then a finger of one hand went into her mouth as if she were saying,"Hmmmm.I'm not sure bout this."
When we got outside, BabyGirl stopped and waited for guidance. She didn't seem sure of which way she should turn when she was asked. She just stood and looked back and forth between the two of us.
Finally her teacher took a few steps ahead and said," OK, where do we go from here to get to the cafeteria?"
BabyGirl stepped next to her teacher but that was a far as she was going. her teacher prompted her to walk ahead. She did so very reluctantly, looking behind her for her teacher. She did not know her way to the cafeteria without prompting. On the way back I asked her if she'd feel more comfortable holding hands with one of us adults. of course she reached for her teacher's hand.
For about a month, BabyGirl had been walking in the middle or at the end of the line using the other children to get around the school. the teacher felt so bad. "That is why there is so much confusion at the end of the day when our line meets with other lines in the building. All of the children wear the same color uniform shirts and she gets totally confused in the halls with large groups of children!"
I assured the teacher that I would have a good report written and that she would be fine. When I got back to my office, I wrote a report of my observation with my recommendations and emailed it to the appropriate pupil appraisal personnel.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Speaking of Andrea Bocelli...
Ahhhh. This is one of my favorite videos...
Here's the original version...
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Joyful Stress
Many years ago I read an article about stress. The article said there were different types of stress and that "joyful" stress was of the type experienced with something we enjoy. That was me today. I am exhausted yet I feel so much was accomplished and that getting that way was such a joy.
First, I went to a center school this morning. I had to leave from the burbs to get to the opposite side of town to get to a young man's IEP meeting. Can you say seven-thirty in the A.M. boys and girls?
Yesterday I'd warned the secretary of my HQ school that I'd have no time to stop in first thing. The young man, J, is quadriplegic, visually impaired and basically nonverbal. One can tell that there's a lot going on upstairs when he thinks you've said something funny. He has the greatest big ol' grin!
I told his teacher and his caregiver that he would benefit from the age-appropriate lessons on Intellitools Classroom Suites and from registering for talking books at the State Library's Blind and physically Handicapped Section. So I'm going to email the form or the link to it. I need to scan a signed copy--signed by me that is. It will be easier than trying to remember to get a copy for the kids who are not yet registered. I could just email a signed copy to their teachers for the parents to fill out and mail straight from their homes.
By the way, every state has a blind and physically handicapped section. If your child cannot read standard print or turn a page in a standard book then he/she can register to receive talking books from the state library.
While I was at that school, I stopped in to see two of my other consult students. "Miss L" is quite the independent old lady. She types and reads large print. She was reading when I came into her classroom. She has a child specific because she uses a motorized chair and needs a little help around the school. She told me that she and a former student of mine--another old lady--were going to meet up over the weekend. When they were younger and both my students, I got them in touch with each other since they were both visually impaired, wheelchair users and teenagers.
"Mr. K" is on the other side of the room in another teacher's class. He's quite the opposite. He's cortically visually impaired, nonverbal and very dependent. Many times he does not acknowledge the presence of others. Yet there is something pleasant about him.
On another side of town, in a regular elementary campus I went to meet some of the assistive tech team for my Hebrews 1:13 angel. He was in reading block and I didn't want to disturb him until they were ready to see him. Sam, who is one of the assistive tech specialists emailed me yesterday and asked me to call him about the young Mr. H. Today was the best day before the Mardi Gras break because I'll be leaving early tomorrow and out all day Friday for Kairos (No, I don't do Mardi Gras).
I didn't expect so many people to show! There was Sam, Edna who is tech specialist with a concentration on speech therapy; Janice, whom I used to work with at another center about ten years ago. Then there was an OT (Occupational Therapist) and another speech therapist I'd met before who handled the Intellitools keyboard for Mr. H. They asked questions about the CP (cerebral palsey) and the speech. Mr. H has speech that takes getting used to. It's very slurred due to the CP but he will manage to say some very "old" things.
