Teaching Strategies for Students

that are Blind and Low Vision

Office for Students with Disabilities

To unlock the door of learning

all you need is a KEY

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Teaching Students that are Blind or Low Vision

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………………. page 3 Vision Facts …………………………………………………………………………………… page 3 Blindness Basics …………………………………………………………………………… page 3

Functional Limitations ………………………………………………………………… page 3 Useful Information ……………………………………………………………………… page 4 GENERAL POINTS …………………………………………………………… page 5 GUIDING A BLIND PERSON ………………………………………………… page 6 GOOD PRACTICE GUIDELINES ……………………………………………. page 8 Lecture …………………………………………………………………………………………… page 8 Group Work/Discussions……………………………………………………………… page 9 Printed Material …………………………………………………………………………… page 10 Writing Assignments …………………………………………………………………… page 11 Lab Instruction …………………………………………………………………………… page 12 Exam Arrangements …………………………………………………………………… page 12 Assistive Technology …………………………………………………………………… page 13 Universal Design for Learning (UDL) ……………………………………… page 15 DISTANCE EDUCATION …………………………………………………….. page 17

Website Accessibility Introduction ………………………………………… page 17 Designing an Accessible WebCT Course ………………………………… page 17 Validating Your Work ………………………………………………………………… page 18

MULTIMEDIA GUIDELINES …………………………………………………. page 19 Audio Description Information ………………………………………………… page 19 PDF Documents ……………………………………………………………………………… page 20 SPECIFIC SUBJECT INSTRUCTION ……………………………………….. page 21 Science Lab Specifics ………………………………………………………………… page 21 Mathematics Instruction …………………………………………………………… page 23 Technical, Scientific and Mathematical Tables in Braille …… page 24 Foreign Language Instruction …………………………………………………… page 25 Music Instruction ………………………………………………………………………… page 29

RESOURCES …………………………………………………………………... page 33

REFERENCES …………………………………………………………………. page 36

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Teaching Students that are Blind or Low Vision

INTRODUCTION

Vision Facts

• Blindness refers to the disability of students that cannot read printed text, even when enlarged.

• Low vision refers to the disability of students who have some usable vision, but cannot read standard-size text, have field deficits (for example, cannot see peripherally or centrally but can see well in other ranges), or other visual impairments.

• For sighted people, vision serves as the primary source for information. Estimates of how much sighted people learn visually range from 75% to 85%.

• A person who is visually impaired has difficulty seeing even with his or her glasses on. • Visual acuity is measured and reported as numbers. 20/20 is normal vision. Larger

denominators indicate less acute vision. Legal blindness is a visual of 20/200 or worse, with best correction, in the better eye.

• Legal blindness can also result from a field restriction of 20 degrees or less in both eyes. • Over 75% of the people in the U.S who are legally blind have some residual vision. 11.5

million people have some degree of visual impairment.

Blindness Basics

• Acuity: The ability to see sharply and clearly; when acuity is reduced the ability to read is impaired.

• Field of View: The area within the environment that can be seen; if peripheral, or side, vision is lost, the result is a “tunnel vision” effect that primary impacts mobility; if central vision is lost the result is an inability to see detail, and the ability to read is affected.

• Contrast: The ability to discern objects in the foreground from background; without the ability to discriminate objects, tool manipulation, picture identification, and writing may be affected.

Functional Limitations

• Difficulty finding objects • Difficulty identifying objects • Difficulty seeing objects edges, and discriminating foreground/background differences • Missing objects when reaching for them • Disappearing objects in visual field (the area of vision) • Tripping, falling, or bumping into objects when walking or moving about room • Difficulty reading print • Reduced reading rate • Reduced reading endurance • Difficulty seeing handwriting • Difficulty seeing writing on board, or projector • Difficulty seeing characters or numbers in books/media • Inconsistency in seeing objects over time (fluctuating vision)

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Useful Information

Students with visual impairments are constantly challenged by classroom instructional strategies. Although they can easily hear lectures and discussions, it can be difficult for them to access class syllabi, textbooks, overhead projector transparencies, power point presentations, maps, written exams, demonstrations, DVDs, videos and films. A large part of traditional learning is visual; fortunately, many students with visual disabilities have developed strategies to learn.

Students that are Blind or Low Vision vary considerably. For example, some have no vision; others are able to see large forms; and still others can see print if magnified. They use a variety of accommodations, equipment, and compensatory strategies based upon their widely varying needs. Many make use of taped textbooks, e-text, and computer screen reading software such as JAWS, extended time for exams or projects, a reader/scribe during exams, large print books, and Brailled materials.

For many students, advancements in modern technology have made learning much more accessible. Students that are Blind or Low Vision can utilize enlarged print or screen reading software on the computer. Machines are available to enlarge the print of any printed material, to convert printed material to Braille, or convert printed material into a synthesized voice. Students may also use talking calculators or a tape recorder.

You should not modify academic standards for visually impaired students. All students must meet the required level of understanding and performance competencies for the course, although there may need to be modifications in the evaluation or testing method.

If you have problems when teaching a student who is blind or low vision, first decide if the problem is related to the disability or if it is a problem that any student could have. Consult with the student if you have concerns about accommodations or his/her learning. Other resources to assist you in working with students with vision loss include: the Office for Students with Disabilities, faculty who have worked with other visually impaired students, and web resources such as:

• The Faculty Room http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty -OR- • EASI http://www.rit.edu/~easi/

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GENERAL POINTS • Speak to the class upon entering and leaving the classroom. • Identify yourself by name, don't assume that the student who is blind or low vision will

recognize you by your voice even though you have met before. • Speak directly to a student who is blind, NOT through a companion or third party. • Orally, let the student know if you need to move or need to end a conversation. • Call the student by name if you want his/her attention. • Verbally acknowledge the questions of a student who is blind, they cannot see a head shake

or gesture. • Don’t allow the hand of a student who is blind to dangle in the air. If it is obviously their

intention to shake hands, grasp their hand and greet them. • Use descriptive words such as straight, forward, left, etc. in relation to the student's body

orientation. Be specific in directions and avoid the use of vague terms with unusable information, such as "over there," "here," "this," etc.

• If a person who is blind is approaching and may bump into you, simply say “hello” so they will be aware someone is in their path.

• Don't worry about using phrases that refer to sight, e.g. “see you later,” these are commonly used expressions. Students with vision loss can still "see" what is meant by such expressions.

• Describe and familiarize the student to the classroom, laboratory, equipment, supplies, materials, etc. Once a student is orientated, maintain a consistent classroom environment.

• Give verbal notice of room changes, special meetings, or assignments. • Tell the student if a room they are familiar with has been rearranged. • Don't leave obstructions where they may be walked into. • Don’t move the possessions of a person who is blind without letting them know. • Do not pet or touch guide dogs when they are wearing their harness. Guide dogs are working

animals ‘on duty.’ It can be hazardous for the visually impaired person if the dog is distracted. • Students who have had no vision since birth may also have difficulty understanding verbal

descriptions of visual materials and abstract concepts. Consider the description, "This diagram of ancestral lineage looks like a tree." If one has never seen a tree, it may not be readily apparent that the structure of note has several lines of ancestry which can be traced back to one central family. However, students who lost their vision later in life may find it easier to understand such verbal descriptions. By using enhanced verbal descriptions in your class, blind students as well as sighted benefit. In making comparisons or analogies, use familiar objects that don't depend on prior visual knowledge. Foods or objects found around the house are useful.

