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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:center;line-height:normal">
<img width="473" height="73" style="width:4.927in;height:.7604in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image003.jpg@01D50FA8.0C466500" alt="RIDBCtype-side 2lines-300"><b><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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<b><span lang="EN-AU"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The FREE online training programs in UEB braille literacy and UEB mathematics can be accessed at
</span><span lang="EN-AU"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__uebonline.org_&d=DwMFAg&c=jvUANN7rYqzaQJvTqI-69lgi41yDEZ3CXTgIEaHlx7c&r=GqsY_3XH6KGvYif-Wp6cV2rUwNdPmzT-r_nd-52naHU&m=99fblzP06ZWOKrgrnidnORas2HDQ2t_8Yx9lgSS5ZUs&s=UBzSL7yDfyXaWLWJzzKP4AmrJnQFsF01iW2GECaVR14&e=">https://uebonline.org/</a>
</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">and offer both free courses and paid certification options.</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:105%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">MEDIA RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:105%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">May 2019<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:105%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Australian innovation to make mathematics more accessible to blind students across the globe<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">In response to the growing need for STEM skills in Australia and overseas, RIDBC has today launched UEB Mathematics, an online course that enables teachers and parents to better
support braille-using students.</span></b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">UEB Mathematics, an addition to the UEB Online e-learning platform, enables professionals and parents to understand and connect language, literacy and mathematics development in
children with vision impairment, and to plan learning experiences that are inclusive of those children who use the medium of braille.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">An Australian innovation, UEB Online, the first e-learning braille course for professionals and parents, was launched in 2014 with a goal to increase braille literacy in Australia
and globally. Since its inception, more than 18,000 people in 184 countries have taken part in the course.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Now, the team behind UEB Online hope that increasing access to braille for mathematics will open up more STEM career opportunities for people with vision impairment in Australia
and across the globe. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Dr Frances Gentle, Lecturer at RIDBC Renwick who led the project to create UEB Online, says the new UEB mathematics training courses are designed to promote equitable access to STEM
subjects for braille users. "Equitable educational opportunity for children who are blind requires teachers who understand the braille code and how to modify print-based activities in the classroom.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">"We want to enable students with blindness to continue studying mathematics into their senior school years and as a result, increase access to careers in STEM-related fields. Achieving
this aspirational goal requires teachers and parents who understand Unified English Braille in literary and mathematical contexts."
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">In her role as President of the International Council for English Braille, Dr Gentle says she has witnessed the positive educational impact when braille-using students have the support
of people who understand their code. "It really helps when classroom teachers can read braille text but equally, when parents can use it," she said.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">"Knowledge of braille enables parents to share the joys of reading and writing with their child, whether it is assistance with homework, notes of encouragement or birthday cards
in braille.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Dr Gentle also says that the ability to read braille amongst the sighted community is essential. "It's critical that we increase the number of people who can use and read braille
so that we can continue to teach it and ensure that children with blindness have equitable access to education and employment."
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Chris Rehn, Chief Executive at RIDBC, says that keeping Australia at the global forefront of service and technological innovation is an important goal for the organisation. "We are
committed to providing the highest quality services and level of care for Australians with vision and hearing impairment, and innovations such as UEB Mathematics play a critical role in this.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">With mathematics identified as a vital skill for the future, ensuring students with vision impairment have equal access to education is crucial."
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The online training programs in braille literacy and mathematics can be accessed at
</span><span lang="EN-AU"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__uebonline.org_&d=DwMFAg&c=jvUANN7rYqzaQJvTqI-69lgi41yDEZ3CXTgIEaHlx7c&r=GqsY_3XH6KGvYif-Wp6cV2rUwNdPmzT-r_nd-52naHU&m=99fblzP06ZWOKrgrnidnORas2HDQ2t_8Yx9lgSS5ZUs&s=UBzSL7yDfyXaWLWJzzKP4AmrJnQFsF01iW2GECaVR14&e=">https://uebonline.org/</a>
</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">and offer both free courses and paid certification options.</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:105%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal;text-autospace:none">
<span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">-ENDS-<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">RIDBC is Australia’s largest non-government provider of therapy, education, cochlear implant and diagnostic services for people with hearing or vision loss, supporting
thousands of adults, children and their families, each year. Services are provided from 18 sites across Australia and through an outreach service that supports clients living in regional areas.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
RIDBC is a charity and relies heavily on fundraising and community support to be able to continue to make a difference in the lives of children and adults with vision or hearing loss.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">For media enquiries, please contact:
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Linda Berrigan</span></b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
Director, Marketing and Communications<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC)</span></b><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">T: (02) 9872 0304 | M: 0478 119 066<br>
Email: </span><span lang="EN-AU"><a href="mailto:linda.berrigan@ridbc.org.au"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">linda.berrigan@ridbc.org.au</span></a></span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:105%;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal">
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