I told them I wasn't sure how much braille he was actually learning because he has such a good memory. he has learned the "Lot's of Dots" book for memory and his favorite double vision book, "That's Not My Bear." The para went to get him and the speech therapist who handled to Intelli-keys showed him the keyboard and how it talked when one put a finger inside one of the shallow holes where the braille letters and symbols were. Immediately Mr. H started to explore the keyboard to see what the other letters and symbols would say.
While we were talking about whether he was memorizing or whether or not this was a good tool for him, he found the letters "O" and "P" and typed "pop" and then "poppop." He laughed and said "P-O-P, pop! Pop pop!"
I said, "Hey he's purposefully spelling that word! He's spelling 'pop'?" Then Mr. H told me and the OT that he could also spell Momma, M-O-M-M-A.
"Well, he's let us know that he is interested in this!" Sam said.
"Now we know where to start! said Edna.
Before they arrived they thought that puffy braille would be appropriate for his CP. The OT had put some on another overlay for his keyboard in the classroom. I told them that regular braille was best for getting used to and that he'd already been exposed to it in his classroom with the cards and books I'd brought. Real braille--at normal size is more realistic.
Meanwhile Mr. H. was exploring the keyboard and making it say all sorts of numbers, letters and symbols. he's also enjoying the heck out of all the attention.
Sam and Edna asked me to stop by after the Mardi Gras break to help them make braille overlays for some other activities they can make available for Mr. H.
I'm excited about that and so is the para, Ms. Williams. Most of all Mr. H. is the most excited of all!
That is how to have a joyfully stressful day!
First, I went to a center school this morning. I had to leave from the burbs to get to the opposite side of town to get to a young man's IEP meeting. Can you say seven-thirty in the A.M. boys and girls?
Yesterday I'd warned the secretary of my HQ school that I'd have no time to stop in first thing. The young man, J, is quadriplegic, visually impaired and basically nonverbal. One can tell that there's a lot going on upstairs when he thinks you've said something funny. He has the greatest big ol' grin!
I told his teacher and his caregiver that he would benefit from the age-appropriate lessons on Intellitools Classroom Suites and from registering for talking books at the State Library's Blind and physically Handicapped Section. So I'm going to email the form or the link to it. I need to scan a signed copy--signed by me that is. It will be easier than trying to remember to get a copy for the kids who are not yet registered. I could just email a signed copy to their teachers for the parents to fill out and mail straight from their homes.
By the way, every state has a blind and physically handicapped section. If your child cannot read standard print or turn a page in a standard book then he/she can register to receive talking books from the state library.
While I was at that school, I stopped in to see two of my other consult students. "Miss L" is quite the independent old lady. She types and reads large print. She was reading when I came into her classroom. She has a child specific because she uses a motorized chair and needs a little help around the school. She told me that she and a former student of mine--another old lady--were going to meet up over the weekend. When they were younger and both my students, I got them in touch with each other since they were both visually impaired, wheelchair users and teenagers.
"Mr. K" is on the other side of the room in another teacher's class. He's quite the opposite. He's cortically visually impaired, nonverbal and very dependent. Many times he does not acknowledge the presence of others. Yet there is something pleasant about him.
On another side of town, in a regular elementary campus I went to meet some of the assistive tech team for my Hebrews 1:13 angel. He was in reading block and I didn't want to disturb him until they were ready to see him. Sam, who is one of the assistive tech specialists emailed me yesterday and asked me to call him about the young Mr. H. Today was the best day before the Mardi Gras break because I'll be leaving early tomorrow and out all day Friday for Kairos (No, I don't do Mardi Gras).
I didn't expect so many people to show! There was Sam, Edna who is tech specialist with a concentration on speech therapy; Janice, whom I used to work with at another center about ten years ago. Then there was an OT (Occupational Therapist) and another speech therapist I'd met before who handled the Intellitools keyboard for Mr. H. They asked questions about the CP (cerebral palsey) and the speech. Mr. H has speech that takes getting used to. It's very slurred due to the CP but he will manage to say some very "old" things.
I told them I wasn't sure how much braille he was actually learning because he has such a good memory. he has learned the "Lot's of Dots" book for memory and his favorite double vision book, "That's Not My Bear." The para went to get him and the speech therapist who handled to Intelli-keys showed him the keyboard and how it talked when one put a finger inside one of the shallow holes where the braille letters and symbols were. Immediately Mr. H started to explore the keyboard to see what the other letters and symbols would say.