• Demonstrations based on color differences may be more difficult for students with blindness to participate in and understand than demonstrations which emphasize changes in shape, temperature, or texture.

• Offer to read written information for a person with a visual impairment, when appropriate. • When assisting a student that is blind in signing their name, place a pen in their hand, and then

guide it to the line. You may use a signature guide or the edge of a piece of heavy paper to show them the direction of the line. For a student with limited vision, you may use a marker to draw over the line to make it more visible. Additionally, a student that is blind may have a signature stamp instead of signing with a pen.

• Don’t take advantage of a student who is blind by communicating around them through gestures and signs to a third person.

• When showing an object to a person that is blind, ask the person to place their hand on top of yours, and then place your hand on the object. This allows the person to have a reference to the object

GUIDING A BLIND PERSON

• Ask if assistance is required but don't assume that it is. A person may wish to be guided or just require some directions.

• Ask how the person would like to be guided - some people will take your arm, others would prefer you to take their arm.

• Explain changes in ground surface, for example moving from carpet onto tiles. • Explain where you are going and what is happening, for example when you are waiting to

cross the road, approaching obstacles, entering different rooms. • When approaching stairs, explain whether they go up or down and approximately how many

steps there are. Allow the blind person to be between you and the handrail. • Don't leave people 'stranded.' If you are leaving them alone, make sure they have a wall or

chair to hold, and they know where they are. • Take your cue from the blind person — ask if you are unsure of anything.

STANCE

GUIDE: Stand with your arm relaxed at your side or bent at the elbow. FOLLOWER: Your arm should be bent at the elbow, placing you one half step behind the guide. Keeping the elbow bent for long periods of time can be uncomfortable for the guide. Experienced guides and followers can often travel just as well with the guide's hand dropped to a vertical position. NOTE: Walk at a pace that is comfortable for both people. The guide should not be "dragging or towing" the follower and the follower should not be pushing the guide. NARROW PASSAGE

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NARROW PASSAGE continued GUIDE: Continue facing forward, move your arm diagonally across your back. FOLLOWER: Straighten out your arm and move directly behind the guide thus following effectively in single file. TURNING AROUND or ABOUT FACE (to turn in a small space, or to avoid confusing the follower)

GUIDE: Ask the follower to "about face." Turn in to face the follower. Offer your other arm. Complete the turn once the follower has grasped your arm. FOLLOWER: Face the guide. Contact the guide's other arm. Release your original grasp. Assume the normal grasp on the new arm. CHANGING SIDES (before stairs or to avoid an obstacle)

GUIDE: Ask the follower to change sides. Bring your arm behind you. FOLLOWER: Grasp the guide's arm with your free hand above your other hand. Release your original grasp and slide that hand across the guide's back to the free arm. Bring your second hand across to the guide's other arm. Assume the normal grasp position.

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GOOD PRACTICE GUIDELINES

The good practice guidelines outlined below are intended to make course material and methods more accessible to visually impaired students. Remember that improving access for students that have a visual impairment will benefit all students in a group, particularly those with learning disabilities.

Lecture

When offering direction or information to the learner with vision loss, it is paramount that the information be organized or structured logically. Information given to people with vision loss has to be processed without the benefit of body language, environmental cues and visual memory. Consider how you would understand directions given to you verbally from home to work, without using pictures or images in your thoughts. It is very important that educators be able to give concrete, sequential verbal direction to learners. Tape record your own lecture. Critique it. Ask yourself, “Could I follow this lecture if I were Blind or visually impaired?”

Blind

• Provide handouts in advance of the lecture. • At the start of the lecture, outline what will be covered. • Notes may be required in Braille and diagrams or tables may need to be produced in tactile

form. This can take eight weeks or more so material will be needed well in advance of the lecture.

• Describe any material you are writing down. Talk through any images or diagrams. • Speak clearly - the student may have few visual cues. Spell out any new or difficult words or

names. • Allow the student to make a recording of the lecture. • Provide booklists well in advance as students may have difficulty accessing the library and

may read more slowly. Annotated book lists can be extremely useful to visually impaired students, for example, if only one page of a book is relevant.

• Providing material such as booklists in electronic format rather than hard copy will allow the student to view material in their preferred format.

• If the lecture relies on a demonstration, allow the student to sit close to you. Verbally describe what you are doing with clear, concise language. If the demonstration includes equipment or models that the student can not see, allow the student to tactually explore these items either during or before the lecture.

Low Vision

• Provide handouts in advance of the lecture. • Describe any material you are writing down. Talk through any images or diagrams. • Visually impaired student may wish to be seated at the front of the class. However, the student

should be allowed the same anonymity as other students. Avoid pointing out the student or the alternative arrangements to the rest of the class.

• Use large-type print transparencies, rather than handwritten overheads. • Allow the student to make a recording of the lecture. • Provide booklists well in advance as students may have difficulty accessing the library and

may read more slowly. Annotated book lists can be extremely useful to visually impaired students, for example, if only one page of a book is relevant.

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Group work/Discussions

Some students with disabilities face challenges participating in small group discussions and other interactive activities. Specific needs vary greatly. However, some general teaching strategies that benefit all students include:

• Establish clear ground rules for discussion. • Provide electronic supplementary course/discussion materials. • Give clear descriptions of visual materials. • Paraphrase questions and answers and highlight key points throughout discussions. • Create options for electronic discussions.

Blind Students who are blind will not be able to see a presenter, visual aids, printed materials, or demonstrations. Typical accommodations that can be used in discussions and group work to maximize the participation of students that are Blind are:

• Audiotaped class sessions. • Braille Notetaker. • Electronic course materials, saved as Rich Text Format, which can be converted to speech

output. • Having students state their names prior to speaking during discussions. • Verbal descriptions of visual aids and demonstrations. • Handouts in Braille, on disk or on tape.

Low Vision Students with low vision may have difficulty seeing visual aids, handouts, and demonstrations. Typical accommodations that can be used in discussions and group work to maximize the participation of students with low vision are:

• Audiotaped class sessions. • Electronic course materials which can be converted to speech output or have text font

enlarged. • Preferential seating. • Large-print handouts and visual aids.

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Printed Material

The provision of instructional materials in alternate formats is an institutional responsibility under Title II of the ADA and Section 504. Textbooks, class handouts and other materials vital to student success must be provided in a timely manner in alternate text formats.

Blind

• Ready access to printed materials on computer disk can allow a blind student, who has the appropriate technology, to use computers to read text aloud, use a refreshable Braille display, and/or produce it in Braille. Some materials may need to be transferred to audiotape. Since it may take weeks or even months to procure course materials in Braille or on audiotape, it is essential that instructors select and prepare their materials well before the materials are needed. The Office for Students with Disabilities typically coordinates Braille, e-text, and audiotape production in collaboration with faculty and the student to meet adaptive technology needs consistent with the educational objectives to be achieved.

• Other examples of accommodations for blind students include tactile models and raised-line drawings of graphic materials. Staff in the Office for Students with Disabilities can help you locate these materials. It is most helpful when faculty identifies the specific learning objective when an accommodation is needed. This clarifies the academic accommodation required.

