[Pibe-division] Request for Comments: Use of Tablets In the Classroom

[Oleg Shevkun via Pibe-division]

Hello listers,

My name is Oleg, and I am the executive editor of Radio VOS, the 
official Internet radio station of the All-Russia Association of the 
Blind (Http://www.radiovos.ru). We provide blindness-oriented 
programming to Russian-speaking audience. It is one of our goals to be a 
trustworthy resource for positive and authoritative information on all 
issues affecting blind and visually impaired people, as well as to be a 
forum for open and constructive discussion of these issues.

Currently, there is a group here in Russia coming up with an initiative 
to integrate tablet computers into K12 education of blind and visually 
impaired students. The initiative is now in its initial stage, with 
experiments scheduled for the 2014-15 school year. We are working on a 
30-minute program regarding this issue. It is my understanding that 
tablets such as iPAD are already being used by blind students in K12 
schools throughout the US. Hence, I'd like to do a short (5 minutes at 
most) interview with someone who works in special education, and who 
could talk to our listeners about the practical side of integrating 
these devices into the school curriculum. Specifically, we would be 
interested in the following:

- How common are tablets in the education of blind and visually impaired 
students?
- In terms of organization, how do you implement these devices into the 
curriculum? Specifically, is this initiative promoted by blindness 
organizations? By educators? By agencies?
- How does the use of these devices relate to braille literacy?
- Does the use of tablets enhance the accessibility of textbooks? If so, 
then how does it work specifically?
- Are tablets being used in tandem with other devices, such as external 
keyboards or braille displays?
- What are the challenges to using these devices in school settings?

Actually, we are on a pretty tight schedule. So, I'd really appreciate 
it if we could record an interview (or, for that matter, several 
interviews) on this subject within the next couple of days. So, if you 
are an expert and you are ready to talk to us, please drop me a note at 
OShevkun at RadioVOS.Ru. Alternatively, if you are not an expert, but you 
know someone else who would be qualified to discuss these issues, I'd 
appreciate it if you could pass this email to those people.

We could do the interview on Skype or by phone at your convenience (but 
please keep in mind that there is a time difference). Of course, the 
interview will be all in English, and we will then record voice-over 
interpretation.

Thank you for your assistance, and I am really looking forward to 
hearing from you!

Sincerely,
Oleg Shevkun,
Executive Editor,
Radio VOS
Http://www.RadioVOS.Ru