[blindkid] Technology and Little Kid

[Heather]

What I meant was that it is a shame that they are not used more with sighted 
kids.  They are a great tool for both.  I am used to speaking passionately 
and vehemently, almost always theatrically about issues such is this in my 
classes for educators, hense the wordy and apparently confusing statement on 
my part.  Iapolagize.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Holloway" <rholloway at gopbc.org>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2010 10:27 AM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Technology and Little Kid


>>   I am also not a big fan of the school of thought that an abacus is  a 
>> good way to teach blind kids some beginning math concepts.  That  is 
>> bologni.  An abacus is a good way to teach all kids math concepts.
>
> I'm not quite certain I follow this point-- an abacus is an excellent 
> tool to teach blind kids certain math concepts from basic to advanced  and 
> an excellent substitution (when appropriately added to IEP's) for  scratch 
> paper and pencil in testing, especially certain kinds of  standardized 
> testing. I know this because my daughter has been using  one effectively 
> and efficiently since about age three; it works for  her and she is blind, 
> so it is clearly a workable solution at least in  some cases. I find it to 
> be an excellent bridge between manipulatives  and abstract math concepts.
>
> Sometimes BrailleNotes (and the like) are not allowed for testing  because 
> auto calculations cannot be properly disabled, at least not  beyond being 
> potentially re-enabled by a student and giving the blind  student a 
> possible "unfair advantage" in testing. In effect, an  unscrupulous 
> student could "sneak" a calculator into a testing  situation that way. An 
> abacus can't be used for auto-anything and  there can be no question about 
> that in a testing situation. It also  (like the slate & stylus) works all 
> the time-- no lock-ups, no dead  batteries.
>
> Were you suggesting that an abacus is not only good for blind kids but  is 
> potentially a good tool for sighted students as well? Again, a big 
> feature that makes it more appropriate for blind kids is that while 
> sighted kids can use a paper and pencil in a testing situation, that  is 
> not an option for blind kids, but if you would have all kids be  given an 
> abacus at testing time I doubt you'd find many people against  that 
> option; I certainly approve.
>
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