• When choosing a textbook for your course, please consider checking Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic (www.rfbd.org) or The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) (www.aph.org/louis.htm) to see if that book is available in the appropriate alternative format. If it is not available, please ask your publishing representative for a copy of the text on disk in an ASCII or Rich Text Format for the Windows Platform.

• Provide printed material in the student's preferred format, if deemed a reasonable accommodation by the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD).

• Use the word “blank” instead of a typical underline. An underline does not translate into Braille and a screen reader will read it as a series of underscores.

• Avoid using tables when possible. Translation is difficult and older screen readers do not read the information well.

• Save text from multimedia programs (e.g., Power Point) into text files.

Low Vision

• Use large-print typed transparencies, rather than handwritten overheads. • Use a clear font such as arial, tahoma or comic sans. • Use print size 18 point or above. • Keep the layout clear and simple. • Avoid text on a patterned background. • Printing on colored paper may make text easier for some visually impaired students to read.

Black text on a yellow background provides maximum contrast. • Avoid using red and green ink.

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Writing Assignments

Most postsecondary instructors rely heavily on written assignments as a primary means of communicating knowledge and understanding. Some students with disabilities face challenges with written handouts, exams, and/or assignments. Visual impairments may impact a student's access to standard word processing programs and computers. Accessing journals, publications, or other library resources for written assignments may be difficult for some students with disabilities.

Computers, assistive technology, and software programs have increased the number of written communication options for students with disabilities. Assistive computer technology has improved access to word processing programs. For example, students who are blind can use screen reading programs and speech output systems as they complete written assignments. The Internet provides students with options to do on-line searches from home or submit assignments via e-mail.

Despite improvements in technology, many students with disabilities need accommodations to complete written assignments to meet course requirements. General accommodations for students with various disabilities that impact writing includes extending assignment deadlines, allowing alternative assignment formats, extended test-taking time, or the use of adaptive technology.

The following strategies can be used to facilitate participation of students.

Blind With the availability of computers, assistive technology, and word processing programs, students who are blind are able to complete writing assignments. They can also access publications, journals, and resources to prepare written assignments. Typical accommodations that can be used to facilitate maximum participation of students with blindness in writing activities are:

• Screen reading software and speech output systems. • Braille translation software, Braille refreshable display, and a Braille embosser. • Locator dots or Braille key stickers on the keys of computer keyboards. • Scribes. • Alternative test or assignment formats such as e-text or Braille.

Low Vision Students with low vision may have difficulty writing in a standard format. Typical accommodations that can be used to facilitate maximum participation of students with low vision in written assignments include:

• Large-print handouts and visual aids. • Screen enlargers. • Large-print key stickers for computer key board. • Sharpie Marker and Thick lined paper.

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Lab Instruction

Computers with optical character readers, speech output, refreshable Braille screen displays, and Braille printers allow students who are blind to participate in computer exercises and on-line research. In addition, Web pages used in your course should be designed so that they are accessible to those using Braille and speech readers. The Office for Students with Disabilities and/or OIT staff on your campus can be consulted when addressing computer access issues.

• Some visually impaired students may use a reader to support them in practical work, for example to explain diagrams that the student cannot see.

• See Assistive technology and Website accessibility sections

Exam Arrangements

If a student requires alternative examination arrangements, these will be outlined in the student's “Notification to Instructor” from The Office for Students with Disabilities. Strategies that may be used include extra time, use of a reader or scribe, large print or Braille question paper, or use of a computer with or without assistive software. Alternative arrangements will not give the student an unfair advantage, or put them at a disadvantage, and the arrangements must not compromise the validity or professional accreditation of the examination.

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Assistive Technology

Computers are essential tools in all academic studies. They can enhance the independence, productivity, and capabilities of people with disabilities. Access to computers for students with disabilities involves two major issues: access to the computers themselves and access to electronic resources such as word processors, spreadsheets, and the World Wide Web.

Assistive hardware and software can facilitate computer access for people with disabilities. Assistive technology solutions may involve simple, readily available adjustments such as using built-in access devices on standard computers, or they may require unique combinations of software and hardware such as those needed for voice or Braille output.

Accommodations for students will be presented by considering computer input, output, and documentation for a specific impairment. Many accommodations require advance planning with the student and an advisor from the Office for Students with Disabilities. An Instructional Assistant, Assistive Technologies is available collegewide that can make recommendations and help you arrange the set up for the special software. Understanding the computer access issues facing students with disabilities and hardware solutions and the software for providing access to computers and electronic resources is important. Following are examples of accommodations, organized by type of disability, for computer input, output, and documentation.

Blindness Most individuals who are blind can use a standard keyboard. Viewing standard screen displays and printed documents is problematic. Specialized voice and Braille output devices can translate text into synthesized voice and Braille output, respectively.

Following are examples of computer input, output, and documentation accommodations for individuals who are blind:

Input

• Locator dots on the keyboard for commonly used keys

Output

• Speech output. • Refreshable Braille displays that allow line-by-line translation of a screen into Braille display

area. • Braille embossers.

Documentation

• Braille embossers. • Scanners with optical character recognition that can read printed material and store it

electronically where it can be read using speech output or Braille.

Low Vision Most students with low vision can use standard keyboards. Special equipment or the use of built-in computer features can help modify screen displays and printer output.

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Following are examples of computer input, output, and documentation accommodations for individuals who have low vision:

Input

• Large-print key labels and home row indicators.

Output

• Large monitors and anti-glare screens. • Screen enlarger software. • Color and contrast adjustments. • Speech output systems.

Documentation

• Scanners with optical character recognition. • Large-print or Rich text e-text versions of documentation.

Assistive Technology Definitions

• Screen readers Screen readers allow users with vision loss to access computer text. Text is read out loud by a voice synthesizer. Tab or Shift-Tab allows navigation through the links on a Web page.

• Screen magnifiers Screen magnification systems enlarge portions of the screen to allow users with vision loss to access computer-based materials.

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Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

Universal Design: Instructional Methods that Work for Many Different Students

Universal Design has been defined as "The design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized usage" (The Center for Universal Design, http://www.design.ncsu.edu:8120/cud/univ_design/princ_overview.htm, 1/11/02). First apparent in the design of buildings, public spaces, and products, Universal Design has been hailed because it is cost-effective, seeks one integrated solution to diverse problems, and addresses the needs of many people without stigmatizing any group.

In architectural design, the automatic door-opener, often used in residential garages as well as supermarkets and department stores, solves an access problem for people with and without disabilities. In public spaces, curb cuts, originally designed for wheelchair users, are equally popular with people pulling luggage carts or pushing baby strollers, skateboarders, people with canes, and the average walker. In product design, cookware with thick, soft handles works well for people with arthritis but also appeals to non-disabled cooks. In educational settings, students with a variety of disabilities use voice-activated software--but so do many non-disabled people, including executives who have never learned to type and salesmen on the run who want to jot down a few notes before moving on to the next customer.

Good postsecondary instructors try to meet the needs of diverse learners: not just students with disabilities, but also non-disabled students who--for a wide variety of reasons--simply do not learn in the traditional way. Using the Universal Design model, instructors can design courses that benefit most of the students in their courses; they need not spend a disproportionate amount of time addressing the needs of just one group.

According to the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), Universal Design for Learning makes the following assumptions about teaching and learning (directly quoted from their website: http://www.cast.org):

• Students with disabilities fall along a continuum of learner differences rather than constituting a separate category.

