DOTS for Braille Literacy (Development of Teacher Support) Summer, 2003 Volume 8, Number 3

From the Editor

Somehow, while I wasn't looking, another year has passed and summer is here. Time again to share some books I read over the last year that have made me think in new ways about literacy, about reading and writing instruction, and about being a teacher.

Practicing What We Know: Informed Reading Instruction, edited by Constance Weaver, is a collection of essays about putting a balanced approach to literacy instruction into practice. The book includes practical suggestions for special populations as well, such as students who are English language learners and children who have learning disabilities. The book is published by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and can be ordered from their web site, www.ncte.org.

For teachers working with middle and high school students who are struggling readers, Kylene Beers' new book When Kids Can't Read is packed with strategies for helping students who have difficulties with comprehension, with vocabulary and reading fluency, with spelling, and responding to literature. Beers draws on her 20 plus years of experience as a reading teacher, and writes in a friendly, approachable manner. The book is available from Heinemann, www.heinemann.com.

Another book I enjoyed greatly was Annie Lamott's Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. This book, published in 1995 (available in paperback from Anchor books at most bookstores, and also available as an audio book), gives suggestions and encouragement about being a writer. It's also laugh-out-loud funny, sad in places, profane in places, and the kind of book you'll find yourself reading aloud to friends.

Summer is also a good time to consider developing a professional reading club. Getting together with colleagues periodically and discussing books that you have read and how the issues can be applied to your own teaching situation, can be a good incentive to keep up to date with issues in literacy. Even if you only meet a few times a year, the joy of sharing books can help us keep connected to the field and to each other.

Enjoy your summer, and keep on reading!

Frances Mary D'Andrea, Editor, DOTS

A Celebration of Solutions

Free Copy of Symposium Proceedings

In September 2002, the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) National Literacy Center held the first ever National Symposium on Literacy for Adults with Visual Disabilities. Presenters from within the blindness field and from the adult basic education community focused on new ideas that be be replicated or shared with others regarding the provision of literacy services for adults who have visual impairments. Overall, the symposium showcased solutions that can work in the field and in a variety of agencies or organizations.

AFB is offering single copies of the proceedings of the symposium for free. Topics include:

• ESL instructional methods for adults with visual disabilities
• GED 2002 accommodations
• impact of learning disabilities on instruction
• braille instruction for adults with low literacy skills
• modified general adult reading programs
• sociocultural perspectives

For your own free copy in print or on disk, or for more information, contact Tina Tucker, National Program Associate in Literacy at 100 Peachtree Street, Suite 620, Atlanta, GA 30303; phone: 404-525-2303; e-mail: ttucker@afb.net.

Helen Keller Kids Museum Online

AFB celebrates Helen Keller's birthday this June with the launch of a multimedia Helen Keller Kids Museum Online. For details about the site, and the direct URL, see full story.

Alphabetic-Braille and Contracted-Braille Study

We are looking for kindergarten children to enroll in the first study of young children who read braille. This study seeks to learn if there are differences in the reading, writing, and spelling abilities of young readers who initially learn the alphabetic-braille code or the contracted-braille code. If you know of a young child who will be in pre-kindergarten or kindergarten in 2003 or 2004 and you would like more information about this study, please contact:

Dr. Anne Corn
Box 328 Peabody College
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615-322-2249 (8-4:30 CST)
E-mail: Anne.Corn@vanderbilt.edu

Collaborating Organizations and Universities
American Foundation for the Blind
American Printing House for the Blind
California State University, Los Angeles
California School for the Blind
Contra Costa Public Schools, California
Pennsylvania College of Optometry
Texas Tech University
University of Arizona, Tucson
University of British Columbia
Vanderbilt University

Braille Bug Reading Club

Summer Reading Selections

The Braille Bug Reading Club has posted new books for children to read over the summer. The theme this summer is "Overcoming Fears" and features two exciting and thought-provoking books that will keep kids on the edge of their seats. Teachers and parents can visit the link in the Reading Club area that says, "What is the Braille Bug reading now? Where can I get these books?" for information on where to find the books in hard copy and Web-braille.

