[blindkid] Braille note

Thu Mar 29 16:33:19 UTC 2012

I absolutely agree on the comrade strategy. 

Hopefully that will solve it all, but  keep in mind that no matter what they "normally" do, such as laptops in fourth grade, etc., the "I" in "IEP" is for the individual. 

They are legally not allowed to govern your child's solution based on some policy like that. If the BrailleNote is deemed the appropriate solution by the IEP team, of which you are a part as the parent, that is what they have to come up with.

Incidentally, the team should more properly come up with braille note taker, not a brand and model. If it needs a display, then it is a notetaker with display, etc. I think that applies in all school systems. It could be a PAC Mate instead, for example. I mention this so you are not surprised in the meeting. The team decided what is appropriate, then the school system figures out how to provide it.

Speaking if the IEP, they are required to have one each year, but that is a MINIMUM for compliance on their part. You can call additional meetings based on need. If you think this needs addressing, I'd first try an informal request to discuss and then move to calling one or more IEP's as needed.

You definitely want to let the system and process work, but you are part of that process too. If you can position yourself as a true team member working for a common goal to help your daughter they may well get on board.

I will mention one other thing based on our experience. The BrailleNotes we have been using for the last several years have saved the teachers a great deal of time, effort, and ultimately money has been saved for the system.

They may complain to have to spend $6,000, but multiple assignments have been handled nearly every day with our BrailleNote, and doing so lets non-Braille-reading teachers and staff read assignments and GIVE her assignments without using a Braille transcriber. Kendra works in Braille and prints her work in print (or combined print and Braille as needed).

This can be HUGE, keeping Braille reading students supplied much more of the time with work that goes home with the other kids at the same time, even when pieces are written up or revised at the last minute.

Think what it costs to pay for Braille transcription. How many years should a BrailleNote last, and by what factor can they reduce the workload on a transcriber? Schools should be buying BrailleNotes by the case lot to save money. No, they will never completely replace transcribers, but they can lighten the workload my a significant amount.

Using these can have a greater and greater benefit as well once teachers plan ahead when designing lessons. They can actually learn to choose, write and setup work that lends itself to work well on a BrailleNote.

You can also assist your child much more appropriately at home in some cases. I know we have many times needed to help Kendra go on-line to look up things. Working on-line can be a confusing hassle at best for Braille readers. Many times, I have helped Kendra navigate and research then copied out text content and put it on her BrailleNote for her. Some machines can actually go directly on-line, but that is a bit of an advanced skill for first grade.

You can't do things like that with a Perkins. Nor can you do them with a laptop, unless you take away the Braille student's ability to reasonably edit and interact with the files in Braille. Maybe that approach will help.

Oh, more thing (sorry!) in our state there is a lending service that can loan equipment to schools, possibly even note takers until they can budget in for new ones. There may be a number of options available which the school and system just don't want to bother with, or they may be simply unaware of them.

I hope something above is a little useful. Good luck again!

Sent from my iPad

On Mar 29, 2012, at 9:20 AM, "Dr. Denise M Robinson" <deniserob at gmail.com> wrote:

> Traci
> Start with videos--like this: Braille instruction begins at 3 years
> old<goog_979020893>
> <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kDjtrXJkM8>
> and  Braille Technology laptops -4 year old and 2nd grader
> racing<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNfnMDWfaXU>
> 
> and there may be a fear factor on her side. Many teachers do not teach
> something because they do not know how, therefore they are not going to
> recommend something they do not understand or know how to teach.  What is
> her comfort level with technology? There is a lot of lessons out there to
> help her. Try and bring her on as a comrade.
> 
> Denise
> 
> Denise M. Robinson, TVI, Ph.D.
> CEO, TechVision, LLC
> Specialist in Technology/Training/Teaching for blind/low vision
> 509-674-1853
> 
> Website with hundreds of informational articles & lessons all done with
> keystrokes: www.yourtechvision.com
> 
> 
> On Wed, Mar 28, 2012 at 5:45 PM, Traci Wilkerson <traci.renee27 at gmail.com>wrote:
> 
>> My daughter is at the end of her 1st grade year and does not have a
>> braillenote and I want to push for one, but know I'm probably in for a
>> fight.  How do I start the discussion? I have brought it up with her TVI
>> that I am interested in technology very soon for her.... and made it clear
>> that I want it, but how do you go about the "fight".
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> Traci
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> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Denise
> 
> Denise M. Robinson, TVI, Ph.D.
> CEO, TechVision, LLC
> Specialist in Technology/Training/Teaching for blind/low vision
> 509-674-1853
> 
> Website with hundreds of informational articles & lessons all done with
> keystrokes: www.yourtechvision.com
> 
> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
> doing it." --Chinese Proverb
> 
> Computers are incredibly fast, accurate, and stupid: humans are incredibly
> slow, inaccurate and brilliant; together they are powerful beyond
> imagination.
> --Albert Einstein
> 
> It's kind of fun to do the impossible.
> --Walt Disney
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