• Teacher adjustments for learner differences should occur for all students, not just those with disabilities.

• Curriculum materials should be varied and diverse including digital and online resources, rather than centering on a single textbook.

• Instead of remediation for students that learn from a set curriculum, curriculum should be made flexible to accommodate learner differences.

Universal Design for Learning Resources

http://www.trace.wisc.edu: Provides excellent information on the principles of Universal Design as applied to architecture and product design, and also discusses the importance of Universal Design in terms of demographic, legislative, economic, and social changes among older adults and people with disabilities throughout the 20th century.

http://www.cast.org: Offers a wealth of information on "universal design for access and learning." This website provides excellent background material on educational theory. Unfortunately there are few practical examples from postsecondary education.

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http://www.facultyware.uconn.edu/netscape.htm. The University of Connecticut's "Universal Design for Instruction Project" promises to provide specific ideas and materials for postsecondary instructors who wish to apply the principles of Universal Design in the courses they teach.

http://www.osu.edu/grants/dpg. "Universal Design for Learning: Elements of Good Teaching."

UDL transforms the old paradigm of “fixing” students, so that they can manage a set curriculum, into a new paradigm that “fixes” the curriculum by making it flexible and adjustable. http://www.cast.org

Recommended Practices

• Have a clearly defined, but flexible curriculum in place. • Provide material in multiple formats • Provide multiple ways for students to interact and make meaning out of

curriculum and materials • Allow students to demonstrate learning in multiple ways. • Offer instruction and student response through distance learning. • Make materials available electronically as much as possible

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DISTANCE EDUCATION Web Accessibility Introduction

• Valencia Community College has historically been committed to the access of all students to

the curriculum, including students with disabilities. • Web Accessibility refers to methods of layout and design for instructional web pages which

support the capabilities of assistive computer technologies used by students with visual, physical, auditory or learning disabilities.

• Web pages are the building blocks of virtual classrooms. If these building blocks are inaccessible, the virtual classrooms they are used to construct will be inaccessible as well.

• If you are developing your own web pages, please take time to read and understand the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Priority One guidelines for web page access. http://www.w3.org/WAI

• Courseware authoring tools such as WebCT do not produce fully accessible pages. Please become aware of their limitations

• Please test all pages with a web accessibility checker like Bobby before posting to your site.

Designing an Accessible WebCT Course

The following design strategies will assist you in ensuring that your WebCT course is reaching the widest possible audience. These strategies are based on the Guidelines provided by the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), at http://www.w3c.org/WAI

1. Images and animation To describe the function of all images for users, who cannot access visual elements, use the ALT attribute. An ALT text equivalent describes the function or purpose of content. A good test to determine if a text equivalent is useful is to imagine reading the document aloud over the telephone. What would you say upon encountering this HTML code reference to an image to make it comprehensible to the listener? Example: <IMG src="bookshelf.gif" alt="Resource Materials"> WebCT will automatically use the text description of icons provided by ALT tags on the course Homepage and Tool pages. HTML documents that you upload to the WebCT Manage Files utility should include ALT text for all images.

2. Multimedia When including multimedia components such as video clips or audio files, provide alternative formats for users who cannot use movies, sounds, or audio enhancements directly. Example: a. QuickTime authoring tools allow easy addition of captioning to video clips. b. Supplementary text can be added as an alternative to video clips or

animation. c. Transcripts of audio files can be included.

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Note: Embed multimedia components as well as any of the text equivalents of the multimedia content in a single HTML document to be added to a Content Module.

3. Hypertext links Users who access Web content with audio output use the Tab key to move from link to link. To improve accessibility for these users, ensure that link text is meaningful and make sense when read out of context.

4. Page organization To allow content to be effectively interpreted by non-visual browsers, use consistent course page structure and correct use of HTML markup. Use outlines at the beginning of long documents, and label and structure lists carefully. When creating Web pages to be uploaded to a Content Module, use standardized HTML markup. Example: Sections should be introduced with the HTML header elements (H1-H6) headings:

• <H1>Cooking techniques</H1> ... introductory text here ...

• <H2>Part 1: Cooking with oil</H2> ... text of the section ...

• <H2>Part 2: Cooking with butter</H2> ... text of the section ...

5. Graphs and charts It is helpful to summarize the information in text form when ALT text does not adequately convey the function or role of an image presented in the WebCT course content. Additional supporting text may be included within content pages, or may be uploaded as a separate file and linked to the page.

6. Tables Unless line-by-line reading is possible, avoid using tables for column or page layout. Make sure the table cells are read in a logical order.

7. Point of contact on your pages Make sure there is a point of contact on each page of your content in case someone needs an alternative way of accessing your material.

Validating Your Work

Validate your HTML pages with one of the validation tools available online. By using validation methods in the early stages of course design, problems can be noted before you begin course construction.

Some of the validation tools available online include:

• Bobby: http://www.cast.org/bobby • W3C HTML Validation Service: http://validator.w3.org/

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MULTIMEDIA GUIDELINES Audio Description Information

[A drawing of a large television set is atop a video cassette recorder (VCR). Within the screen of a television are the following words:] “Who's watching?” A profile of the blind and visually impaired audience for television and video. [end of outside front cover] [Scattered around on the inside front cover page are the following quotes from study participants, presented in various typeface is in shades of green; this was done in order to give each participants quote a distinct graphic presentation] “These services make me feel just like all other people and I can benefit so much more from the programs. With description, I feel that my TV and movie watching experiences are tremendously enhanced. No frustration, sadness or anger at having looked forward to a pleasurable experience and feeling cheated out of it because not being able to follow the action. Described television and movies have widened my world. They have given me an awareness of how much I was really missing and added extra enjoyment and dimension to everything I have seen. Having lost the ability to observe action, clothing, facial expression, and landscape, I am grateful for the words description provides. Non-describe shows are sometimes rather frustrating due to lack of these cues… I am always so excited to find out a movie or program has been audio described this tense me to watch things and may not watch otherwise…” Individual with Visual Impairment.

Isn’t Viewing Video Frustrating for People Who are Blind or Visually Impaired?

This is true because television and video are primarily visual. Programming often is difficult to understand if one is only hearing it, or hearing it along with seeing it, but poorly. Many visually impaired people have had the frustrating experience of, say, listening to a chase scene for which they hear lots of tire squeals, crashes, and gunshots, but no dialogue that explains the action. Others have watched a one-hour television mystery, following and enjoying it for 58 minutes until, at the climax; the show turns dramatically silent and reveals the ending in a visual way – only showing who killed Mr. X! Many visually impaired people prefer to watch with a friend or relative who explains enough parts of the presentation to make them aware of important elements that are presented only visually. However, when needed, the visually impaired person may not have someone available who can describe programming to him or her, or may wish to watch some shows alone.

Is There a Solution to the Video Viewing Problems of People who are Blind or Visually Impaired?

Audio description makes a video program accessible to blind and visually impaired people. Video description uses the Secondary Audio Program (SAP) channel to transmit the full soundtrack of a program. A narrator's voice is added to that soundtrack to describe what is happening visually in the program. Descriptions make feature films, videos, and other visual media accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired by providing descriptive narration of key visual elements in programs.