For children in grades 3-6, the book Skylark, by Patricia MacLachlan, has been selected. In this sequel to Sarah, Plain and Tall (a March-May Book Club selection), finds Sarah now married to Jacob and stepmother to Caleb and Anna. As their life together as a family begins, they are faced with a disaster that may destroy their new home. Will Sarah return to Maine and leave her new family behind?

Children in grades 4-7 can enjoy The Fear Place, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. In The Fear Place, 12-year-old Doug has been terrified of a narrow ledge on a Colorado mountainside ever since he tried to cross it on a family camping trip two years ago. Now Doug must face "the fear place" all alone to find his missing brother, Gordon.

As always, once children read the books, they can post messages with their comments and questions on the Braille Bug Reading Club message boards. They can also play trivia quiz games that ask questions about the selected books.

The Braille Bug Reading Club has been established to encourage reading and discussion about high-quality children's literature. It also promotes the idea that children who are blind or visually impaired are more like their sighted peers than they are different. Whether the book is read in braille or print, whether it was obtained at the library, the bookstore, or over the Internet, the children can respond equally, authentically, and enthusiastically to good books.

For more information about the Braille Bug Reading Club, send a message to braillebug@afb.net.

Accessible Textbooks Tool Kit Available

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Textbooks and Instructional Materials Solutions Forum, along with AFB's Education Program, announces the completion of a new national resource for textbook administrators, publishers, educators, parents, and community leaders. The AFB Solutions Forum Tool Kit is a collection of information related to providing accessible textbooks and instructional materials to students with visual impairments. The materials include contributions of many of the 44 partnering organizations of the AFB Solutions Forum. The 245-page Tool Kit contains resources related to production and timely delivery of textbooks for students who are blind or visually impaired. Users of the Tool Kit are encouraged to share this information widely.

The Tool Kit is available on CD-ROM in an accessible format for people using screen reading software or braille. The accessible html file provides a complete version, or the user may select a print-ready format.

To request a free copy of the AFB Solutions Forum Tool Kit, contact Mary Ann Siller, Director, AFB Education Program, American Foundation for the Blind, 11030 Ables Lane, Dallas, TX 75229; phone: 469-522-1803 ; e-mail: siller@afb.net.

New From NBP

Everyone needs a "cheat sheet" now and then! New from National Braille Press, it's the Nemeth Reference Chart, a handy resource to look up Nemeth symbols. Formatted like a calendar, the chart can be hung on the wall, or can lay flat for easy reference. Each page shows Nemeth symbols in print, braille, and ASCII formats, with an explanation of how the symbols are used. Included are information about Nemeth code digits, signs of operation, algebraic symbols, geometric symbols, indicators, and more. The chart, compiled by Thora Dumont and Janet Malone, is perfect to share with classroom teachers and parents of students who use braille. The Nemeth Reference Chart is available in print for $14.95.

To order, contact National Braille Press, 88 St. Stephen Street, Boston, MA 02115-4302; phone: 800-548-7323; web site: www.nbp.org.

New Release from AFB Press!

Collaborative Assessment: Working with Students Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired, Including Those with Additional Disabilities.

Assessment of a child's strengths, weaknesses, and needs is the first step in providing the most appropriate and beneficial educational services to every student with special needs; it is also required by federal law. This key process brings together diverse professionals, many of whom may have never before worked with a student who is visually impaired.

Now, this unique publication, edited by Stephen A. Goodman and Stuart H. Wittenstein, shows professionals how to collaborate efficiently and effectively, from the initial referral to the writing of the assessment report. It is full of information about visual impairment and adapting assessments to meet the needs of students who are blind or have low vision and provides specific details for each profession that might be conducting an evaluation. Based on proven techniques developed by the assessment program team of the California School for the Blind, Collaborative Assessment demonstrates how close collaboration enriches the assessment process and ensures its effectiveness, providing benefits for the student and the professional as well.

