[nfbmi-talk] Fw: Lansing State Journal articles, video, and photos from 6/22 Braille-A-Thon

joe harcz Comcast joeharcz at comcast.net
Wed Jun 23 18:59:03 UTC 2010


Wonder if this gets censorred from the MCB 2020 list serve where it originated...
----- Original Message ----- 
From: joe harcz Comcast 
To: Michigan Comm for the Blind Vision 20/20 List 
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 2:57 PM
Subject: Re: Lansing State Journal articles, video, and photos from 6/22 Braille-A-Thon


This is wonderful. Say, do you think we at MCB should have someone directing the Training Center who knows Braille intimately, including curriculum development for training newly blinded adults in Braille?

Moreover, wouldn't it be nice if MCB and indeed the Michigan Department of Education actually did its job with its required comprehensive personnel development requirements to ensure that there are enough qualified Braille instructional professionals to educate blind folks of every age in the use of Braille?

Actually these are requirements of the Rehab act and of IDEA too. I simply don't understand why they are not implemented.

Sincerely,

Joe Harcz
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Turney, Susan (DELEG) 
  To: MCB2020-L at LISTSERV.MICHIGAN.GOV 
  Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2010 12:52 PM
  Subject: Lansing State Journal articles, video, and photos from 6/22 Braille-A-Thon


  Lansing State Journal coverage of the 2010 Braille-A-Thon at the State Capitol yesterday included two print articles, an online video interview with event coordinator MCB Commissioner Geri Taeckens, and an online photo gallery.  Links and text of the two articles and links to the video and photo gallery are pasted below.  (Note:  Two of the photos below, of Braille publications and alphabet cards, were taken at the MCB information table at the event.)



  Susan Turney

  Communications & Outreach Coordinator

  Michigan Commission for the Blind; Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth

  direct line:  517-241-8631; fax:  517-335-5140; MCB toll-free: 1-800-292-4200

  201 N. Washington Square, Second Floor; P.O. Box 30652; Lansing, MI 48909

  www.michigan.gov/mcb





  http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20100622/NEWS01/306220009/Braille-A-Thon-brings-awareness-for-the-blind#pluckcomments



  Braille-A-Thon brings awareness for the blind

  Kris Turner . knturner at lsj.com . June 22, 2010 

  LANSING -- Sprawled across the Capitol lawn, people gathered to bring awareness to braille education Tuesday.



  Because many blind children don't receive the proper education about how to read and use braille, there needs to be more of an effort in the state, said Geri Taeckens, who organized the second annual Braille-A-Thon. 

  "We are all concerned about the education of the blind in the state of Michigan," said the commissioner for the Michigan Commission for the Blind. 

  A number of activities under a large white tent were available for both the blind and seeing to take participate in. Several books and braille alphabets were available to feel.

  Read Wednesday's Lansing State Journal for more on this story.




  Photo:  Greg Botting, 16, of Ionia demonstrates a Brailler, a machine similar to a typewriter that has a key that corresponds to each of the six dots of the braille code. Botting was one of several organizers of the second-annual Braille-A-Thon Tuesday afternoon at the State Capitol. (Matthew Dae Smith | For the Lansing State Journal)



  Video:  Braille-A-Thon at Lansing Capitol (00:53)

  The second annual Braille-A-Thon was held Tuesday at the Capitol. Geri Taeckens, Commissioner for the Michigan Commission for the Blind talks about how Braille is an essential skill for the blind. Video by Kristopher Turner | For the LSJ.

  http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/section/videonetwork?bctid=97900057001 



  Event at Capitol raises awareness on literacy for the blind

  Advocate: Growing problem in Michigan merits more attention

  Kris Turner . knturner at lsj.com . June 23, 2010 

  Saying it's difficult road for the blind trying to learn braille, advocates worked Tuesday at the Capitol to raise awareness of what they say is a growing problem among Michigan's blind population.