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Audio Descriptions describe the key visual elements in a program that a viewer who is visually impaired would ordinarily miss. Actions, costumes, gestures and scene changes are just a few of the elements that, when described, engage the blind or visually impaired viewer with the story. A carefully written script is prepared by a trained describer, read by a narrator, and mixed in a professional audio production suite for broadcast-quality results. A full DVS® mix consists of the main program audio combined with these narrated descriptions. Movies and other material on video and DVD can also include descriptions. The Media Access Group has an extensive catalogue of feature films available on VHS tape with open descriptions. For DVD, a description track can be supplied to the DVD authoring facility and incorporated onto the DVD as an additional audio selection. CD-ROM software that includes video and audio clips, such as reference material, can also be made accessible for viewers who are blind or visually impaired.

PDF Documents Access.adobe.com provides a set of free tools that allow visually disabled users to read documents in Adobe PDF format. These tools convert PDF documents into either HTML or ASCII text which can then be read by many screen reading programs. These tools approximate the logical reading order of the text in PDF documents and reformat it into a single column of text. This solution provides three benefits:

• Visually disabled users can use familiar applications, screen readers and Web browsers.

• PDF files can be accessible on any platform supporting Web browsers and screen readers.

• Some of the problems screen readers have reading documents with complex layouts are overcome.

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SPECIFIC SUBJECT INSTRUCTION

Science Lab Specifics

Laboratory experiences are essential for students in many science courses. Students with disabilities will need to have access to the physical facility, equipment, materials, safety devices and other services. Access issues for students with disabilities vary considerably depending on the subject, the physical facility, and the needs of each student. For example, a student who is blind will be unable to use standard measurement equipment used in a chemistry or physics laboratory. Solutions to access barriers will vary considerably among individual students and the laboratory activities. Each student is the best source of information about his needs.

General Suggestions Working closely with a lab partner or assistant can facilitate involvement in the lab activity for some students with disabilities. For example, a student who is blind could enter observation data into the computer while his partner describes the lab findings.

Allowing the student extra time to set up a lab or complete the work can also provide an effective accommodation for some students with disabilities. This may allow more time to focus on procedures and results and eliminate the stress that may result from time constraints.

To assure safety, provide a thorough lab orientation and provide necessary adjustments to procedures, depending on the specific disability. Have a plan established that may involve moving equipment, placing the student in a specific location in the room, or involving another student as a back up in case of emergency.

Blindness Following are examples of accommodations in science labs that can be used to maximize the participation of students who are blind:

• Include tactile drawings or graphs, three-dimensional models, and a lot of hands-on learning. • Use a glue gun, wicky sticks, or puff paint to make raised line drawings. • Make a tactile syringe by cutting notches in the plunger at 5 ml. increments. • Make a tactile triple beam balance by filing deep notches for each gram increment. Add glue

drops on either side of the balance line so that the student will know when the weights are balanced.

• Create Braille labels with Dymo Labelers. • Identify increments of temperature on stove using fabric paint. • Use different textures such as sandpaper or yarn to identify drawers, cabinets, and equipment

areas. • Place staples on a meter stick to label centimeters. • Use 3-D triangles or spheres to describe geometric shapes. • Use Styrofoam and toothpicks or molecular kits to exemplify atoms or molecules. • When measuring liquids, have glassware with specific measurements or make a tactile

graduated cylinder. • Use talking thermometers and calculators, light probes, and tactile timers. • Implement auditory lab warning signals. • Use clear verbal descriptions of demonstrations or visual aids.

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Low Vision Following are typical accommodations in science labs that can be used to maximize the participation of students who have low vision:

• Create large-print instructions. • Use large-print reading materials that include laboratory signs and equipment labels. • Enlarge images under microscopes using a Magni-Cam. • Use raised line drawings or tactile models for illustrations or maps. • Verbally describe visual aids.

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Mathematics Instruction

Tools

Math class can be difficult for anybody. Even sighted students need to use special tools and techniques to help them translate information on a page into an internal visualization. For blind and visually impaired students, these tools and techniques are just a little different. This compilation of web sites contains information about these tips and tools in order to help teachers get their blind students academically engaged.

Teaching Math to Visually Impaired Students http://www.tsbvi.edu/math/ . This website by Susan Osterhaus addresses teaching strategies, tactile math graphics, adaptive tools and technology for accessible mathematics, and many other issues. The 10 teaching strategies incorporated into the website include collaborative/inclusive strategies, challenges in teaching mathematics to the visually impaired and solving quadratic equations.

Barrier-Free Education http://barrier-ree.arch.gatech.edu/Resources/disab.html#vision_math. Barrier-Free Education’s list of resources includes three pieces by Dr. Abraham Nemeth, the inventor of the Nemeth Braille system for math and science.

John Flynn http://www.math.berkeley.edu/~flynn/ gives advice for teaching students in Berkeley's and Disabled Student Program, including specific suggestions for TA's and a multi-page section based on his experience teaching calculus to blind student.

Braille Tactile Images http://lcweb.loc.gov/ At times, it will be necessary to provide a student with tactile representation of graphs, charts, or other highly visual information. A variety of methods may be used to create these illustrations in tactile format, such as using raised paint, glue, wicky sticks, tracing wheel and reverse drawing on heavy paper, and a variety of materials and textured paper to create a graph or map. TAEVIS Online offers an electronic library containing over 4,000 tactile diagrams created from college-level course material. Simply purchase a CD at http://www.taevisonline.purdue.edu/Tactile_Diagrams.html . Braille materials are ready for use with tactile image paper and a thermal enhancer. The low vision materials can be printed on your existing office equipment. A graphical image can be created (drawn or printed from computer files) on special heat sensitive paper referred to as tactile image paper. The image is then run through a thermal image enhancer where heat causes the lines of the image to be embossed or raised.

EASI http://www.rit.edu/%7Eeasi/math.htm Individuals with disabilities have difficulty accessing mathematical and scientific notation. This web page links to several state-of-the-art resources which are being used to transcend these barriers.

EASI http://www.rit.edu/%7Eeasi/graphics.htm Individuals with disabilities have difficulty accessing graphs, charts, drawings, and three-dimensional models that are prevalent in the science, engineering, and mathematics fields. This web page links to several state-of-the-art resources which are being used to transcend these barriers.

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Technical, Scientific and Mathematical Tables in Braille

Braille copies of more than 400 standard technical, scientific, and mathematical tables found primarily in high school and college textbooks are available for purchase from the Braille Technical Tables Bank of the National Braille Association. The collection includes standard tables found in mathematics, computer science, statistics, chemistry, physics, finance, and other subjects.

Free catalogs are available from NBA. Some titles include: Periodic Table of Elements, Reference Tables for General Chemistry, and Statistics Tables.

For more information or to order a catalog, please contact:

National Braille Association 3 Townline Circle Rochester, NY 14623-2513 USA Phone: 716-427-8260 Fax: 716-427-0263 http://www.nationalbraille.org/index.htm

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Foreign Language Instruction

DISFL is a moderated listserv, that encourages discussion and collaboration for greater inclusion of disabled students in foreign language classrooms and disability in foreign language curricula. List members are encouraged to post questions about inclusive teaching techniques, disability-related materials for any foreign culture, assistive technology, accessible study abroad, and any aspect of instruction, curriculum design, or advocacy that involves disability and foreign language. You may subscribe to disfl@oberlin.edu by sending a message to berberit@mrs.umn.edu requesting your subscription. Please indicate your full name and whether you would like to receive messages as they arrive or in digest form (a compilation of all messages received in a 24-hour period).