Collaborative Assessment offers detailed descriptions of specific tools to be used in assessment as well as sample forms and checklists. It is a must-have resource for all teachers and professionals who work with children who have special needs--especially those with visual impairments--including classroom teachers, teachers of students with visual impairments, administrators, orientation and mobility specialists, speech and language specialists, psychologists, and social workers.

To order your copy visit www.afb.org/store or call 800-232-3044. The book is available for $49.95 in paperback (order number 0-89128-869-4) or ASCII disk (number 0-89128-870-8).

International Council on English Braille (ICEB) General Assembly Call for Papers

The International Council on English Braille (ICEB) announces that it will hold its third General Assembly from Monday, March 29, 2004, through Friday, April 2, 2004, in Toronto, Canada. A series of papers agreed by ICEB will be presented at the 2004 General Assembly, and will be published in the conference proceedings. The major topic of the papers should be related to the Unified English Braille Code (UEBC) Research Project, or relevant ICEB work.

All papers intended for presentation at the General Assembly must be received by Darleen Bogart by November 15, 2003. Forward all papers to:

Darleen Bogart
CNIB Library for the Blind
1929 Bayview Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M4G 3E8
E-mail: darleen.bogart@cnib.ca
Telephone: 416-480-7530
Fax: 416-480-7700

Requirements for Papers

1. Contact details including name, address, telephone, and e-mail address must be included with each paper submitted.
2. All conference papers received by the above date will be reviewed by members of the conference papers subcommittee to establish their suitability for the conference, and to see whether any alterations need to be made, having regard to what other papers are being submitted and other considerations. All reports from reviewers must be in the hands of the chair of the subcommittee by Dec. 15, 2003.
3. All papers accepted for presentation at the General Assembly and into the proceedings will be sent to members of the ICEB executive committee by Feb. 1, 2004, to circulate to all delegates in their respective countries. This deadline is intended to give sufficient time for members of national delegations to discuss the papers with other relevant people in their countries and to take up positions which have the support of their respective national organizations.
4. Papers intended for the 2004 conference are to be submitted as electronic files, either as Word or as brf files.
5. Papers intended for the conference should not exceed 6,000 words, exclusive of footnotes and appendices. The paper must be accompanied by an abstract not exceeding 250 words (which doesn't count towards the total number of words in the actual paper).
6. A single paper may be written by two or more co-authors, or by an individual. Authors or co-authors need not be delegates to the conference.
7. Presenters: At the conference itself, papers will not be read out in full, as it will be assumed that all delegates will have had an opportunity to digest their contents. Instead, the author or co-authors shall present a summary of the paper, highlighting any points which he or she considers of special importance, and this summary shall not exceed 15 minutes in length. The presenter will be responsible for making the summary at the time of the conference, and will not be required to submit a written version of it beforehand. The presenter need not be an approved delegate to the conference or a representative of an organization approved by ICEB, but he or she need not be the author or co-author of the paper, either. The person submitting the paper in writing must indicate who is going to be its presenter.
8. In addition to the 15 minutes allocated for the presentation of each paper, provision will be made for individual papers or groups of papers to be followed by about 30 minutes of discussion time. More precise details will be available later.
9. Reviewers: Each paper intended for conference will be sent to two reviewers, who may agree either to accept or reject a paper, in which case their decision will be final. If reviewers are divided on acceptance of the paper, the chair may break the tie, or refer the paper to other reviewers. The paper may also be accepted provided that specific alterations are made to it. Because of the tightness of the timetable, all authors of papers will be urged to complete alterations as quickly as possible. For more information on the review process, contact Raeleen Smith, rsmith@rnzfb.org.nz.
10. It will not be possible to provide an opportunity for "reacting papers" for inclusion in the proceedings. However, delegates and other readers of the papers may take upon themselves the responsibility of circulating reactions to or comments on paper which they have read, in the belief that this will help conference delegates be clear in their minds about the issues involved or to reach decisions. Such reactions and comments will not be included in the proceedings.
11. Having regard to the expense that will be incurred in producing the conference proceedings, and the desirability for a wide audience, authors are urged:

• to be clear, concise, and orderly in their presentation of materials
• to give adequate references to research work and other literature they cite
• to be as objective as possible even where they have a specific and controversial viewpoint to present
• to define and employ with precision any technical terms they may use
• to divide their papers into numbered sections and/or paragraphs for ease of reference
• to avoid diffuseness and digressiveness
• to refrain from personal attacks.