  Literacy among people who are blind is an issue that needs more attention, said Geri Taeckens, commissioner for the Michigan Commission for the Blind.

  A majority of people who are blind are not taught to read properly end up unemployed, and that's unacceptable, she added.

  "Our kids are not getting braille education to make them really literate," said Taeckens, who organized the second annual Braille-A-Thon on Tuesday at the Capitol.

  Michigan has more than 36,000 residents who are blind, according to Preventblindness.org.

  Children don't receive continuous education about how to read braille in schools, and that contributes to the problem, Taeckens said. A reliance on technology, such as talking computers, isn't enough. They must be able to proficiently read, she said.

  Malcolm Bryant, owner of Mid Michigan Braille in Alma, said he began translating books into braille because he saw a significant need for it. Now in its 10th year, his business also trains people to do the same thing so the world can be flooded with braille books.

  "It's important kids learn to read," he said at the Capitol. "It puts them on an equal playing field with sighted kids."

  Some districts in Michigan that do teach braille pair students with a specialist twice a week to study the subject. That doesn't work, Taeckens said. Learning to read braille is essentially learning to speak a new language and requires constant practice.

  Even with advances in technology, there is something about being able to touch what you are reading, said Mary Wurtzel, a Lansing resident who is blind. The fact that people aren't receiving quality braille education is sad, she added.

  "I love braille," she said. "I learned braille when I was 3 years old. I don't know what I'd do without braille."



  Braille-A-Thon photo gallery:

  http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=A3&Dato=20100622&Kategori=NEWS&Lopenr=6220803&Ref=PH&Profile=1001&SectionCat=NEWS 

  BRAILLE-A-THON AT THE STATE CAPITOL

  All photos by Matthew Dae Smith for LSJ





  Photo:  A Braille textbook at the Braille-A-Thon on the Capitol lawn Tuesday afternoon illustrates the history of ancient Egypt. The second annual Braille-A-Thon was held Tuesday afternoon at the State Capitol, which helped promote and celebrate the visually impaired and literacy skills





  Photo:  Junior Hernandez, 9, of Zeeland does the limbo in front of the Capitol during Braille-A-Thon Tuesday afternoon. Junior and his brother Anibal, 7, (pictured behind Junior) are both legally blind, and were part of the 2nd annual Braille-A-Thon.





  Photo:  Greg Botting, 16, of Ionia demonstrates a Brailler, a machine similar to a typewriter that has a key that corresponds to each of the six dots of the braille code. Botting was one of several organizers of the second-annual Braille-A-Thon Tuesday afternoon at the State Capitol.





  Photo:  [close-up of hands] Greg Botting, 16, of Ionia demonstrates a Brailler, a machine similar to a typewriter that has a key that corresponds to each of the six dots of the braille code. Botting was one of several organizers of the second-annual Braille-A-Thon Tuesday afternoon at the State Capitol.





  Photo:  Acer Bowman-Tomlinson, 5, of Sterling Heights practices putting on a button at Tuesday's Braille-A-Thon at the State Capitol. Acer is completely blind, and had little problem threading the needle or sewing on this button.





  Photo:  Stacks of the papers and literature containing Braille at the Braille-A-Thon Tuesday afternoon at the State Capitol. A Braille character is made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangle containing two columns of three dots each. A dot may be raised at any of the six positions to form 64 possible subsets.





  Photo:  Stacks of the Braille alphabet at the Braille-A-Thon at the State Capitol Tuesday afternoon. Each Braille character is made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangle containing two columns of three dots each. A dot may be raised at any of the six positions to form 64 possible subsets.





  Photo:  Junior Hernandez, 9, of Zeeland does the limbo in front of the Capitol as an activity during Braille-A-Thon Tuesday afternoon. His brother, Anibal, 7, (middle), and Eric Decker, 13, of Mt. Pleasant cheer him on. The 2nd Annual Braille-A-Thon, held Tuesday afternoon at the State Capitol helps promote and celebrate the visually impaired and literacy skills.




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