[blindkid] BrailleNote use

Thu Sep 6 14:43:42 UTC 2012

Do keep in mind that 90% of businesses use a PC. You can get a job if you
know how to operate a computer. You cannot get a really good job if you do
not know a PC and only know a braille note. If you have to choose because
of cost, then a PC with braille display will take you anywhere you want to
go....but a braille note will not. I love the braille note...it is
exceptional---and when given the choice, my students get both, but many
schools have to decide either or.......choose wisely.

Denise

On Thu, Sep 6, 2012 at 7:37 AM, Bo Page <bo.page at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> Hi Bernadette,
> In what way does one use Ultra Book?  HOw is it unique for the blind?  I
> looked
> it up, and it appears that is is a laptop.  Can you say more about it.
>
> Much appreciated.
> Bo Page in CT
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Bernadette Jacobs <bernienfb75 at gmail.com>
> To: "Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)"
> <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thu, September 6, 2012 7:33:34 AM
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] BrailleNote use
>
> Firstly, I'm one who's been burned by the world of notetakers.  I,
> myself, will never, ever have another notetaker.  I've found the
> drawbacks are as follows:
>
> 1.  The turn-around time if your notetaker should have to be in for
> repair can be a whole six months.  I've heard others' tales of woe
> that sometimes even when people have gotten their notetakers back,
> they weren't even in the same condition they had previously sent it.
>
> 2.  In my instance, for example, I had upgraded the software on mine
> two years in a row.  Then when I went online to upgrade for a third
> time, I was told that there was a serious hardward upgrade problem.
> When I called the outfit, they of course informed me that they had
> failed to tell me about hardware upgrades that I needed and until I
> paid out mukobucks for the hardware, I couldn't even touch the
> software.  In essence, the hardware upgrades, in addition to the
> software upgrades I needed would cost me three-fourths the price of a
> whole brand new machine!!!  NEVER AGAIN!!!  NEVER AGAIN!!!
>
> 3.  Good news, however, I talked with the folks here at the National
> Center and they've informed me that something new called the
> "Ultra-Book" has come out.  One can get them through Amazon and almost
> anywhere one can purchase computers.  Yah--windows based and all!  You
> can use it like your personal PC or laptop.  As for the price, even
> that's not too bad!  You can get 'em for around $1300.00ish or so.
> Far less also than a notetaker!!!  You don't have to worry about your
> machine sitting in some shop on the other side of tim-buck-two for six
> months to a year only to have it come back to you Lord knows how.
> It's far easier to upgrade software on a PC, laptop, or "Ultra-Book"
> and you can connect with any printer or PC VIA usb connection or
> whatever.  One could do the same with a netbook.  Just like having a
> laptop.  I do know many parents right here on the list whose counties
> purchased this equipment, (notetakers and all), for their
> blind/disabled students in order for them to continue to compete in
> their class rooms.
>
> That's my take for whatever it's worth!
>
> Have a great day!
>
> Bernie
>
> On 9/5/12, Carly B <barnesraiser at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hello all!
> >
> > I am hoping to get some thoughts/advice regarding my son's school
> > situation. My son is 10 and he just entered 4th grade at the state
> academy
> > for the blind. He's been there since 1st grade. At his IEP meeting last
> > spring, I asked that he be provided with a Braille Note for his home
> use. I
> > thought I had requested it starting at the beginning of the summer (2012)
> > but that it would be something he would use at home during the school
> year.
> > Somehow this was misconstrued and it was entered in his IEP that he would
> > be provided the Braille Note for the summer only. Sadly, the instructor
> in
> > charge of technology (even though I had communicated with him *months*
> > prior to the IEP meeting and had gotten his "buy-in" then) did not have
> the
> > Braille Note ready for our son's use until the end of July. It was really
> > frustrating to be put off for 4-5 months after our initial request, but
> > since I thought that once we had it, we would have it indefinitely, that
> > helped.
> >
> > Well, we've had the use of it for 4 weeks and I just received a request
> to
> > return it. Reading the IEP a little more carefully (yes, I glossed over
> > portions, including that one) I realize now there was a misunderstanding
> > about it.
> >
> > But my question is: how many of you have technology at home provided by
> the
> > school? I mean, how unusual a request is or isn't this? Early on in this
> > process I encountered several TVI's who said they provide Braille Notes
> to
> > their students for use at home and school from an early age. So I got the
> > idea that it is somewhat standard.
> >
> > Should I request another IEP meeting and make the request again, being
> > clear this time what I want? Should I expect to receive it? I mean, the
> > Braille Note is available to my son at school for *maybe* 30 minutes a
> day.
> > The amount of Braille material we have at home is quite limited. The
> > Braille Note is like a Kindle for Braille books... my son is part-way
> > through two books he downloaded from BookShare that he would not be able
> to
> > finish. He needs the extra practice time to increase his proficiency and
> > his reading speed. Of course I'm afraid they will say that he doesn't
> need
> > that...
> >
> > Anyway, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I just need to figure
> > out what to do from here...
> >
> > Thanks in advance!
> >
> > :) Carolynn aka Brian's mom
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>
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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 on PC, Office
products, Mac, iPad/iTools and more, all done with
keystrokes: www.yourtechvision.com

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