For further information about any of the paper and presentation requirements, contact Raeleen Smith, Secretary ICEB, Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind, P.O. Box 2237, South Dunedin, New Zealand; phone: 64-3-4664244; fax: 64-3-4554319; e-mail: rsmith@rnzfb.org.nz.

Reader's Exchange

In our last issue of DOTS, we printed some contact information for companies that advertise their ability to produce materials in Nemeth code. The information was provided for us by Susan Osterhaus and is also on her excellent web site, http://www.tsbvi.edu/math/. One reader commented that companies that provide braille materials vary widely in quality, experience, pricing, and turn-around time, so it is important that readers request bids from several places to compare. This gives us an opportunity to remind DOTS readers that this newsletter is provided as a service to promote braille literacy, and to share resources that may be of interest to a wide audience. While companies and resources highlighted in DOTS are checked for the accuracy of the information, mention in this newsletter does not imply endorsement by the American Foundation for the Blind or by this newsletter. When selecting a vendor to produce braille, it is not impolite to ask for the credentials of the producer (e.g., do they have certified transcribers on staff? How much brailling experience do they have? etc.). Asking for samples of past work created may also give buyers a chance to see the quality of braille that is produced by particular vendors. As always, caveat emptor!

Our friend Arnold Dunn has called us again, saying that he has plenty of braille blocks ready to ship. As you may recall from previous issues of DOTS, Mr. Dunn, a retired (but very busy) gentleman with a talent for woodworking, has developed beautiful wooden blocks with braille letters on one side, and tactile print letters on the other. If you'd like to order a free set, please contact Mr. Arnold Dunn, 5130 Brittany Drive S., Apt. 301, St. Petersburg, FL 33715; telephone: 727-867-3818. If you write to him, please include your phone number; Mr. Dunn likes to talk to folks about the children who will receive his blocks and will try to meet any special requests you may have.

Mark Your Calendars!

Getting in Touch with Literacy 2003

Plan to come to beautiful Vancouver and share your knowledge and experiences on effective strategies for teaching literacy skills to individuals with visual impairments. This conference addresses issues related to literacy for individuals with visual impairments at all age and literacy levels. Presentations at this conference will include information on reading and writing in braille, use of assistive technology, use of a variety of literacy tools and other relevant topics.

The Getting In Touch With Literacy (GITWL) conference is held every two years. It is planned and carried out by a community-based committee including a variety of people with a commitment to and interest in supporting literacy for individuals who are blind or visually impaired.

December 4-7, 2003
Westin Bayshore Resort & Marina
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

For more information contact:

Cay Holbrook, Co-chair
University of British Columbia
E-mail: cay.holbrook@ubc.ca

or

Linda Evans, Co-chair
Canadian National Institute for the Blind
Telephone: 604-431-2121

Visit the conference website for registration and hotel information, and updated information about the conference program:
www.gettingintouchwithliteracy.org

Promising Practices for Transcribing Early Literacy Textbooks

The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) is seeking feedback, comments, and suggestions on a draft document available on their web site relating to the formatting and transcription of educational materials for primary grades. The draft document is a joint project of APH and the Braille Authority of North America (BANA), and can be found at www.aph.org/atic/practices.html.

APH, working with a focus group and with members of the BANA Early Literacy Materials Production Committee, assigned the task of writing guidelines to transcribe early literacy textbooks. Focus group participants were transcribers, teachers of the visually impaired, reading specialists, and literacy experts. These practices will serve as a testing ground for proposed BANA Guidelines for Transcription of Early Literacy Materials.