Teaching Languages to the Blind and Visually Impaired: Some Suggestions

by Philip Redwine Donley

Introduction

Our profession generally agrees that comprehensible input (Krashen, 1982) is key to language acquisition. And, drawing upon the ideas of Vygotsky (1978) and Long (1981), we acknowledge the importance of social interaction and the negotiation of meaning in the language acquisition process. As instructors we go to great lengths to provide input and meaningful interaction in our courses and to create a cohesive classroom community in which all students are encouraged to grow and learn. However, students who have serious visual impairments may not benefit fully from our usual efforts. This article, an outgrowth of a brief list of suggestions (Donley, 2001) that I compiled after informally discussing with college language instructors and visually impaired college students some of the problems they have encountered, touches upon possible explanations for the difficulties the visually impaired may face in second and foreign language classes and offers suggestions for making their language learning experience more pleasant and successful.

Input, Interaction, and a Sense of Belonging

In the absence of cognitive disabilities, there is every reason to believe that blind and visually impaired students, like their sighted classmates, can and do acquire languages through input and social interaction. However, the input that visually impaired students receive in language courses may be less comprehensible to them than to sighted students. Specifically, students with impaired vision may miss the non-verbal context (e.g., body language and other non-verbal cues) that can help make oral input understandable. Moreover, these students' visual problems may make it difficult to receive linguistic input by reading the print materials that are traditionally offered in language courses. In addition, because classroom activities are not usually designed with visually impaired students in mind, and because instructors and classmates may be unaccustomed to working with students who are visually impaired, students with severe vision problems may find themselves left out of classroom activities and thus deprived of valuable opportunities to negotiate meaning through interaction with their instructor and classmates. A lack of comprehensible input and meaningful interaction may have negative consequences in the affective domain, such as feelings of marginalization and isolation from the classroom community, which may ultimately

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cause visually impaired students to abandon the language classroom altogether.

Toward a more productive and positive learning environment

As instructors, we should do everything possible to provide comprehensible input to all our students, including those with visual impairments, and we should encourage all our students to participate fully in the classroom community. Here are some suggestions that instructors may find helpful. It is important to note that these are not 'one size fits all' suggestions; they may not be appropriate for every instructor or for every student. Because individual educational contexts and legal requirements related to accommodating students with disabilities differ, teachers should evaluate these recommendations in the light of their own academic situations, taking into account their own needs and those of their students.

• Ask your student about factors that have contributed to previous positive and negative learning experiences. Your student is the best source of information about how he or she learns.

• Become familiar with your school's resources. Find out if your school has an office that assists students who have special needs, or learning specialists who might be able to provide guidance.

• Make an effort to call on your visually impaired student and include him or her in classroom activities, including class discussions and pair or group tasks. Your actions will communicate to your student that he or she is a valued member of the classroom community, while pointing out to your class that your visually impaired student is 'one of the group.'

• When planning activities, ask yourself if you would be able to participate in them successfully if you had your student's visual impairments.

• Whenever possible, gear classroom activities to any visual abilities your student has. If your student can perceive colors, shapes, and/or motion, for example, you may be able to plan activities that take advantage of these capacities.

• Since your student may depend primarily on his or her sense of hearing, it is crucial that he or she be able to hear what goes on in your classroom. Your student may find it helpful if you speak the target language clearly and at a moderate pace; you may also want to speak very descriptively in order to create mental images that will facilitate your student's understanding.

• In order to improve your student's listening comprehension, you may want to provide various types of listening support, such as advance organizers and instruction in listening comprehension strategies.

• You may want to investigate ways to include your student's other senses in the learning experience (e.g., through activities that allow your student to touch or manipulate objects, or to work with substances that have a distinctive fragrance).

• It is likely that your student already has a heightened ability to attend to and interpret various sorts of non-visual stimuli. You may want to discuss with your student the importance of oral language input and point out that his or her enhanced sensory awareness will be especially helpful in assembling a mosaic of information that will increase listening comprehension and facilitate participation in classroom activities.

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• Seek out print materials designed for the blind or visually impaired, such as large-print language materials or books in Braille. You may find it helpful, with the permission of your textbook publisher, to use a photocopier to create larger versions of your current textbook materials.

• Use technology to enhance and support learning. Your student may want to tape-record class sessions for review purposes, and it may be possible to have your textbook and ancillary materials tape-recorded so that your student can use them as audio books. In addition, with the assistance of your school's information technology department, you may want to investigate such rapidly developing technologies as computer programs that convert printed pages, web pages, and CD-ROMs into synthesized speech.

• In some situations, additional learning support may be beneficial. For example, your student may find it helpful to work with a volunteer partner who could assist with note-taking, review the notes with your student after class, and provide supplementary conversational practice.

• You may want to give special thought to the types of assignments you give and to the ways you assess your student's work. For example, you may want to give written assignments that your student could prepare using a Braille keyboard. Alternately, you might consider allowing your student to tape-record his or her work. Since pencil-and-paper tests may be impractical in some circumstances, you may wish to assess your student's progress by analyzing a portfolio of tape-recorded work and by periodically interviewing your student in the target language.

• You may find it helpful to confer with your student periodically and discuss how he or she is progressing. Your student can give you valuable information about classroom procedures and activities that are (or are not) proving helpful to him or her.

Conclusion Although students who have severe visual impairments may face a number of challenges in second and foreign language classes, much can be done to take into account these students' needs, perspectives, and unique abilities. It is hoped that this article will help teachers provide a better learning environment for visually impaired students, and that it will stimulate an exchange of ideas among language instructors about ways to work more productively with the blind and visually impaired. Philip Redwine Donley (PhD, University of Texas, 1997) is the co-author of three introductory college Spanish texts and has taught Spanish at the University of Texas, Southwestern University, and Austin Community College. His research interests include Vygotskyan perspectives on language learning, the development of critical thinking, and language anxiety.

References

http://www.utpjournals.com/product/cmlr/592/592_TCL_Donley.html

Donley, P.M. (2001). Ideas for language teachers who have visually impaired students. Unpublished manuscript.

Krashen, S. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Oxford: Pergamon Press.

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Long, M.H. (1981). Input, interaction and second language acquisition. In H. Winitz (Ed.), Native language and foreign language acquisition (pp. 259-278). Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 379. New York: Academy of Sciences.

Vygotsky, L.S. (1978). Mind in society: the development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

© 2002 The Canadian Modern Language Review/La Revue canadienne des langues vivantes,

59, 2 (December/décembre)

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Music Instruction

Resources for Helping Blind Music Students

By Mary A. Smaligo

While literary Braille is well-known as a tool that blind students can use to read text, surprisingly few people are aware that Louis Braille, a blind piano teacher, also invented music Braille to help blind students learn to read and play music. The general principles of literary Braille and music Braille are similar. Both systems use a “cell” containing six dots in varying combinations that blind people read by touching, but music Braille, which is the only internationally unified code, assigns different meanings to the dot combinations.

Music educators can help blind Braille readers learn music reading skills. An entire Braille music symbol system correlating to the print music system exists, and a large amount of sheet music for individual or group use is available. Taking advantage of existing resources, teachers can provide Braille music so that blind students have the opportunity to learn to read music at the same time that sighted students do. If the effort is successful, the Braille student can read music independently and can participate in ensemble groups or perform as a soloist to the extent that his or her musical ability allows.

