[Pibe-division] Pibe-division Digest, Vol 8, Issue 1
swagkat at att.net
swagkat at att.net
Fri Jan 2 15:22:59 UTC 2009
Hi Carlton,
Here are my two cents worth.......Since Catherine is still very young and working on building her braille skills, I would recommend a six key entry keyboard to reinforce the writing of braille. Later when she's older and has mastered her braille, change to the QWERTY. She can continue practicing her keyboarding skills using her laptop - and she should be doing it by touch, not peaking with her eyes!! Yes, she can do "braille" entry on the QWERTY using the sdfjkl keys, but most kids I've worked with find the six key "braille" keyboard much easier, since it's set up like a Perkins, which I'm sure Catherine uses.
Pros and Cons to Braille Note vs Pac Mate. From what I understand, and I'm no tech expert by any means!, the Pac Mate is Windows based so easier to translate to a computer. But we have always used Braille Notes here with our students and they are very successful with it. Good luck.
Gail
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> Today's Topics:
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> 1. Second NFB Youth Slam (Zakhnini, Karen)
> 2. Re: Notetker and Digital player questions (Ashley Bramlett)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:10:53 -0600
> From: "Zakhnini, Karen" (by way of David Andrews
> )
> Subject: [Pibe-division] Second NFB Youth Slam
> To: david.andrews at nfbnet.org
> Message-ID:
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
>
> In the summer of 2009 we will have our second National Federation of
> the Blind Youth Slam for blind high school students. The program
> will be held at the University of Maryland, College Park. We still
> need plenty of mentors and students to apply, so please help us get
> the word out.
>
> If you need more information about the program or are interested in
> being a student or mentor participant, please visit
> http://www.blindscience.org/nc
> bys/Youth_Slam.asp
> and fill out the appropriate application.
>
> If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Thank you!
>
> Sincerely,
> Karen C. Zakhnini
> Education Project Manager
> Jernigan Institute
> NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND
>
> Phone: (410) 659-9314, ext. 2293
> Fax: (410) 659-5129
>
> Support Braille literacy and empowering programs by sponsoring me in
> the Motor City March for Independence! Visit
> > &fr_id=1050>http://www.marchforindependence.org/site/TR/walk/General?px=1003222&
> pg=personal&fr_id=1050
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2009 12:59:38 -0500
> From: "Ashley Bramlett"
> Subject: Re: [Pibe-division] Notetker and Digital player questions
> To: "Professionals in Blindness Education Division List"
>
> Message-ID:
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=original
>
> Hi,
> I have a Braille Note and recommend it. It is menu driven and easy to use.
> Yes it can be connected to a computer
> and serve as a braille display. The new Braille Notes have great internet
> capability and you can even connect it wirelessly if you have the wireless
> card and wireless access. For fun you can also upload music files to it and
> store some on a flash card. If playing music best to put them on a flash
> card because they take up a lot of memory. The media players allow you to
> hear songs you uploaded as well as a FM radio.
>
> It supports Word documents so any document you get from the computer can be
> put on a usb drive and plugged into the braille Note. Other handy features
> are the address book, phone book and scientific calculator. I think PAC
> mate has those too though.
>
> Good luck with your decission. Happy new Year.
> Ashley
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Carlton Anne Cook Walker"
> To: ;
> Sent: Sunday, December 21, 2008 8:22 AM
> Subject: [Pibe-division] Notetker and Digital player questions
>
>
> > Hi all,
> >
> > DH and I are going to soon approach the school regarding a notetaker
> > for Anna Catherine. I have two major questions:
> >
> >
> >
> > First, which notetaker should we request?
> > We have already decided that a QWERTY keyboard would be better. (Anna
> > Catherine has some vision and uses a laptop with a QWERTY keyboard
> > anyway.)
> >>From what I understand from the teens to whom I've spoken, Braillenote
> > is highly preferred over PacMate. I understand that this is because
> > it is easier to use and the keystrokes more directly correspond with
> > computer-based commands. Am I correct? Are there other reasons to
> > choose the BrailleNote over the PacMate?
> > Are there any other brands I should be looking at -- that have QWERTY
> > entry? I have not been able to find any.
> > Also, can the notetaker be connected with a computer and serve as a
> > refreshable braille display? (If yes, it might make it easier to
> > speed up the process of getting notetaker for Anna Catherine. We're
> > realy hoping to have one by the end of the school year -- yes, our
> > District IS that slow -- so that she may explore it and become
> > comfortable with its use over the summer.)
> >
> >
> >
> > Second, I am also interested in the Victor Reader Stream for Anna
> > Catherine.
> > Can a notetaker be used as a Digital Reader?
> > Can Bookshare files be easily uploaded onto the Victor?
> >
> >
> >
> > Thank you so very much for your help on these matters.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Wishing everyone a safe, joyful, and blessed holiday season,
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Carlton
> >
> > --
> > Carlton Anne Cook Walker
> > Anna's Mom
> > 213 North First Street
> > McConnellsburg, PA 17233
> > Voice: 717-485-3383
> >
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> End of Pibe-division Digest, Vol 8, Issue 1
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