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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='color:#1F497D'>It’s my understanding that 40 more participants are needed for the Braille study explained in the email below. If you haven’t seen this message and are interested, please email Julie Hovey at the address in the below email.. If your chapter has members who are Braille users and do not use email/Internet, get permission to send their names and phone numbers to Julie Hovey.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='color:#1F497D'>The Buffalo Chapter has sent two names and phone numbers this morning.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='color:#1F497D'>Margo Downey, Secretary<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='color:#1F497D'>National Federation of the Blind, Buffalo Chapter<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>Begin forwarded message:<o:p></o:p></p><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><b>From:</b> Mike Robinson via New-York-News <<a href="mailto:new-york-news@nfbnet.org">new-york-news@nfbnet.org</a>><br><b>Date:</b> March 12, 2021 at 4:56:22 PM EST<br><b>To:</b> "News, New York" <<a href="mailto:new-york-news@nfbnet.org">new-york-news@nfbnet.org</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> <b>[New-York-News] NYSCB Needs Assessment</b><br><b>Reply-To:</b> Mike Robinson <<a href="mailto:president@nfbny.org">president@nfbny.org</a>><o:p></o:p></p></div></blockquote><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><div><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>NYSCB is conducting a needs assessment and as part of that we are looking at people’s experiences with braille and the impact braille has on their level of success.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Anyone interested in participating can email me directly at <a href="mailto:Julie.Hovey@ocfs.ny.gov">Julie.Hovey@ocfs.ny.gov</a></span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><o:p> </o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Focus Groups for Participants</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>To assess NYSCB participants’ experiences with braille, including their perspectives on how braille impacted their level of success in school, college, and/or vocational training, we will conduct participant focus groups. Drawing from best practice research on focus groups, we suggest capping each focus group at a maximum of ten participants. This group size allows for a more complete discussion of the issues under study, and also provides space for diverse perspectives to emerge. Due to the ongoing pandemic and public health concerns, we will conduct the focus groups virtually.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>With permission of the participants, all focus groups will be audio-recorded and transcribed for analysis. The focus groups will be guided by a semi-structured focus group protocol, which we will draft and finalize in consultation with NYSCB. Focus group questions will reflect the following topic areas:</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>• perspectives on whether and how braille contributed to participants’ school and work success</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>• early braille experiences, including how participants learned braille and at what age</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>• how participants use braille (e.g., for reading, writing, or both; level of braille used)</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>• use of Nemeth code</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>• factors that contributed to success and/or challenges learning and using braille</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>• other areas based on consultation with NYSCB and background research conducted by A&O.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Both quantitative and qualitative data will result from these focus groups. Quantitative data include mean and median ages at which participants learned braille, and the number and percentage of participants reporting how they use braille (e.g., for reading, writing, or both). Qualitative data will result from participants’ descriptions of their experiences with braille, as well as their perspectives on whether and/or how it contributed to their academic and vocational progress and success.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Thank you very much for your assistance.</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Julie</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Julie Hovey, CRC</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b>Associate Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor</b><o:p></o:p></p><p>Quality Assurance/Business Enterprise Program<o:p></o:p></p><p>Pronouns: she/her/hers<o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='color:#7030A0'> </span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b><span style='color:#7030A0'>Office of Children and Family Services</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><b>New York State Commission for the Blind</b><o:p></o:p></p><p>Mid-Hudson Regional Office<o:p></o:p></p><p>103 Executive Drive Suite #200<o:p></o:p></p><p>New Windsor, New York 12553<o:p></o:p></p><p><b>Phone: 845.762.5228/ Cell: 518.937.2780</b><o:p></o:p></p><p>Email: <a href="mailto:Julie.Hovey@ocfs.ny.gov">Julie.Hovey@ocfs.ny.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p>NYSCB website: <a href="http://visionloss.ny.gov/">http://visionloss.ny.gov</a><o:p></o:p></p><p> <o:p></o:p></p><p><img border=0 width=199 height=61 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D7174B.7F2FE3F0"><o:p></o:p></p><p> <o:p></o:p></p><p> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div></blockquote></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=199 height=61 id="image001.png_x0040_01D7174B.7F2FE3F0" src="cid:image001.png@01D7174B.7F2FE3F0">_______________________________________________<br>New-York-News mailing list<br><a href="mailto:New-York-News@nfbnet.org">New-York-News@nfbnet.org</a><br><a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/new-york-news_nfbnet.org">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/new-york-news_nfbnet.org</a><br>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for New-York-News:<br><a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/new-york-news_nfbnet.org/wgramza1951%40gmail.com">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/new-york-news_nfbnet.org/wgramza1951%40gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p></div></blockquote></div></body></html>