While we were talking about whether he was memorizing or whether or not this was a good tool for him, he found the letters "O" and "P" and typed "pop" and then "poppop." He laughed and said "P-O-P, pop! Pop pop!"
I said, "Hey he's purposefully spelling that word! He's spelling 'pop'?" Then Mr. H told me and the OT that he could also spell Momma, M-O-M-M-A.
"Well, he's let us know that he is interested in this!" Sam said.
"Now we know where to start! said Edna.
Before they arrived they thought that puffy braille would be appropriate for his CP. The OT had put some on another overlay for his keyboard in the classroom. I told them that regular braille was best for getting used to and that he'd already been exposed to it in his classroom with the cards and books I'd brought. Real braille--at normal size is more realistic.
Meanwhile Mr. H. was exploring the keyboard and making it say all sorts of numbers, letters and symbols. he's also enjoying the heck out of all the attention.
Sam and Edna asked me to stop by after the Mardi Gras break to help them make braille overlays for some other activities they can make available for Mr. H.
I'm excited about that and so is the para, Ms. Williams. Most of all Mr. H. is the most excited of all!
That is how to have a joyfully stressful day!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Mysterious Valentine’s Day Greeting Placed on School Lawn
[Such a nice story. ~K]
Someone created this Valentine on the Perkins School lawn.
Perkins Deafblind Program Has Snowy “Secret Admirer”
Mysterious Valentine’s Day Greeting Placed on School Lawn
Watertown, MA - Teachers, staff and students in Perkins School for the Blind Deafblind program arrived for school this morning to find an anonymous Valentine heart fashioned from sticks and twigs on the sloping lawn in front of the Hilton Building where classes are held on the Watertown campus.
Perkins Deafblind Program Has Snowy “Secret Admirer”
Mysterious Valentine’s Day Greeting Placed on School Lawn
Watertown, MA - Teachers, staff and students in Perkins School for the Blind Deafblind program arrived for school this morning to find an anonymous Valentine heart fashioned from sticks and twigs on the sloping lawn in front of the Hilton Building where classes are held on the Watertown campus.
“We have no idea who did this, but how sweet is that!” exclaimed psychologist Pamela Ryan, who has been at the school since 1971. “Nothing like this has happened before that I recall.”
Barbara Mason, Perkins Deafblind Program Supervisor, speculates about the origin of the image, “Someone had reported seeing a guy out there making it on Wednesday. Maybe a Perkins employee or a parent? We couldn’t even see any footprints, so it’s a bit of a mystery.”
Many of the students in Perkins Deafblind Program have partial vision and were able to enjoy the message lovingly placed atop the fast-melting snow. What did the students think? Mason says, “They liked it. It’s fun, sort of like a gift. I think it’s fabulous.”
The greeting brightened an otherwise damp, muddy school day. A light-hearted investigation continues in hopes of solving the mystery before the snow melts away and the twig-and-stick heart sinks into the soil. At least one student speculated it was “a gift from Helen Keller” who, like the current students, was deafblind and one of Perkins most illustrious pupils.
One of the leading institutions in educating children who are deafblind, Perkins’ experienced staff is geared toward maximizing individual potential, whether the student focuses on basic communication and daily living skills, or preparation for college.
Perkins School for the Blind, the nation’s first school for the visually impaired, provides education and services to help build productive, meaningful lives for more than 94,000 children and adults who are blind, deafblind or visually impaired with or without other disabilities in the U.S. and 63 countries worldwide. Founded in 1829, Perkins pursues this mission on campus, in the community and around the world. Learn more online at
Source Link: http://blogs.townonline.com/watertown/?p=29592
Friday, February 13, 2009
Intellitools Activities
I like Intellitools Classroom Suites. I have some braille lessons there like this one which uses apples for the braille dots.
If you go to the Intellitools web site and sign in to the activities exchange (http://aex.intellitools.com/), look for my screen name "MsKathy0724." Then you can look at all of the activities I created.
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