Blind students are a low-incidence factor in the overall population; in an entire career, a music teacher may encounter such a student only once or twice. Overwhelmed by what seems to be required, but unable to locate suitable resources, the teacher may still try to do the right thing despite having virtually no tools. A general awareness about Braille music and its availability can help to resolve this dilemma. Although this article is not a comprehensive, detailed survey of existing resources for blind music students, a number of readily available resources are discussed.

Beyond Recorded Music

As a music student progresses, a desperate but dedicated teacher may decide that having the student listen to recorded music and learn by memorization is the only option available for helping the student maintain progress with the rest of the class. While helpful in some aspects of music education for all students, these methods alone are insufficient for blind students learning how to read music. Even if a sighted student already knew how to read music, a committed music educator would not permit him or her to learn music using only recorded materials and rote methods.

In combination with Braille music reading, however, instrumental teachers who teach individuals, small groups, and bands/orchestras would do well to use a lesson book that comes with a play-along cassette or CD. The nature of Braille music reading means memorization of each lesson after the student reads it and the teacher is confident that the student understands it. A play-along cassette, which should never be used as a substitute for Braille music, can streamline memorization efforts and equalize the mechanics of Braille music reading in comparison to standard printed music.

A free correspondence course for learning to read Braille music notation is offered by the Hadley School for the Blind.

National Library Service

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The Music Section of the National Library Service (NLS) for the Blind and Physically Handicapped is the main source for borrowing Braille music in the United States. Materials in Braille make up the largest portion of the collection. The NLS holdings, which include virtually all available printed and hand-produced Braille scores, recordings, and texts, offer instrumental music, vocal and choral music, some popular music, librettos, textbooks, instructional method books, and music periodicals. Recorded courses for beginning guitar, piano, organ, accordion, recorder, voice, and theory have been purchased or specifically developed for the NLS program. Anyone who is unable to read or use standard printed materials as a result of temporary or permanent visual or physical limitations may receive service. Loaned items are sent to borrowers and returned to NLS by postage free mail. The staff also provides information about purchasing or borrowing music from other sources.

Blind or otherwise visually disabled persons can enroll in the National Library Service system upon request. Loans are made in the name of the certified individual.

Useful Publications

A simple, concise resource is How to Read Braille Music, Book I, which is written on a fifth-grade reading level so that it can be used as a self-help resource for beginning through intermediate level Braille reading musicians. Especially useful in the classroom, How to Read Braille Music includes vocal and instrumental music code peculiarities, as well as an index of music symbols.

The Primer of Braille Music, another possibility, contains thirty lessons, twenty-four of which cover the basic knowledge required for reading music. Lessons 25-30 cover vocal and instrumental music. Each lesson presents the same information for both sighted and blind users, with Braille characters and signs on the left side of each page and text and music on the right side.

Although it was published in 1960, Braille Music Chart, new revised edition, available in print and Braille, is still useful as a ready reference in classroom music lessons and as a guide for Braille readers to music symbols written on the chalkboard for sighted students. Containing a complete list of all Braille music symbols, it may also be useful to the advanced student. The Dictionary of Braille Music Signs, a more detailed reference work, is suitable for advanced students.

If knowledge of increasingly advanced Braille music notation becomes necessary, the New International Manual of Braille Music Notation, published in 1996, is now available in print, Braille, and CD-ROM.

The Central Catalog, published by the American Printing House for the Blind (APH), lists volunteer-produced Braille, large-print, and recorded textbooks; commercially produced large print textbooks; and regular press Braille and large-type books produced by APH. The database from which the catalog is produced daily is called LOUIS and is available on the Internet by subscription through APH.

Transcription Resources

One particularly important resource from the National Library Service is an annually-published circular listing Braille music transcribers around the country. Because some music that the teacher wants his or her students to learn to play may not be available in Braille through the usual channels, access to transcribers is necessary for successfully mainstreaming blind students into the music class.

If a music teacher uses worksheets for the class, a Braille music transcriber can transfer the printed text and music to Braille. Turn-around time for this sort of Brailling makes it necessary to plan well

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ahead. While music transcribers now have the technological advantage of computer software to assist in the process, time must still be allowed for the transcriber to receive the printed worksheet, mentally convert the printed notation into Braille, and then input the result. Using software similar to word processing, the transcriber can then correct, copy, move, delete, and save the data in the file. The file is then printed on a Braille printer and sent back to the requestor, or an e-mail attachment can be sent for printing if the requestor has access to a Braille printer. Each Braille music transcriber determines the cost for each page of Braille.

Band and choral music otherwise unavailable can easily be sent to a Braille music transcriber in the same fashion as the worksheet.

Some newly developed software automatically converts print to Braille, allowing a sighted person with no knowledge of Braille music transcription to scan printed music into a database from which Braille can be printed. Other software offers similar or other functions related to or supportive of computerized transcription of Braille music reading. This area of software development is very new, and a number of products are being developed by private enterprises. Music educators interested in computer technology for their blind students are encouraged to contact the NLS or other advocacy organizations to obtain the latest information.

Organizations

In circumstances other than school situations, a call to a local blind association, rehabilitation agency for the blind, or chapter of the National Federation of the Blind could provide extra help, if needed. A list of state agencies that administer rehabilitation and special education services is available from NLS.

The National Braille Association assists those involved in developing and improving skills and techniques for producing materials for those who are print-handicapped. A central depository for hand-transcribed Braille masters, the association offers items for sale at prices under cost, and all production is done by volunteers. The catalog, free upon request, offers brass, string, woodwind, percussion, organ, piano, and voice music materials, as well as items on harmony theory and popular music.

A source of general information is the Music Education Network for the Visually Impaired (MENVI). It describes itself as “a coalition of parents, educators, and students” who functions as a network providing information and resources, including phone numbers, on music education topics concerning blind students. MENVI will send a membership application and regular newsletters in Braille and print containing helpful articles upon request. Recent newsletters have addressed such topics as free Internet services for the blind, exercises that parents can use to begin their blind child’s musical education, and tips for blind children on how to learn to sing in a choir.

Located at the University of Bridgeport, with satellite locations throughout Connecticut, the Music and Arts Center for the Handicapped (MACH) offers a variety of courses and programs focused on Braille music, musicianship, and using the computer as a music tool. Affiliated with MACH, the National Resource Center for Blind Musicians responds to inquiries about sources for Braille music and provides advice on accessible music technology.

The National Federation of the Blind’s mission is to seek “the complete integration of persons who are blind into society on a basis of equality.” The organization focuses on legislative issues, publishes a monthly magazine, Braille Monitor, and two quarterlies, and sells additional publications and assistive devices through its Materials Center. Two divisions, the Music Division and the National

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Organization of Parents of Blind Children, have established the Music Education Network for the Benefit of Blind Students, which is coordinated by volunteers.

For College-Bound Musicians

For the past three years, the MACH Summer Music Institute has offered a three-week live-in program for blind college-bound music students. The program focuses on music, Braille music, and computer skills (including composition and scoring) and helps students develop strategies for university-level academic study and on-campus living. To obtain a brochure and an application, send a request to MACH.