Any transcriber connected with an agency should check with their agency to ascertain permission to apply these practices. APH would encourage agencies to approve the use of these practices to enable a broader testing field.

Questions or suggestions should be submitted to Jane Thompson at atic@aph.org and/or Susan Christensen at chrn3292@aolcom. Please type "Early Literacy" in subject line. Revisit the document's URL for revisions of these promising practices as the project evolves.

AFB Launches Helen Keller Kids Museum Online

Multimedia exhibition is latest addition to award-winning Braille Bug web site

The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) has announced the launch of a virtual museum devoted to Helen Keller (1880-1968), the eloquent and tireless deafblind advocate for people with disabilities. The Helen Keller Kids Museum Online, a major addition to AFB's award-winning Braille Bug children's web site, was launched June 27, 2003, in honor of Keller's birthday.

Drawing on the resources of AFB's Helen Keller Archives, the museum offers children a guided tour of Helen Keller's remarkably rich life. Visitors can watch fascinating video footage and view rarely seen photographs of Keller, from early childhood to her final years. Among the museum's collection are pictures of Keller with luminaries like Mark Twain and Charlie Chaplin, and video of Keller speaking and flying in a biplane. Also featured are "Fun Facts" about Keller and engaging quotes from the many publications, papers, and correspondences she bequeathed to AFB, where she worked for over 40 years. A recommended reading list and biography of Keller are available for schoolchildren working on school projects or reports. The site is fully accessible to people with disabilities. Visit the museum at www.afb.org/braillebug/hkmuseum.asp.

MENVI News

The Music Educators Network for the Visually Impaired, MENVI, announces the launch of their new web site, www.superior-software.com/menvi.

MENVI provides a network of information as well as a resource guide to braille music and the teaching of blind children and adults. Members of MENVI receive a quarterly newsletter, and a roster of other members to communicate with, and share issues and solutions related to music education for students with visual impairments. The web site offers an on-line membership form, as well as posting past newsletters.

For more information about MENVI's new web site, contact Jared Rimer, web master, at menvi@superior-software.com, or by calling 818-703-0741. For more information about MENVI itself, contact Richard Taesch at taeschr@ix.netcom.com, or by phone at 818-790-5903.

Don't Be a Wreck! Visit the RECC!

New Resource on the TSBVI Web Site

The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) is proud to announce a new domain on their comprehensive web site: Resources for the Expanded Core Curriculum (RECC). With the new professional in visual impairments in mind, Texas teacher Julie Prause has brought together hundreds of resources that can assist teachers and parents in finding materials related to 19 domains of the Expanded Core Curriculum for students with visual impairments. Each resource listed is annotated and sorted into categories to make it easy to find. The RECC database lists documents, articles, books, videos, and other professional materials that can be downloaded from the web or purchased from various sources.

Visit the RECC home page at www.tsbvi.edu/recc/ to find what you need to ensure that your students are receiving an appropriate education in all core curriculum areas!

"It is the quality of the teacher, her understanding of the vital part she plays as diagnostician, as facilitator, as fellow learner, that makes the difference between bland, passive learning and education that is alive, that is challenging, that is immensely satisfying."
--King, Dunn, & McKenzie (1974) as quoted in Language Arts, Volume 80, No. 4, March 2003

This newsletter is published by the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) and funded in part by contributions to the National Literacy Center. However, information contained herein does not necessarily reflect the position or policy of AFB or its contributors and no endorsement by AFB or its contributors should be inferred.

©2003 American Foundation for the Blind
Contents may not be reproduced without permission.

DOTS for Braille Literacy is published three times a year (October, February, and June), and is available in regular print, braille, via e-mail, or on disk. If you'd prefer to be reading this in a different format, please contact the editor at:

DOTS
American Foundation for the Blind
100 Peachtree St., Suite 620
Atlanta GA 30303
Telephone: 404-525-2303
Fax: 404-659-6957
E-mail: literacy@afb.net
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