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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Hi Cindy,</SPAN><?xml:namespace
prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I definitely agree with Kristien’s
<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>suggestion to use the BOP series
grade 1. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>I do have a few other
ideas. First, national braille press produces a phonic set with printed and
contracted and uncontracted braille on each page. They have three sets. I think
each set costs $24 but the investment in this phonics series may be terrific.
Another publication that allows one to print stories in contracted and
uncontracted braille is the early reading series also from national braille
press. You can print out the books using duxbury braille translation software
and aa Braille embosser, choose the contractions you want to focus on and have
the child read a meaningful story in the process. Also APH has trade books from
Sunshine with uncontracted braille labels and contracted braille labels which
gives you the ability to choose what contractions to teach. Go to <A
href="http://www.nbp.org/">www.nbp.org</A> to see phonics series and early
reader series that have stories appropriate for your student's reading level. Go
to <A href="http://www.aph.org/">www.aph.org</A> to look at the trade books
available with the packets of labels. One other website that contains books of
various grade levels in uncontracted and contracted braille files is <A
href="http://www.tsbvi.edu/">www.tsbvi.edu</A> You need to requesta pass word
from <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>the website administrator
<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>to view the books and be able to
access the books.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Regarding using a note taker, I am
unfamiliar if humanware braille note has a curriculum for learning braille.
However, the Pacmate Omni has a program called FS braille coach that teaches
thebraille <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>alphabet, numbers,
punctuation signs <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>and all
contractions in a sequential order. I have been extremely impressed by this
software. For instance when teaching a contraction such as <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>b = but you press the cursor router
button to the right of the letter and hear the word the letter b represents and
how the word is spelled out. The same applies for all contractions. The only
difficulty may be with the reading excercises since they may contain difficult
words to decipher.The Pacmate Omni with a 20 braile display or 40 braille
display as well as a Braille perkins keyboard or qwerty leyboard is abailable at
www.freedomscientific.con m Prices are posted on the site. The pacmate Omni with
the braile keyboard and 20 braille display costs $2,795. Go to <A
href="http://www.freedomscientific.com/">www.freedomscientific.com</A> to look
at their products of note takers which kist each note taker’s price. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Prior to purchasing the braillenote
see if the manufacturer humanware www.humanware.com <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>has aliterary braille curriculum.
Humanware does not list their prices for their products on their website. So you
may have to call the 1800 phone number to find out the price for the
braillenote. I remember being told that it costs $6,000 with a 18 braille
display. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The one thing your student will have
to get used to using any note taker on the market is to read one line and go to
the next line by pressing a button on the braillenotefrom Humanware <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>or a wheel on the pacmate omni from
Freedom Scientific. I hope my suggestions help you with teaching your student
the braille code. I would only suggest that your student knows how to spell
words correctly, so when it comes to assistive technology it will be easier for
this student to write assignments in Microsoft Word.</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Sara Rooz</SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Certified Teacher of the Blind and
Visually Impaired in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">New York</st1:place></st1:State></SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Independent Related Service Provider
Vision Education Services in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New York
City</st1:place></st1:City></SPAN><o:p></o:p></P>
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