In addition to its Preparatory and Conservatory Divisions, which address the needs of beginning and advanced students, the Southern California Conservatory of Music offers bachelor and associate degrees in music to blind students through its Braille Music Division. Its stated goals are to prepare the serious student for a professional career and to train the motivated student for a full, active cultural life and influence in society. The Conservatory can be contacted through MENVI.

While blind students may attend any college or university as long as they meet the school’s requirements for all students, there are other college-level courses specifically for blind students and teachers at various locations throughout the United States. Help in locating these programs may be obtained by contacting the organizations dedicated to promoting music education for blind students.

Help Is At Hand

Those involved with music education for blind students make up a small community that is growing steadily. These highly active groups, many of whom know each other and are aware of each other’s work, are generous with their information and often suggest additional resources beyond their own that may be helpful to the inquirer. Many of these are free or minimally priced. With a few phone calls, letters, or e-mail messages, music educators can obtain as much help as they need to provide the same education to blind students that sighted students receive.

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RESOURCES For more information contact Assistive Technology Services Valencia Community College, Orlando, FL Kirsten Olson 407-582-2897 kolson@valenciacc.edu

A-Prompt Toolkit: http://aprompt.snow.utoronto.ca The Adaptive Technology Resource Centre: http://www.utoronto.ca/atrc/ American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), National Literacy Center Telephone: 404-525-2303 Web site: www.afb.orgAFB’s National Literacy Center provides training and resource that are visually impaired. American Printing House for the Blind (APH) Telephone: 800-223-1839 Web site: www.aph.orgAPH produces materials in Braille, large print, and audiocassette. It also manufactures computer-access equipment, software, and special education devices for persons who are visually impairment. APH houses “Louis,” a database on their web site; Louis can search over 300 companies for materials in a specified format. Federal quota monies can be used either in public schools or in adult rehabilitation setting to purchase instructional materials from APH. Barrier Free Education: http://barrier-free.arch.gatech.edu The Blindness Resource Center of the New York Institute for Special Education Telephone: 718-579-7000 Web site: www.nyise.org/blind.htmThis site has extensive information on all aspects of access to the internet, Web, and Windows, as well as numerous links to resources for other disabilities, low vision resources, and E-texts. Bobby: http://www.cast.org/bobby BookShare: http://www.bookshare.org Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) Universal Design for Learning: http://www.cast.org/udl/ Closing the Gap: http://www.closingthegap.com Dreamweaver and Fireworks Accessibility: http://www.macromedia.com/macromedia/accessibilty/tools Equal Access to Software and Information (EASI): http://www.rit.edu/easi/index.htm

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Hadley School for the Blind 700 Elm Street, Winnetka, IL 60093-0299. Telephone: 847-446-8111 Fax: 847-446-9916. E-mail: hadley@theramp.com Helen Keller National Center for the Deaf-Blind Youth and Adult (HKNC) Telephone: 516-944-8900 Web site: www.helenkeller.org/national HKNC provides diagnostic evaluations, comprehensive vocational and personal adjustment training, and job preparation and placement for youths and adults who are deaf- blind. In addition, HKNC provides technical assistance and training to those who work with deaf-blind people. John Gardner’s Science Education & Visual Impairments: http://dots.physics.orst.edu/~gardner/ScienceEd.html Library Reproduction Service (LRS) Telephone: 800-255-5002 Web site: www.Irs-largeprint.comLRS provides large print reproductions to schools and other education providers across the U.S. and Canada. LRS serves schools K-12, and adults with special learning needs. Cost will be provided before production is initiated. LOUIS Database: http://www.aph.org/louis.htm Macromedia Flash Accessibility Kit: http://www.macromedia.com/software/flash/productinfo/accessibility MAGpie: http://ncam.wgbh.org/webaccess/magpie Music Education Network for the Visually Impaired (MENVI), Southern California Conservatory of Music MENVI Headquarters 8711 Sunland Boulevard Sun Valley, CA 91352 Telephone: 818-767-6554 Fax: 818-768-6242. E-mail: taeschr@ix.netcom.com Music Section, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Library of Congress, 1291 Taylor Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20542 Telephone: 202-707-9254 and 800-424-8567 Fax: 202-707-0712. E-mail: nlsm@loc.gov Music and Arts Center for the Handicapped (MACH) National Resource Center for Blind Musicians, 600 University Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06601.

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Telephone: 203-366-3300 Fax: 203-368-2847 E-mail: 1027301.163@compuserve.com National Braille Association, Inc. Three Townline Circle, Rochester, NY 14623-2513 Telephone: 716-427-8660. Fax: 716-427-0263. National Braille Press (NBP) Telephone: 888-965-8965 Web site: www.nbp.orgNBP is a non-profit organization that produces Braille textbooks for a wide range of ages; produces children’s books and college level texts. The web site includes an on-line catalog and prices are usually included. NATRI: http://www.natri.uky.edu National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM): http://main.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/ncam National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Telephone: 410-685-9314 Web site: www.nfb.orgThe organization’s goal is to improve the social and economic conditions of people who are blind. NFB sponsors News line, which is a telephone automated system for nonprint readers where a subscriber need only enter an ID number and then choose from an average of three newspapers. Sections can be spelled. NFB also publishes the Braille Monitor and Future Reflections. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS) Telephone: 800-4248567 Web site: www.loc.gov/nlsThe NLS administers a free library program of Braille and recorded materials circulated to eligible borrowers using postage free mail. This web site contains an online catalog of titles. National Science Foundation: http://www.nsf.gov Purdue Tactile Diagrams Manual: http://wwwtaevisonline.purdue.edu/Tactile_Diagram_Manual.htm Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D) Telephone: 800-221-4792 Web site: www.rfbd.orgRFB&D is an educational library for people with disabilities. RFB&D has an 83,000 title library for people with print disabilities. RFB&D is currently preparing texts and materials on CD. Materials listed in the online catalog are only available to registered members. Initial individual fee is $ 75.00. Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired Telephone: 512-454-8631 WEB site: www.tsbvi.eduTSBVI is a partner with independent school districts in Texas to provide instructional and related services to students who are blind, deaf blind, or visually impaired, including those with additional disabilities. They are a special public school established by the Texas Legislature as one of several

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alternative educational placements guaranteed to students to ensure that learning occurs in an environment appropriate to meet their individual needs. There is no cost to students or their families for the instructional and services of the school. Many resources are also applicable to adults.

Trace Research and Development Center: http://www.trace.wisc.edu/world/ University of Washington: The Faculty Room: http://www.washington.edu/doit/Faculty WC3: http://www.w3.org REFERENCES

2001 DO-IT

Adapted from OSU Handbook 1999.

Office of Disability Services, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Make a Difference Tips for Teaching Students Who Are Blind Or Have Low Vision Handbook by Postsecondary Academic Curriculum Excellence (PACE) http://www.ualr.edu/~pace/

http://dsptrio.berkeley.edu/methodology.html 4/23/2004 http://www.nfb.org/fr/fr2/frsp9905.htm 4/23/2004http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/text/vision_impair.html#sect4 4/23/2004 Adapted from a document by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and published by Pursuit of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. http://www.afb.org 4/26/04 http://main.wgbh.org 4/26/04 National Braille Association Tape Recording Manual, National Library Service for the Blind & Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, Washington, DC. “Bridging the Gap: Best Practices for Instructing Adults Who Are Visually Impaired and Have Low Literacy Skills” American Foundation for the Blind, 2002. Aisquared.com knowledge base Fred’s Head